Does anyone else have shorter than average cycles?

[Caitni]

Hi ladies,

I'm 30 (nearly 31) and have been ttc since January. I'm beginning to get anxious (to say the least!). I've been temping, checking CM, charting on FF etc etc for 6 cycles now and still nothing.

I'm now worried about the length of my cycles. They're usually 23 days, with ovulation on CD11 and a 12 day luteal phase. It was once as long as 25 days (with ovulation on CD 13). All the Zita West type books I've looked at say a cycle this short is too short but I've heard that anything from 21 days is considered "normal" by the medical world.

Does anyone else have shorter cycles? And, most importantly, has anyone else with shorter cycles conceived naturally? I need some hope!!

Thanks in advance.

[FlirtyThirty]

I'm 31 and have a 25 days cycle and am PG with my first. I was also worried about a short luteal phase. It seems that ideally you need 10 days plus from OV to cycle end, to allow for implantation. I really wouldn't get too worked up about this just yet - you have 11-12 days from ovultaion...you'll be fine!

Flirty x

[FluffyDavis]

I'm 29, my cycle is very dodgy can be anything from from 23-28 days but is usually only 23. ov is about day 10.
I am pregnant with no.3 and conceived straight away with all of them. I wouldn't start worrying yet good luck

[Aniyan]

Hi, I have a 22 - 23 day cycle, and have conceived naturally twice - once ending in my lovely ds and once ending in miscarriage. Both times I got pregnant within 2 cycles of ttc, so I don't think length of cycle has much to do with it.

We are about to ttc again after miscarriage & the way I see it, my short cycle just gives us more frequent chances

Try not to stress about it - easier said than done, I know

[TsarChasm]

Oh you don't hear so much about this do you?

I've always had very short cycles; a period around every 19 days. Oh what fun that is and doesn't give much chance to conceive either.

I worried about it, but no-one seemed to be able to offer a solution or know too much about the mechanics of a short cycle.

Anyway the good news is I did not have trouble conceiving as it turned out, and have 3 lovely dc, two of whom are twins. So all was ok after all. First dd was when I was 33 and dt's when I was 36.

I am creaking along at 43 now but I do remember being concerned about this.

Good luck, hope you get some good news very soon

[twoplease]

Hi there,

its funny, i have just started worrying about this too.

I have cycles between 21 and 27 days too, have a lovely DD so obviously its not a prob but have been trying for 6 cycles to TTC#2 with no joy and was wondering if my short cycles had something to do with it. Clearly not from other posts but good to know there are lots of people who have short cycles who do concieve regularly.

[thishappenedtome]

Your luteal phase seems fine (OP)

My cycle is short (24 days) and I ovulate on CD 15 so I have a very short Luteal phase. I don't think you need to worry as you are ovulating early. You do know for sure that this is when you ovulate?

[Caitni]

Thanks so much for your responses!

Flirty congrats on your pregnancy! I've been more worried about my follicular phase, but am tempted to do take a B complex to lengthen my luteal phase anyway...

Fluffy hearing when you ov makes me feel more relaxed, thanks so much and hope you have a good preg with no 3.

Aniyan sorry about your m/c, but you're right, a shorter cycle is more chances (I need to start thinking of it that way )

TsarChasm you definitely don't hear about this so much, TBH I was v surprised to see responses already! So glad that you've got another positive story

Thanks again. We're off on holidays tonight and I think this is going to help a LOT to relax!

[mumfor1standmaybe2ndtime]

I am 31 and my cycle has always been odd when I am not on the pill.
It can range from 22 to 28 days and Sometimes I can bleed for just 1 to 2 days.

I am now 18 weeks pregnant with number 2 after 5 months of trying. With ds it took around 5 months too (baby is due same month as ds!)
I am not sure if my change in cycle was because of the pill or just how my body is. As I have been on the pill for over 15 years.

There is some hope yet, don't give up hope.

