What if there is no egg in the follicle?

The ovaries are important reproductive organs of women. They contain many follicles, which contain oocytes, which are immature eggs. After periodic development and growth, the follicle will release a mature egg during ovulation. When the mature egg meets foreign sperm, it will form a fertilized egg, which is the origin of new life. However, some women do not have eggs in their follicles, which can affect their fertility. So, what happens when there are no eggs in the follicles?

The size of a normal mature follicle is 18 to 25 mm. If it is lower or larger than this standard, ovulation will not occur normally. The factors that cause ovulation disorders include: central nervous system anovulation; hypothalamic anovulation; pituitary anovulation; ovarian anovulation; polycystic ovary syndrome; luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome;

Other endocrine systems other than gonads, such as thyroid and adrenal cortex dysfunction and some systemic diseases such as severe malnutrition, can affect the regulation of ovarian function and lead to ovulation disorders. It is recommended that under the guidance of a doctor, you should have a blood test within 2 to 5 days of menstruation to check your endocrine and ovarian function, identify the cause of the disease in a timely manner, and then provide targeted treatment.

Common causes of abnormal follicle development

1. Unruptured luteinized follicle syndrome: Unruptured luteinized follicle syndrome refers to a group of syndromes in which the menstrual cycle is regular, but the follicle does not rupture and ovulation does not occur in the middle of the menstrual period. For patients with luteinized but unruptured follicle cycles, if clinical ovulation examination methods such as basal body temperature measurement, endometrial biopsy within 24 hours of menstruation, cervical mucus smear, etc. show an ovulation cycle, but in fact the egg is not released from the ovary. Laparoscopic examination shows no ovulation spots on the surface of the ovary, but the hormone level in the body has reached luteinization. The incidence of LUF in a normal menstrual cycle is about 10%, and the incidence in infertile women is as high as 25% to 43%, and it can occur repeatedly.

2. Polycystic ovary syndrome: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common endocrine disease in women of childbearing age, characterized by polycystic changes in both ovaries accompanied by a group of symptoms such as infertility, hirsutism, obesity, acne, and menstrual disorders.

3. Small follicle ovulation type: The dominant follicle appears in the follicular phase, but develops slowly. It ruptures and ovulates when the follicle diameter reaches 14 to 17 mm. The signs of ovulation are the same as those of normal dominant follicle ovulation. This type is a luteal insufficiency cycle, with no obvious endometrial thickening, low echoes during the ovulation period, no three-line sign, and medium-to-strong echoes during the luteal phase.

4. Anovulatory type: From the follicular phase to the pre-ovulatory phase, the follicles cannot reach mature size and grow slowly, with a maximum diameter greater than or equal to 15 mm, low tension, and poor acoustic permeability. They gradually shrink and become closed, with a follicle diameter less than 5 mm and the endometrium being the same as the small follicle ovulation type.