Answer from: Saghar Kasiri, Clinical Embryologist
Giving our period on a monthly basis doesn’t necessarily mean we are actually ovulating and this is something that needs to be tested through the hormones and through sonography and ultrasound and see if there are follicles actually growing. If there is hormonal imbalance, we could end up with not having the right amount of hormones to trigger that follicles will grow in our ovaries and would lead to production and growth of an egg that can be released, that can later on be fertilized.
Answer from: Kate Davies, RN, BSc (Hons), FP Cert
In general, a true period does indeed mean that you are ovulated 10 to 16 days prior to your period. However, for some women and I can give an example of women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome where they have very long cycles, they may get a bleed that perhaps is very similar to a period but actually it’s more withdrawal bleed and they haven’t actually ovulated. In general, if you have a regular cycle, then you can be reassured that you have ovulated and that is a true bleed but if you get any spotting or anything that you feel that you might confuse with a period and it seems different to your normal – it might not be a true bleed. A true bleed is often categorized by a dark, maybe a dark gloss to start with and then becoming a fresh red loss and then for a number of days. If you’re getting spotting which is not like your normal flow, that might not be a true period post ovulation.
Answer from: Christos Kleanthis, MD MSc PhD
A period does not necessarily mean that you ovulated. Menstruation could be the result of ovulation in itself but could be the result of unstable lining of the womb which sheds because not all hormonal changes have taken place and that can uh reflect on the regularity of the cycle. Usually irregular or absent cycles indicate that ovulation does not take place consistently and this is the result of missed or infrequent ovulation.
Answer from: Leo Martinez, PhD Biotechnology & Biomedical Sensors
Period doesn’t mean that you ovulated. Period is just a discharge after blood accumulation and it is discharged but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the ovum has been released . However the hormonal fluctuation will still continue which means that the period will come but it doesn’t mean that you have ovulated.
