Short luteal phase is something I’ve personally experienced for about 9 years now. I noticed it as I charted after giving birth to my 5th child. I was 37 at the time and since then have gone on to have 3 more children. Something called Luteal Phase Defect, has been widely talked about as something that could be an obstacle in achieving pregnancy. Two different obstetricians I had been seeing for 2 different pregnancies, had discussed this issue with me to some length. The months prior to conceiving both of these babies, were all cycles with short luteal phases. Upon discussing this with both of them, I was told that the Luteal Phase Defect, is something that is more of a theory in fact. They both pointed out the pregnancies I was seeing them for, and went on to say that it reallly isn’t written in stone anywhere, that women can’t become pregnant with short luteal phases. Lets define luteal phase, and the part it plays in our cycles.
The luteal phase of our cycle is the time right after ovulation until the onset of our menses. Once the egg is released it leaves behind something referred to as a corpus luteum. This is what secretes the progesterone that matures our uterine lining over the next 2 weeks or so. If conception takes place, the zygote will start signaling the corpus luteum to continue to secrete progesterone. This process will continue until the placenta takes over for the corpus luteum in progesterone output, around 12 weeks or so.
Alot of what our luteal phase will be also depends upon egg quality as well. If our eggs are of poor quality, so it will be that our corpus luteums left behind are of poor quality as well, if the corpus luteums are of poor quality, progesterone output will be poor as well, and it will diminish sooner than a good eggs corpus luteum would. Bringing the onset of menses sooner. Heres another good reason for us to eat and live well.
Well, how was it that I had short luteal phases that haven’t topped 8 days in years, and still found myself pregnant over and over. I posed this question to a good Certified Nutritionist friend that I’ve known quite awhile. He pointed out that, if the first half of my cycle was up to snuff, with good uterine lining growth from adequate estrogen levels,and the egg I released was of good quality, and went on to have a successful strong conception, as well as having good ability to signal to the corpus luteum, it really wouldn’t seems so inconceivable that with all things in order it could successfully implant and move on with its growth cycle, even if the lining wasn’t as matured by a longer luteal phase. Well… something went right, because I have the kids to prove it. Who was to say his theory was any less right than the one given to us by the medical community? I guess theres no way to prove for sure who’s theory is right and who’s is wrong. In the end, I have the 3 kids, who’s pregnancies happened even with me having short luteal phases. I’m glad they’re here either way.
