Can you have regular periods and still not ovulate?

Unfortunately, yes.

This is tricky, but true. Technically, it is possible to be having regular periods without successfully ovulating (anovulation).

Is it really a period?

First things first, make sure that the “period” you’re counting is truly a menstrual bleed and not simply unusual bleeding. If you’re only experiencing 1-2 days of bleeding, or it’s only spotting (even if it lasts a week and shows up right when you would expect to see a period), it’s likely not a true menstrual bleed.

This, in an of itself, can point to important hormone imbalances and — you guessed it — anovulation.

If I’m not ovulating, what’s happening instead?

There are actually a surprising number of possibilities! This is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. That’s why working with a team focused on restorative reproductive medicine makes a big difference to quickly identifying the underlying concerns and addressing them at their root. The cause makes all the difference in the world to the treatment. Here are a few examples of what could be going on: