what is the luteal phase?

Question

does it affect trying to get pg?

Answer 1

The luteal phase is the second half of your cycle. It begins the day after ovulation and ends the day before your next period starts:

Sept 01 -- 1st day of period, new cycle
Sept 14 -- ovulation day
Sept 15 -- luteal phase begins
Sept 28 -- luteal phase ends
Sept 29 -- 1st day of period, new cycle

Yes it can interfere with getting pregnant if your luteal phase is too short. A fertilized egg needs at least 10 days to properly implant. If your luteal phase is 9 days or less, even if you get pregnant there won't be enough time for the egg to implant in your uterus. The average luteal phase is 14 days... women can range from 10-16 days. 12-14 days is considered good. 10-11 days is considered a short phase, and may or may not be a problem. 9 days or less is considered a luteal phase defect and is considered a fertility issue.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

Answer 2

It's the time between the day of ovulation and the day your next period begins. It's usually around 12-16 days, and once you figure your out it's usually remains the same. Mine is 12 days. If you luteal phase is less than 10 days (luteal phase defect) then it's really really hard to conceive and you would need progesterone to lengthen your luteal phase.

This is why you will not get pregnant if you have sex a few days before your period begins. There needs to be at least 10 days, and if you did ovulate a few days before your period began you wouldn't get pregnant because you would have a luteal phase defect.

Even with my very irregular period I always knew the exact day my period was due because I do BBT charting, and once I ovulated I knew my period would be in 12 days. When I woke up 13 days later and my temp was still high and I didn''t start my period I knew I was pregnant.

Answer 3

The luteal phase, also referred to as 'days past ovulation' or 'DPO', is the part of the cycle that starts at ovulation and ends the day before your next period. It usually lasts about 14 days and does not vary by more than a day in each person. The luteal phase is named after the corpus luteum (Latin: "yellow body"), a structure that grows on the surface of the ovary where a mature egg was released at ovulation. The corpus luteum produces progesterone in preparing the body for pregnancy. Your luteal phase must be at least 10 days long to support pregnancy.

The importance of the luteal phase

The length of the luteal phase determines the time of ovulation within your menstrual cycle. Ovulation can be delayed by a number of factors, such as stress, increased activity or medication, but the length of the luteal phase is usually constant. Taking this into account, you can calculate the time of ovulation within your cycle by subtracting the length of your luteal phase from the length of your cycle. For example, if your cycle is 28 days long and your luteal phase is 12 days long, the ovulation will occur on day 16 of your cycle (28-12=16). Ovulation Calendar uses this formula to calculate your time of ovulation.

How do I determine the length of my luteal phase?

The only way to determine the exact length of your luteal phase is through hormone-specific blood tests.

What if I don't know the length of my luteal phase?

If you are not sure about the length of your luteal phase, you can assume it is 14 days (the average length for most women).