Understanding Ovulatory Spotting: Causes & What to Expect

Question
Hi Dr. Rapport,
I'm turning 24 this April and I don't have children yet but plan to get married two years from now. I've had minimal dry brownish spotting which lasts for 3-4 days during 11th or 13th day of my menses since I was 19 (there were months that I don't have spotting, but most of the time I do). After which, I'd notice that I would have the whitish discharge (sometimes thick and a little offwhite). I've read from the forum that this is ovulatory spotting, which is common and not to be worried about. But I've also been informed by some of my friends that ovulatory spotting means that one's hormone is imbalanced and is going to have a hard time getting pregnant. Is this true?

I also recently had an ultrasound and the doctor informed me that I have multi-cystic ovaries (7 small follicles on the right and 5 small follicles on the left). She didn't prescribe me any medicines since she said I don't have the symptoms of having PCOS because I get my period monthly (my cycle is 32-36 days). Is the spotting connected to being multi-cystic? Also, does having multi-cystic ovaries lead to more serious problems/diseases?

Thanks so much. Hope you could help me because I've been so paranoid.

Thanks again.

Answer
Ovulatory spotting or "mid cycle staining" is quie common and will not make it more difficult to become pregnant. It is not due to hormonal imbalance. If you have irregulr bleeding, or bleed longer than 14 days at a time, or miss several periods, that is due to hormonal imbalance. Your doctor is correct in that PCOS is not diagnosed due to multicytic ovaries. If you develop cystic ovaries that cause the ovaries to grow to greater than 6cm in diameter, we would remove the ovary (or the cyst) if it is causing symptoms (pain, discomfort). If you are not having any symptoms and your periods are regular, please do not worry.