What is the luteal phase?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Changes inside the ovaries occur throughout the menstrual cycle. The first two phases - follicular and ovulatory - last approximately fourteen days from the beginning of the cycle. During this time, the maturation of the dominant follicle occurs. The period after ovulation and before the onset of menstrual bleeding is called the luteal phase or, they say, the secretory phase.

Where does the third phase begin?

If there was ovulation in the current cycle, then immediately after the rupture of the mature follicle occurs. The body begins to produce the corpus luteum, which actively produces female hormones: progesterone, estrogen and the male hormone androgen. It acquires yellow color due to the presence of lipids and luteins in its structure. In the event of pregnancy, the corpus luteum will be responsible for producing progesterone until the placenta matures and forms.

The walls of the ruptured follicle turn into luteal cells surrounded by capillaries. In the future, they will be responsible for the nutrition of the gland. If during the luteal phaseIf the fertilized egg is successfully fixed in the uterine cavity, then the corpus luteum will act as a source for the intake of the hormones estradiol and androgen necessary for the development of the embryo. These two important "protectors" are responsible for the safety of pregnancy, reduce the contractile functions of the uterus, start the process of the mammary glands for subsequent lactation.

The corpus luteum stops working if fertilization does not occur, and then bleeding occurs and a new menstrual cycle begins.

Length of secretory phase

Each woman's menstrual cycle and the number of days of the luteal phase are different, moreover, from cycle to cycle they may differ in duration. The average value established in medical practice is 12 - 16 days. This data may be greater when pregnancy occurs or in the case of a corpus luteum cyst.

For a planning woman, the sufficient duration of the last phase of the cycle is of great importance. If less than 10 days have passed from the onset of ovulation, then we are talking about luteal phase insufficiency. The death of the corpus luteum in this case occurs due to low levels of progesterone. If it is not enough in the body, then it is impossible to talk about the onset and normal course of pregnancy.

Causes of corpus luteum hypofunction

As a rule, they find out about this after long unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant. A woman undergoes an examination, during which it turns out that her body cannot hold and helpdevelopment of the embryo because there is not enough progesterone produced. Having found out that the luteal phase is one of the important periods of the menstrual cycle, the duration of which depends on the normal functioning of hormones, a woman can take timely measures to choose therapy.

The influence of the anovulatory period on the duration of the luteal phase is not excluded. It is believed that if there is no ovulation, then the hormone progesterone will have nowhere to come from to maintain the normal duration of the third phase. The thickness of the endometrium in this case will be less than 5-10 mm, and the corpus luteum will not be sufficiently formed.

There is also the possibility of excessive estrogen production, which interferes with the production of progesterone. However, the corpus luteum will be of normal size and will be fully formed, and the thickness of the endometrium will be on the contrary, more than 12 mm.

What affects luteal phase deficiency

In addition to the failure of hormones, there are other reasons that affect the duration of the secretory phase. Hypofunction of the corpus luteum may develop due to chronic illness or overwork. Other reasons include:

• Surgery - curettage, abortion.
• Fibroids, endometriosis, polyps, malignant neoplasms and adhesions in the pelvic organs.
• Polycystic, ovarian hyperinhibition or exhaustion, other diseases.
• Excessive exercise.
• Diseases of the endocrine system.
• Increase in the level of prolactin in the body.
• Age over 35years.

External factors can also affect the total number of cycle days and the luteal phase becomes smaller. For example, in a woman in the current cycle, its length was not 28 days, but 22-24. Stress, climate change, overwork, sleep disturbance, a strict diet (starvation is not excluded) and other factors can affect the premature arrival of menstruation.

Treatments

It is one thing to diagnose the insufficiency of the third phase of the cycle in time, the other is to correctly find out the causes of the onset and the treatment regimen. The final decision on the methods of therapy is selected by a qualified attending physician after a series of laboratory tests and ultrasound diagnostic data. If the problem is in the work of the hormonal system, then most likely the treatment complex will consist of taking hormonal drugs, eliminating the causes of the failure in the body. In the presence of an inflammatory process, antibiotics cannot be dispensed with.