[TsarChasm]

A holiday is a great idea. Forget about babies and that's when they turn up

[Caitni]

Twoplease it wasn't something I even noticed until I started to pay more attention. Slightly embarassed, as always assumed my cycles were an average 27-28 days (that's being on the pill for you I suppose).

Thishappened thanks for this. I'm definitely ov'ing on CD 11, as I've got my CB monitor, my temps and my CM all confirming it. Of course I know that only a blood test or scan or what have you can really confirm it, but I'm as sure as I can be without medical intervention . I hope you get your BFP soon.

[Caitni]

Mumfor1standmaybe2ndtime firstly, great name! Secondly, thanks for this and congrats on your pregnancy. Maybe you'll end up with two birthdays on one day

Am so relieved to hear of others with shorter cycles and BFPs. Honestly, this is making me feel calmer by the minute

[suiledonn]

Hi, I have a 23 day cycle and currently expecting my second child. Conceived dd first month of trying and this time conceived within a few months so would say it had no negative effect. I have heard also that women with sorter cycles have shorter pregnancies so less likely to go overdue. Don't know if that is true but I had dd a few days before due date.

[BigGitDad]

I thought Chris Hoy's cycle was the same as the rest of them............
I'll get my coat....

[Caitni]

Suiledonn thanks and congrats on your pregnancy! Interesting about being less likely to go overdue - haven't heard that before...

BigGitDad lol now having visions of shorter than average cyclists on shorter than average cycles zooming around the velodrome a la Chris Hoy!

[BigGitDad]

Thanks for seeing the joke Caitni, I did not want to seem insensitive on the post. Good luck though!

[prettybird]

Remember - if/when you do get pregnant, your real due date will be 6 days before the official due date as the official calculation assumes a 28 day cycle.

There are some on-line tools that will help you calcualte it based on cycle length and/or ovulation date.

[beanieb]

Prettybird - how interesting - I never thought about that!

[kiskidee]

I have always had short cycles. As short as 18 days for a period of 6 months. The 'longest' cycle i have ever had is 26 dys.

I think before I conceived the last time it was around 22 dys long. I definitely had sex exactly a week after my LMP and not again for another week. I am sure that sex 7 dys after LMP did the trick.

Oh, I conceived naturally both times on short cycles. first time I was 35, second time (currently pg) at 38.

[twoplease]

the due date thing makes sense - i was 5 days early with DD which fits with my cycle.

just got to keep hoping that #2 will happen soon enough i guess!!

[sophiajane]

yes cycle is 22 days without fail but I ovulated day 15 all the same. Was concerned but conceived very easily 3 times (2 dds one MC).

[beanieb]

Sophiajane that's encouraging for someone like me

[Caitni]

Prettybird that makes sense!

Kiskidee congrats on your pregnancy! So glad to hear of another short cycle success story

SophiaJane that's interesting about your ov date. Glad to hear you didn't have problems conceiving though.

[mumfor1standmaybe2ndtime]

Caitni - No problem! Glad you are feeling a lot calmer, the best remedy for making babies is to be calm so they say lol!

prettybird - Never heard of the 6 day before your due date thing being your real due date! Ds arrived bang on his due date, so time will tell for number 2. Am having an elective c section so lets hope no.2 doesn't get too keen to turn up early!

[prettybird]

If you look at the on-line tools, they all make that adjustment. ANother way to calculate due date is 38 weeks from ovulation date - that would give the same "corrected" answer.

My official EDD was 3days out: 2 days 'cos I had a 26 days cycle and an extra day 'cos the wee "wheel" things that the doctors use don't take into account leap years!

It's only a problem if for wahtever reason yuo don't want to go "over". I was quite comfortable with going over, as I didn't want to be induced. As it was, ds was born 3 days late according to my dates (actually earlier than I epxected as my mum had been late with both of us) - so bang on the "official" date.

My early scans (8 and 12 weeks) matched my dates.

[babyignoramus]

Yup - mine are between 21 and 24 days (bloody annoying actually - more periods a year). I conceived naturally on the second month. I think I ovulate early too though so my luteal phase is pretty average. Good luck anyway!