Early ovulation at 46
18 November, 2015
Question:I am 46 years old, recently married and verifiably ovulating on day 10 or 11 of my cycle. I have verified this with urine tests, temperature and vaginal discharge. Baruch Hashem, I have periods every month, I have never spotted and I do not yet seem to be in pre-menopause.
I took clomid for 6 months unsuccessfully and with horrible side effects. I spoke to a rebbetsen who spoke to a rav to see if I could get permission to immerse earlier in the mikveh. The rav said no, I should work with a doctor.
The doctor (who had treated me for the 6 months prior) suggested I now need a therapist to try and come to terms with the fact that I am too old to get pregnant and it most likely won’t happen. He refused to continue treatment.
I do not want to continue on the clomid. I heard herbal teas/medicine like sheperds purse and raspberry leaf can dry up menstruation in 3 days.
Do you have any ideas on how I can get permission to immerse on possibly day 10 (given my hefsek taharah and bedikahs are clean for 7 days after 3 days of bleeding)?
I don’t have much time left. I would like to try and become pregnant naturally as hormones have always produced severe side effects in me.
Any advice is appreciated. Thank you so much!
Answer:We are sorry to hear of your difficulty conceiving.
Unfortunately, early ovulation itself may be a sign of pre-menopause.
Clomid is not the only medication that can be used to delay ovulation, and is not usually used for so long. Estrogen early in the cycle can be used as well and generally does not have the same side effects as Clomid.
If you are not being treated by a fertility specialist, we would recommend that you consult one. If you are, you may wish to seek a second opinion.
There are a number of aspects of this situation that you do not mention worth exploring, including your husband’s fertility, your egg quality at this stage, and whether you would consider third-party reproductive options.
That being said, if you are able to make a hefsek taharah on day four, you may do so where fertility is at issue. We would need more information to explore further the possibility of a hefsek taharah on day three. In some cases of early ovulation, artificial insemination is permitted prior to mikveh immersion. The seven clean days may not be shortened, however.
We do not know enough about your case to evaluate your doctor’s reasoning in making the referral to therapy. However, therapy may prove helpful in coping with the physical and emotional challenges you have faced thus far in the process and in evaluating how best to proceed. Referrals to religious therapist are available at Nefesh International, www.nefesh.org.
You may also find it helpful to consult a Yoetzet Halacha Fertility Counselor. (This is a free service, details here.)
Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
This response was updated on 22 November, 2020.
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