Have you heard people saying that if you have irregular periods you wouldn't be able to conceive? Is this true or is it just a myth? If you are planning to conceive and if you are worried whether irregular periods will hinder your process of conception then this article is for you.

Let's start with, What are regular periods?
         According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) “ A regular period is defined as the length of the menstrual cycle between 21 to 35 days and the flow lasts up to 7 days. Any variation of length and flow above or below is termed to be irregular. Bleeding between your normal cycle is also considered to be irregular.

How are irregular periods related to conception?
         Irregular periods cause delayed ovulation or anovulation. Typically the egg ruptures anywhere between the 16th-18th day once it reaches the size of 18-22 mm. In case of irregular periods, the pattern of release, maturation, and rupture of the egg could either get delayed or never even occur at all. 

Why is this happening?
         A proper level of hormones namely FSH and LH plays a role in ideal ovulation. FSH helps in the growth of the egg while LH helps in maturation of the egg and release of the ovum. In case of irregular periods, these levels are affected leading to improper timing in release and rupture of the egg. 
Could you know when you ovulate with irregular periods?
         Ideally, no matter what is the length of a cycle, every woman ovulates 14 days before their periods. When you have irregular periods you can calculate the average length of your cycle and 14 days before it could be taken as ovulation time. The most ideal way to calculate ovulation would be to track it via an ovulation kit or follicular study. A follicular study would be the most efficient way since it accurately provides information regarding the growth and rupture of the egg, and release of the ovum.

Does it mean you cannot conceive if you have irregular periods?
         No. You can. The major thing is to diagnose what is leading you to have irregular periods. A simple ultrasound and a check on your hormones like thyroid, prolactin, blood glucose, testosterone, estradiol, FSH and LH could give an idea of what is causing this issue. Once the diagnosis is done treatment is necessary accordingly along with few lifestyle changes.

Rare conditions which lead you to have no periods:
* Premature ovarian failure - It is the condition where the ovaries stop producing eggs and fails to function, as they should before the age of 40
* Early menopause - Early menopause is defined as the onset of menopause before the age of 45 
* High levels of androgen - Diseases of the pituitary glands such as Cushing syndrome, Ovarian tumors or PCOS lead to the production of high androgen levels.
         Henceforth just with irregular periods, it cannot be concluded that a person has PCOS. It is important that a detailed history is collected and appropriate investigations are done and a brief diagnosis is made.
Now let's get into some statistics:
         According to research irregular periods accounts for 30 to 40 percent of infertility cases. A study has shown that about 15 percent of women with irregular periods experience anovulation which concludes that having irregular periods doesn’t always mean you don’t ovulate. 
So do irregular periods affect fertility or not?
         No, not always. Women with irregular periods can conceive similar to that one who has a regular period. But the cause for irregular periods has to be determined and treated, since it could lead to secondary problems. And also not every woman has delayed ovulation or anovulation if they have irregular periods. Even if it does occur, it doesn’t occur in every single cycle. To conclude irregular periods may be a risk factor for delayed conception or infertility but irregular periods perse is not the cause of infertility all the time.