Knowing the time and length of the luteal phase is extremely important for any woman who is trying to conceive. This article provides information regarding the same.
It is essential for every women, especially, those who are in their childbearing or reproductive years to understand their menstrual cycle well. The duration and symptoms of menstruation vary from one woman to another. Women with regular periods usually have a menstrual cycle of 28 days. This menstrual cycle can be divided into two main phases: follicular phase and luteal phase. The former phase starts with the first day of your period and continues until ovulation, whereas the latter phase begins a day after ovulation takes place and ends with the first day of your next menstrual bleeding.
Description
Considered to be the last phase of menstrual cycle, the luteal phase begins after ovulation and continues throughout the remaining menstrual cycle. Generally, the duration of this phase lasts for 10-16 days. However, there are women who have a short or even longer duration of this phase. Also referred to as DPO (days past ovulation), it is the fertile phase in a menstrual cycle, wherein fertilization and implantation can occur.
During this phase, the corpus luteum releases progesterone, which increases the body’s basal temperature and thickens the endometrium lining of the uterus for fertilization. In other words, it prepares a nurturing environment in order to increase the possibilities of egg fertilization. Hence, if fertilization takes place, the progesterone hormone helps in successful implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus lining. However, if there is no fertilization, the corpus luteum stops releasing progesterone and the endometrium lining sheds in the next menstrual cycle.
Calculator
As the name suggests, it is a program used to calculate the length of your luteal phase, i.e., the number of days between ovulation and your next periods. It is important to know the onset and length of this phase, especially for those women who are trying to conceive, as it is the phase in which the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterine wall and the body starts preparing itself for the feasible pregnancy.
The ovulation date and the date of the next menstrual cycle after ovulation are the two main elements required to calculate the luteal phase using a calculator. Ovulation is the most fertile period in the menstrual cycle during which there are maximum chances of conception. Since the time when a woman ovulates varies every month, the best way to determine it correctly is to use an over-the-counter ovulation predictor kit. This kit evaluates the luteinizing hormone levels and predicts the day of ovulation. The calculator can somehow tell you which is the most appropriate time for conception, even if you have irregular periods.
Thus, the calculator helps determine the onset and time period of your luteal phase as this will make you aware of the problems related to the duration of this phase. Women who have short duration of this phase i.e. less than 10 days, have insufficient time for the implantation of the fertilized egg, which can further result in some fertility problems. Hence, for such women, it is important to know when their luteal phase will start so that necessary measures can be taken to increase their chances of conception.
Disclaimer: This HerHaleness article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
