What works for short luteal phase?

[BudgieBird]

After four months of charting following coming off the pill, I've figured out I have a much too short luteal phase. Eight days this cycle, eight the last, ten before that. (My cycles have been 24-29 days and show a clear temperature shift for ovulation.) Also, I tend to spot before my period begins, then I spot very dark brown for a few days after my period proper ends, which I've read probably indicates low progesterone. Well, crap.

I'm 34 and TTC child 1. I was on the pill for well over a decade and am worried I'm messed up. I asked my doctor if progesterone supplementation would be an option. She says that usually doesn't work and if I still can't conceive in a few more cycles, she will put me on Clomid. But I know Clomid can dry up your CM, I'm worried about ovarian hyperstimulation, and I don't think I could cope with multiples. I've also read mixed things about vitex agnus castus - some saying it can do the opposite of what you want it to. Womp womp. I don't want to faff around with it yet if I might end up worse than if I'd done nothing!

Has anybody here successfully lengthened their luteal phase? What actually worked for you? Any experiences with progesterone supplementation?

(I eat a healthy diet, normal BMI, take prenatal vitamins, and have almost completely cut out alcohol and caffeine, for what it's worth.)

It sounds like the stress of worrying and plotting is effecting you conceiving

Was once said “a child can only be made by lust and love and pure want of both parties”

I wouldn't worry about it too much until you've been trying for longer. Just make sure you're having regular sex all around when you think you ovulate (sometimes the temp rise can be delayed so you might ovulate earlier than you think).

For the first few months I came off birth control my luteal phase was quite short (usually 10 days). It lengthened after I started taking pregnacare pre-conception, apparently a b vitamin deficiency can shorten your luteal phase and the pregnacare pre-conception have loads of b vitamins. Although it could have just taken some time for my cycle to settle down.

Alicewond that's such a stupid phrase "a child can only be made by lust and love and want". Have you ever heard of rape?

Charting and tracking your cycle won't affect your ability to conceive op so don't worry about that.

Last march my periods suddenly went from 28/29 days to 38/40days with a very short luteal phase of about 8. So i started taking b12,folic acid and iron tablets and over a few months i noticed it increasing by 1 or 2 days to 11/12 days and my period decreasing until then went back to about 30 days. I have already got DC1 this was all prep to start conceiving DC2 and i panicked as im 37 as thought this was the start or peri menopausal or i was going to have trouble getting pregnant again (it took 2 1/2 yrs for dc1). Once luteal phase and periods started lookong better we started trying to conceive and it took 2months!.

I would try vitamins, but if you're really worried speak to your gp to get some tests to check ovulation/progesterone, much better than to keep worrying. Good luck OP x

I was in a similar position op, been on the pill for about a decade and when I came off my lutial phase was ranging from 7-9 days each month, in the end I started taking vitamin c tablets twice a day, didnt really make my LP longer but I did conceive a few months after starting them (might have just been a coincidence 😂) was TTC for 8 months when I got pregnant the first time, unfortunately it ended in a MC but got pregnant straight away after and im now 29 weeks :) so it is possible to conceive with a short LP

Clomid worked for me - nothing else made any difference whatsoever. I had 21 to 24 day cycle and a LP of 7 - 10 days. Tests indicated a Diminished Ovarian Reserve but responded well to Clomid; cycle lengthened to 28 days while on it and have had two healthy pregnancies as a result. I saw a private specialist and was scanned each time to check what was happening - not sure this always happens on NHS? Dr wasn't keen on just prescribing progesterone as he said a short LP was an indication of something not going quite right in first half of cycle, and progesterone alone wouldn't deal with that. (NB the NHS gynae I saw initially said that there was 'categorically no such thing as a short LP', all women have a 14 day LP and therefore I was probably ovulating on day 7 of cycle. About as batshit as the 'love and lust' theory above.)

Many things can affect LP length, thyroids can one of them, also low progesterone, and lack of vitamin D. You don't get progesterone prescription without tests or your Dr believing you might need it.

I wouldn't worry about ovarian overstimulation as you don't take Clomid for more than six months for that exact reason, and the chance of multiples is still very low. If you get Clomid prescribed, your Dr can also prescribe estradiol to thicken the lining, and progesterone, but some get only Clomid prescribed.

Thanks all for your input - I have an appointment with my OBGYN soon and hopefully we can put together a plan. And @Alicewond, I only wish it were as easy and thinking or meditating myself into pregnancy but it doesn't work like that. I'm in no way stressing enough to effect fertility, I simply like having information when it concerns my own body. Knowledge is power.

I have late ovulation (day 20) and a regular short luteal phase (9 days). I tried B6, B vitamin complex, Angus Castus and Maca Root tablets. It took 8 months to conceive DS1.

Tried the same things again to conceive number 2, but it wasn't working so after loads of research (and visiting the GP who was useless!) so I brought some Swanson Progesterone Cream from Amazon and the first month I used it, we conceived DS2, due in 11 days!

My friend had the same problem but she was conceiving but miscarrying, she has tried B6 and conceived on her first month, she's now further on than she's managed to get before and baby is looking ok.

Hello. Just wondering how you went on with trying to lengthen your leutal phase? I’m in the same boat been off the pill for 3 months and 10 day leutal phase and very sore boobs for most of my leutal phase (indicating hormonal imbalance) caused by the pill I’m sure. Just started taking vitamin B complex today. Hoping for improvement next month.

Hello, really good to find this thread. I have a luteal phase of around 9 days, now ttc for 4 months. I'm 38. @Boobahs was it the Swanson wild yam cream? Also, anyone who was taking b6, was that as well as preconception vitamins? Thanks.

This is so unhelpful