Short Luteal Phase

kittymom

kittymom

Cathlete
My husband and I have been ttc since April and I am starting to wonder if I have a short luteal phase. I only get six days from ovulation to period start. What options are there to correct this? I have been using a Ovulation monitor to find out when I am ovulating so I do believe the six days is correct.

TIA,
Shannon
 
Hi Kittymom,

I was worried about the same thing and called my doc. She had me come in a few days after my monitor said I'd ovulated and tested my progesterone levels. This will show whether you had a healthy ovulation and whether or not your prog levels are normal for that point in your cycle. If you are having short luteal phases, your doc can give you progesterone supplements (there's a bunch of ways - oral, suppository, etc.). Call your doc and see - that way you can stop worrying sooner :)

Good luck!
arancini
 
Shannon,

Please consider getting the book "Taking Charge of your Fertility" by Toni Weschler.

This book is so enlightening and can save you a lot of time and money trying to figure out what your best option is. I can't explain everything that the book addresses, but it will give you some great direction and is very empowering when you "know" what your cycles are doing.

Check out the website at www.ovusoft.com

Good Luck,

Tina
 
I second that - Toni Weschler's book is great and will give you a lot of insights. In terms of a short luteal phase though, there wasn't a lot of info in it that will help you - unless your monitor isn't really showing you your true cycle - then monitoring your cervical fluid, temperatures, and cervix will help you know when you are ovulating. I used the monitor for several months before I started charting my temps and noting my cervical fluid, etc. - and they seldom conicided with the monitor's asssessment of my ovulation. For me anyway, it turned out the monitor was right and that I needed to increase my cervical fluid at the time of ovulation. It wasn't until I saw my doc that this was all figured out and I wish I had gone to her months sooner. I miscarried last October and finally conceived in May right after I went to my doc and got it all figured out.

Best of luck!
arancini
 
Thank you for the great information. I just stopped taking the pill in April i had been on it for 16 years. Do you think that may have something to do with the short luteal phases?

TIA,
Shannon
 
Hi Shannon,

Yes, being post-pill may the reason for the short luteal phases. It can take up to 6 months for your cycles to regulate.

I teach a system of NFP that monitors cervical mucus, and cycle varability is not uncommon after stopping the pill.

One more thing, I want to stress that NFP allows you to monitor signs of fertility/infertility. Of course, you want to TTC during the feritle period, but you can not confirm you are ovulating with these signs.

HTH!
Autumn
 
Just confirming that you buy Taking Charge OYF. What an awesome book! It should be required reading for any woman. I am positive I know more than my OBGYN because of this book. You will LOVE it!
 
I charted my temps one month and was sure I had a short luteal phase and ready to talk to the doctor about clomid. The next month I got pregnant with dd#1 so I guess my diagnosis was wrong. I too used the book taking charge of your fertility and was pregnant within 2 months of reading it after 6 unsuccessful months of trying.
 
Hi Shannon,

I too had a short luteal phase after being on the pill for 13 years. For 3 months I had a short luteal phase. After I started taking extra B6 and B12 vitamins every day my luteal phase lengthened from 9 days to 13 days. I conceived my daughter the 2nd month of taking the vitamins. I took a mutivitamin and drank an emergen-C packet each day. I was monitering my ovulation as described in "Taking Charge of Your Fertility"-great book. Good Luck!

Jules
 
<<After I started taking extra B6 and B12 vitamins every day my luteal phase lengthened from 9 days to 13 days.>>

Makes sense. The pill decreases serum levels of various vitamins including B6 and folic acid.

Autumn
 
I have incorporated extra vitamin B6 and B12. I have also been reading Taking Charge of your Fertility. Thank you all for your advise.

Shannon
 
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