Relating to or characterized by the failure to ovulate; a menstrual cycle in which an egg is not released from the ovary.
From Greek 'a-' (without) + 'Latin 'ovulum' (egg) + '-tory' (adjective suffix meaning relating to). Developed as medical terminology in the 20th century to describe reproductive cycles.
Birth control pills work by creating 'anovulatory cycles'—your body thinks it's pregnant so it doesn't release an egg. It's actually mimicking what happens naturally to nursing mothers, which can prevent pregnancy!
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