Long cycles - can I still get pg?

[pinkpip100]

Hi, I'm new on here, as you may have gathered! My DS is 13 months, and we've been TTC no 2 for 2 months now. I know this isn't long at all, but I am a bit worried as my last 4 cycles have been exactly 42 days. Is it possible to get pregnant with cycles as long as this? And does anyone have any idea when (if at all) I would be ovulating? I did order some OPKs on ebay but I have no idea when to use them. If anyone else has experience of conceiving with long cycles I would be really grateful for any advice!
Thanks
Pip x

Can I recommmend a book called Taking Charge of Your fertility, it explains in there about charting so you can pin point ovulation - I thought I knew a lot but it is priceles
By Toni Weschler cn buy it cheaply off ebay or from amazon, cheaper than peeing on a stick :)
You can also get a salvia ovulation detector - reuseable you likc, let it dry adn the patterns (alled ferning) show when you're fertile.
I suffer from irreguar cycles so have found both things VERY helpful

Hi Pip,

A normal cycle is a cycle length of between 21 and 35 days so your periods could be seen as irregular. I would be very wary of using temp charts and the like to see if ovulation is happening as these can be misleading indicators particularly if periods are irregular. You can have periods without ovulating and you can have a temp rise in the second half of your cycle when an egg has not been shed.

Would suggest see what your cycles are like over the next 3-6 months and if they are still around this length or even longer, then would ask for a blood test to be done. This will give the most accurate picture of what your hormone levels are like. Irregular periods are often caused by hormonal imbalances hence me suggesting the blood test.

Before I concieved my only child I had about 3 periods a year, at unpredictable intervals... I was given the fertility drug Clomid and conceived in the first month!

However, if your periods are ALWAYS 42 days apart you can predict when they will start - just count 14 days back and that's when you are ovulating, or so I understand (I'm not an expert).

Good luck!

The 14 day thing is just a guide and a not very good one at that. It is not the case at all that women ovulate 14 days before their period starts.

Ovulation is not an exact science and women can ovulate earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle. It is not therefore always the 14th day!!.

Generally speaking if periods are irregular then ovulation is less likely to be happening regularly.

The Weschler book gives you many insights into your cycle, it can shed ligt on reasons why your cycle is long.
Was your cycle that long before your ds pinkpip?

You could try an Isis Scope- there are a couple of threads on it. You check your saliva everyday for a ferning pattern at ovulation, so better than opks for irregular cycles.

i've always had long cycles - 35+ days - and had no problems getting pregnant (2 mths with dd1, first month with dd2). we had sex about 15 days after my period and that seemed to work

Thanks so much for all of your replies. Piffle - I'll definitely try to get hold of a copy of Toni Weschler's book; My cycles have always been very irregular (sometimes 4 or 5 months apart), and I was told I probably had polycystic ovaries. I started having reflexology before I had my ds and my cycles became much more regular, though still long (around 32-35 days) - and within 2 months I was pregnant. I suppose I was hoping that having a baby may have sorted out the polycyctic ovary thing, and had felt relieved that my cycles were 'regular' (albeit 6 weeks long). But from what Meerkatsunite says here, maybe it is still a problem. Hmmmm...lots to think about.

Bundle - that's interesting, I keep reading that ovulation always occurs 14-16 days before your period starts, but that obviously wasn't the case with you. Its just all so confusing!

Thanks again
Pip x

Hi pinkpip,

Who suspected PCO?

Polycystic ovaries can indeed cause irregular cycles and unfortunately it is a problem that does not go away. It can be controlled but not cured as the cystic follicles associated with this condition do come back over time. Some of these cystic follicles are dormant, others contain hormones and some contain an egg.

Would keep an eye on your cycles but avoid temp charting (it would be a pointless exercise particularly if PCO is suspected. You'd end up with a chart with many peaks and troughs thus impossible to interpret).

If you can try and stay within the correct weight range for your height this will help with regards to PCO as well.

It is quite possible to also have periods without ovulating hence me suggesting you keep an eye on your cycles with a view to getting a blood test done.

Hi MeerkatsUnite,

The PCO diagnosis was about 6 years ago, I happened to mention to a nurse during a routine check-up that my periods had always been incredibly irregular. She got me referred to a gynae, who listened to my history and was adamant that it sounded like PCO. I had an ultrasound, and my GP told me the results shouwed cycts on my ovaries. BUT...When I was registering with a new GP a few years later she took one look at me and declared that there was no way I had PCO/PCOS (having never had a weight problem or suffererd any of the other typical PCOS symptoms), re-checked the scan results and said they were inconclusive!!! When we initially started TTC, nothing had happened after 6 months, but then I tried the reflexology (and healthy eating/exercise), and got pregnant with ds very quickly after that.

Sorry, I'm sure you didn't want such a detailed life-story! Your suggestion of blood tests is a good one. I may also try the reflexology again, and look at improving my diet (haven't got the breastfeeding excusing for stuffing myself with cakes any more anyway!). I'm not overweight (BMI of 20/21), but it seemed to help last time. Thanks for the hints on temping (or not) - I was actually thinking of trying it, but sounds like it would just confuse me even more.

By the way, does the presence of EWCM always indicate ovulation, or could I have this even if I'm not ovulating? I have been using this as my only guide to when ovulation might be happening...

Thanks again!

Hi, pinkpip,

GPs can be surprisingly ignorant of such problems. I have PCOS and am apparantly a classic case (have never had a weight problem either). The problem with PCO/PCOS is that they are very individualistic disorders and can affect each woman with it very differently. Basically PCO is the cystic ovaries without any other symptoms but PCOS can occur at any time. My main symptoms of PCOS are the hormonal imbalance of LH to FSH (am producing too much LH and not enough FSH), irregular periods and a few stray hairs where they should not really be. I would personally go by the gynae's opinion rather than the docs but that was done six years ago so you now need both an updated and accurate opinion. As mentioned PCO (if it is diagnosed) can be controlled; the healthy eating does help and being within the correct weight range for your height is also important. Around one in five women have cystic follicles (they are not cysts in the usual sense of the word) on their ovaries.

Cervical mucus in my experience anyway was a poor indicator of ovulation. I used to get watery egg white cm and blood tests showed non ovulation!.
Blood tests are the surest indicator - in your case I would get them to do a day 3 measuring your LH and FSH levels (this test may need to be repeated). If this shows an imbalance then chacnes are the later test done (its called a day 21) showing progesterone will show non ovulation.

Hope the above helps a bit

Meerkats