Getting pregnant with a short cycle

[wanderlove]

I've just started tracking my cycle and realised that my cycle is around 22/23 days. This has really shortened and after reading around I can see that this is quite common as you get older (I'm 41) and it can really show a reduction in fertility. I'm feeling pretty despondent about conceiving and was wondering if anyone had experience of conceiving with a short cycle. I don't know whether to keep trying or accept it might be too late. I've ordered an ovulation kit to see if I am ovulating and if so when. I know if I am ovulating late with a short cycle it may been there is no time for implantation. We already have children so don't think we would look into any help with conception. I think I would try and accept it and be grateful for the family we have. Does anyone have any experience of this, or anything you did to help? Thanks in advance

I’ve always had a short cycle - was 23-25 days when I conceived DC2 first cycle (DC1 was straight from the pill). It shortened even more to 22-23 days since I got Covid last year, although also coincided with turning 39 so could be an age thing. I also have a short luteal phase (9-10 days). But conceived 5th cycle and am currently 18 weeks.

I’d recommend OPKs to track your cycle and I used BBT the cycle I conceived too as as worried I wasn’t ovulating after a 21 day cycle. I’d also look into supplements - I think B6 is good for luteal phase, although I just took pregnacare, which contains quite a high dose. There’s others supposed to help egg quality but I didn’t get that far!

Fertility is a lottery at the best of times, and even more so for us slightly older ladies, but I’m by no means the oldest of my friends to give birth. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the reply. I've been feeling really hopeless all day and it has given me a bit of hope! I've just bought some opk and think at least I might start understanding more by tracking. My periods are also a lot lighter which I am thinking might mean a short luteal phase. What is bbt? I see it mentioned quite a bit but I'm not quite sure what it is?!? Just going to look into some supplements and at least throw everything at this!!

As the PP mentioned I too would totally recommend measuring your BBT, you'll get to know your cycle pattern and when you ovulate. On top of that the ovulation sticks help to roughly pinpoint when you should DTD along with you BBT method predicting it. I recommend Natural Cycles, it will also give you your follicular/luteal
lengths as well as cycle length itself. I used that and OPKs as well as making sure we were both taking prenatals ( I realise this last bit won't aid with the cycle length but helped us conceive in just over 3 months, I was 37 and DF 41).

Oh sorry for the ttc jargon @wanderlove! BBT = basal body temperature. OPKs track hormone levels so will show you when you have the surge which happens before you ovulate. But just shows your body is ready to ovulate, but not that you actually have IYSWIM.

On the other hand, your body temp rises slightly after you ovulate and stays above a certain level, then drops when your period starts. So you need a thermometer that reads to 2 decimal places, and to take your temp first thing every morning and can chart the different stages of your cycle. This will help pinpoint when (or if) you ovulate. It’s a bit of a faff but I enjoyed the data collection!

I conceived with a short cycle. I averaged 27 days with a luteal phase of 9 to 10 days. Now have a 14 month old girl x