The consequences of left unattended cycle disorder, which is caused by luteal phase deficiency, can lead to problems with pregnancy, possible infertility.

How to track on the chart

Every woman planning to conceive a child thinks about the need to establish the beginning of the secretory phase. To help her, many methods and tests have been invented and tested. The most obvious and simplest method is to determine the basal temperature according to the schedule, which is filled duringthe entire menstrual cycle, the luteal phase. The woman transfers the data from the thermometer to a graph that can be drawn on a simple sheet of paper in a cage or noted in a special mobile application. This must be done daily, at the same time.

Lower and higher basal temperature may indicate the onset of ovulation, implantation of the ovum, the duration of all phases of the cycle, the onset of pregnancy, or the approach of menstrual bleeding.

Calendar method

The old way of controlling your period according to the regular calendar. Mothers used to teach their daughters to mark the start and end dates of their periods on a pocket calendar. Then the number of days between cycles was calculated. This made it possible to control the onset of critical days. Now, many have switched to mobile applications that have the function of automatically determining the second phase (ovulation) and the date of the next menstruation.

During planning, the calendar method allows you to quickly calculate the onset of ovulation and thereby determine when the third phase of the cycle occurs. It happens that the onset of ovulation in a woman could also occur on the 21st day of the cycle (late ovulation) or on the 5th day (early). Much here depends on the characteristics of the female body and the duration of the menstrual cycle.

Clear signs of a third phase

Visually, a woman can determine the onset of the third phase by vaginal discharge. They become more abundant as the body prepares for the onsetencounter of a fertilized egg. In some cases, there is swelling of the mammary glands.

According to the results of the tests, doctors determine the level of progesterone. At the beginning of the luteal phase, 7 - 57 nmol / l is considered the norm. With the onset of ovulation, its maximum value is noted, if pregnancy has not occurred and menstruation is expected, then its numbers fall.

Painful sensations

In some cases, a woman may notice slight pain in her lower abdomen, which indicates the approach of menstrual bleeding, as well as a decrease in the level of progesterone in the body. It is worth paying attention to such unpleasant symptoms, since normally a woman should not experience any discomfort before the onset of a new cycle.

If a woman does not know that this is the luteal phase, what day it is, what significance she plays in the process of planning a pregnancy, she may miss important deviations in her body.

Chance of conception in the third phase of the cycle

Undoubtedly, there is a connection between all phases of the cycle, and their integral role in the normal functioning of the entire female body is also noted. Particular importance is given to the likelihood of conception in a particular period of the menstrual cycle.

First you need to find out a few important points: when the luteal phase begins, what day of the cycle serves as the start of the secretory phase. If a number of questions were answered above, then ultrasound monitoring and special tests fordefinition of ovulation. It is her onset that serves as the beginning for counting the third phase of the menstrual cycle. For women who have it late, the chance of conception at the end of the cycle can be increased by stimulating the production of hormones that maintain pregnancy.

IVF and Secretory Phase Support

During the IVF protocol, hormonal support is extremely important, especially in the luteal phase, since this period is responsible for the successful start of pregnancy. Due to the fact that the female body receives a fertilized egg from the outside, it is extremely important to prepare the endometrium for successful implantation. This is not possible without stimulation and support of the secretory phase.

To determine the need to prescribe a particular drug, it is important to take tests to determine the insufficiency of the production of pregnancy hormones. This is done so that the chosen method is justified and not based only on generally accepted practices. Since every woman is a unique organism, whose work cannot be brought under any standards and patterns.

As a rule, drugs such as "Utrozhestan", "Dufaston", intramuscular injections of progesterone and chorionic gonadotropin are prescribed, which are responsible for the safety and development of pregnancy. Their many years of use and positive results have proven to be among the most reliable and trustworthy.

We must be prepared for the fact that IVF involves a colossal load in the form of hormones taken and is likely to occurThe question is - is it possible to reduce their number or replace the treatment regimen on your own? The answer here will be unambiguous and negative. To maintain a successful protocol, it is necessary to adhere to all doctor's prescriptions. It is especially important to support the body at the end of the cycle to prevent the possibility of spontaneous miscarriage.