5 Reasons You Might Not Be Ovulating—And How to Fix Them Naturally

You’ve got the LH strips.
Maybe even an Inito monitor.
You’ve been tracking your cycle, watching for the spike...
...but it never comes.

And now you’re wondering:
Am I even ovulating?
And if not—what’s next?

If you ask Dr. Google or your OB, you might get a few predictable responses:

• “Try again next month.”

• “We’ll start you on Clomid.”

• “Let’s go ahead and schedule your IVF consult.”

BUT…

Those responses skip a crucial step—understanding why ovulation isn’t happening in the first place.

Because once you do? You might just be a few food, sleep, or lifestyle shifts away from ovulating again naturally. No procedures necessary.

Let’s talk about what’s really going on—and what to do next.

Ovulation 101: What Actually Needs to Happen

Ovulation isn’t just about peeing on a stick and hoping for a second line. It’s a highly coordinated process that requires multiple hormones to rise and fall at just the right time.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) helps grow and mature your follicles (aka where the egg lives).

• As your follicle grows, it produces estrogen.

• When estrogen peaks, it triggers an LH (luteinizing hormone) surge.

• That LH surge causes ovulation: the release of a mature egg.

If anything in that chain breaks down—low FSH, poor follicle development, flatlined estrogen, no LH surge—ovulation stalls.

Signs You Might Not Be Ovulating

Some women don’t ovulate every cycle and don’t even realize it. Here are some clues:

• LH tests never go fully positive

• No sustained temperature rise (via BBT tracking)

• Cycles that are very short (<25 days) or long (>35 days)

• Irregular or missed periods

• Low or inconsistent cervical mucus

• Mid-cycle spotting or vague “periods” without a true luteal phase

This is why just using an app or OPKs often misses the full picture. You can get real-time insight—for free—with a $10 under-the-tongue thermometer and a little education.

Why You Might Not Be Ovulating

There are several root causes to consider, and it’s rarely just one thing. Here are the most common:

1. Stress and Cortisol Dysregulation

Your body will pause reproduction if it senses you’re in survival mode.

• Chronic stress increases cortisol, which suppresses ovulation.

• Overtraining, undereating, poor sleep—all count as “stress.”

Try this: Prioritize rest, cut back on high-intensity workouts, and make sure you’re getting 7–9 hours of sleep each night.

2. Blood Sugar Imbalance and PCOS

High insulin can disrupt the brain-ovary communication needed for regular ovulation. This is especially true for those with PCOS—a leading cause of anovulation.

Try this:

• Eat balanced meals with protein, fat, and fiber.

• Don’t skip breakfast.

• Limit refined carbs and sugar.

• Consider testing fasting insulin and blood glucose—not just A1c.

3. Low Estrogen or Poor Follicle Development

If your follicles aren’t maturing properly, estrogen doesn’t rise, and the LH surge never happens.

Try this:

• Eat enough total calories and healthy fats (estrogen is made from cholesterol!).

• Avoid undereating or extreme fasting.

• Consider testing estradiol levels (around day 7–9 of your cycle) to see if your estrogen is actually rising.

4. Post-Birth Control or Coming Off Hormonal Suppression

After years on hormonal contraceptives, it can take time for ovulation to return. This is often due to suppressed communication between the brain and ovaries.

Try this:

• Give your body time (3–6 months is common).

• Focus on replenishing nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin C.

• Support gentle detox pathways (sweating, dry brushing, liver-loving foods like leafy greens and beets).

5. Thyroid or Hormone Imbalance

Thyroid issues—especially hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s—can block ovulation entirely.

Try this: Ask your provider for a full thyroid panel (not just TSH). That includes:

• TSH

• Free T3

• Free T4

• Reverse T3

• TPO and TG antibodies

What to Do if You’re Not Ovulating

Here’s your action plan, step-by-step:

1. Confirm whether you’re ovulating.
   Use a basal body thermometer and track for a sustained temperature shift after suspected ovulation. This is the gold standard for confirming ovulation at home.

2. Track your cervical mucus.
   Egg-white, stretchy cervical mucus signals rising estrogen and a fertile window. If you never see it, ovulation may be delayed or missing.

3. Evaluate lifestyle triggers.
   Are you eating enough? Sleeping enough? Under chronic stress? Overexercising? These basics matter more than you think.

4. Consider functional lab testing.
   Test your sex hormones (estradiol, LH, FSH, progesterone) at the right time in your cycle. If there’s a deeper issue like PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea, or thyroid dysfunction—it’s important to know.

5. Focus on nourishment before interventions.
   Before jumping to ovulation meds or IVF, work on rebuilding your foundation. Often, ovulation resumes when your body feels safe again.

Ovulation Is a Sign, Not Just a Step

Ovulation is a marker of health. If it’s not happening, your body isn’t broken—it just doesn’t think it has the resources (energy, nutrients, rest) it needs to reproduce at the moment.

You don’t have to jump straight to medications or IVF.
You don’t have to rely only on tracking devices.
You do have options—and it starts with understanding what your body is telling you.

Want help getting to the root of it?
Book your first intake meeting and get a FREE Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis test to start getting to the root of your hormone imbalances.

Because when we support the system—not just the symptom—ovulation often follows.