Introduction
The luteal phase is the second half of the menstrual cycle, following ovulation. It lasts from the day after ovulation until your next period. The length of this phase can vary from woman to woman and month to month, but it usually lasts about 14 days. During this time, your body has several changes as it prepares for pregnancy if you’re trying to conceive.
The luteal phase
The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle begins after ovulation and lasts until the day before your next period. It is about the same length each month, although this can vary slightly from woman to woman. In this phase, your body prepares itself to conceive by thickening your uterus’ lining, which comes hand in hand with increased hormones like progesterone and estrogen.
The length of the luteal phase can be affected by many factors, including stress, illness, or other conditions. If you have a shorter than average luteal phase (less than 10 days long), this may cause problems with pregnancy.
Progesterone & Estrogen
The hormones progesterone and estrogen are responsible for the changes in your body that occur during the luteal phase. Both of these hormones help make pregnancy possible by:
- Helping thicken the uterus lining – this makes the perfect environment for a fertilized egg to set
- Causing thickening of the cervical mucus – to protect the uterus from bacteria or pathogens
If an egg is not fertilized, progesterone levels decrease, which causes shedding of the lining of your uterus (your period). Estrogen helps prepare your breasts for breastfeeding, maintain a healthy immune system and promote bone health.
Planning on getting pregnant?
The luteal phase of your cycle is crucial for pregnancy. This occurs in the second half of your menstrual cycle and corresponds to the time of the month when you are the most fertile.
During this time, you will most likely get pregnant if you have regular sex or use an artificial insemination device (IUD).
If you find that your luteal phase is shorter than average (14 days), you could be facing infertility. Factors that can shorten your luteal phase include stress, illness, diabetes or high blood pressure medication use. The best way to proceed with this is by getting a hormone blood test to ensure everything is okay or get the necessary treatment if it’s the case.
Conclusion
The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is an important part of getting pregnant. During this time, your body makes progesterone and estrogen to aid in your body’s natural instinct of preparing for pregnancy each month. If you want to get pregnant, it’s a good idea to track how long your luteal phase lasts each month. If it’s shorter than usual, there might be an issue with your hormones – a blood test might be what you need to ensure everything’s alright or treat the condition.