Hertility - luteal phase, is this true?

[OneAmber]

I recently tried hertility, I had both the blood tests and the follow up conversation.

Overall, the experience I had was really positive. However, the woman I spoke to had been a fertility advisor for 7 years and everything she said made sense to me. But one thing she said was that the luteal phase can vary greatly. I questioned this as I read that if you don’t come on your period within roughly 19 days of when you believe ovulation is, then you probably didn’t ovulate. When I said this to her, she said no it can vary a lot.

Is that true?

No....it's the opposite. Up until ovulation, your cycle can vary in length mainly because your body will stop you ovulating if it's not a good time to get pregnant (i.e. stress), but once you've ovulated your luteal phase will be the same length every month, as long as you did actually ovulate. It can vary by a day, maybe 2 but it'll be pretty bang on every month. When TTC I tracked my temperature, once I'd ovulated my temp would increase and I knew I had 14 days until my period could come. The first part of my cycle would vary by a few days but the second part was like clockwork. I would strongly recommend "Taking charge of your fertility" as it explains it all, it's written by a gynaecologist who specialises in fertility. Not every woman has a 14 day luteal phase, but if yours is 14 days one month, it won't be ten days the next month. She also discusses anovulatory cycles and how to recognise it in yourself. Sorry for long reply, hope that helps!

That’s a great reply, thank you!

I had read similar to what you are saying(though not as much detail) so I just found it really strange that someone who works for a company like hertility and has worked in fertility for years would say the opposite. I questioned her at the time and said I’ve never heard that before but she was adamant.

These companies are a bit concerning, I know someone used the same company as you, was told she was very unlikely to get pregnant and she fell pregnant the first month of trying. I don't think I'd trust them if they don't understand the basics of female fertility 😂

I had some concerns using the service but I read nothing but good things and a colleague of mine used them and gave a glowing review so I thought why not! But this has concerned me.

I’ve just wrote them a complaint email and asked them for the evidence to back up what they claimed. I’ll let you know if they can back it up 🤣. I feel a bit bad but at the same time, she said my hormones all look really healthy but now I don’t think I can trust that view if she doesn’t know the basics like you say!

I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. My periods changed suddenly and dramatically around 2 years before TTC so I went to the doctor's for investigations. About 8 months after my initial appointment I had an ultrasound to check my uterus and by that point my periods had gone back to normal (I think it was stress related as my dad was terminally ill). I'd also had blood tests and they all came back normal. We were very lucky that we caught the second month of trying but I was prepared for it to take a while. I think we all worry we have fertility issues when we don't! But the worry and stress of fertility doesn't help us get pregnant at all 🤦🏼‍♀️

My luteal phase was always 14 days, even with cycles of different lengths - I'd always ovulate later (that's what changed the length), rather than a longer luteal phase. Some people do have shorter luteal phases though, which can be an issue as there isn't enough time for implantation to happen before their period comes.

Aw that’s lovely that it happened the second month of trying. Fingers crossed! I have always had irregular periods, and sometimes don’t have one for months, hertility said my AMH is higher than the normal range (just) and they believe I have pcos but with the NHS my internal scan was normal and my other bloods were normal so the GP just told me to BD every other day for a year and come back if we don’t conceive. I definitely worry something is wrong and I find it hard to track ovulation so just hoping it works out.

It’s interesting that it’s always 14 days. I’ve just started tracking BBT so last time mine was 16 days. If FF is correct on when I ovulated this month and luteal phase doesn’t change then I should have come on my period a couple of days ago. I’m just too scared to do a pregnancy test and be disappointed because I have such irregular cycles, I’m worried I actually didn’t ovulate.

I was always under the impression from my own personal research that yes your cycle can vary and can be +/- 5 days it still falls within normal range. (Not including POCS) And that your luteal phase is always the same length and varies from woman to woman with 14 days being the typical average. I know mine is 11 days.

Following this thread with interest. I had to properly educate myself on ttc and cycles only knowing the bare basics that were taught in 10th grade sex ed.

@OneAmber You did ovulate because although your temps are all up and down it still shows a difference between before ov and after ov. This rise is caused by progesterone that start going up only if you ovulate. If you do a pregnancy test or not it’s not gonna change the outcome. How do you track bbt?

@OneAmber can I ask what you use to track you temp?

@PineappleK can I ask if you can remember who wrote this? I’d be keen tI read it but there are a few with that title?
thank you

@Answersunknown it was written by Toni Weschler. Honestly it's the best book to explain women's fertility health, I used her method to avoid getting pregnant, then I used it to get pregnant, got lucky on our second month of trying 🥰

OP, according to her method if temps are still raised 19 days later that can only mean one thing! Please let us know when you know 🤞🏻

@emmatcc1 Yesterday 23:26
@OneAmber You did ovulate because although your temps are all up and down it still shows a difference between before ov and after ov. This rise is caused by progesterone that start going up only if you ovulate. If you do a pregnancy test or not it’s not gonna change the outcome. How do you track bbt?

Apparently people who have hormone issues can get a rise in progesterone/temp without having ovulated I’ve read. I have irregular periods and hertility told me I most likely have pcos but the NHS said they can’t see anything on a scan. I think I am just being negative and assuming I haven’t ovulated so I will do a test today because you are right that it won’t change anything. I track using a BBT thermometer and fertility friend.

@Answersunknown · Today 00:52
@OneAmber can I ask what you use to track you temp?

I use a BBT thermometer and the fertility friend app to track

@PineappleK · Today 03:55
OP, according to her method if temps are still raised 19 days later that can only mean one thing! Please let us know when you know 🤞🏻

Ohh fingers tightly crossed. I will do a test today and I will let you know what it says.

@OneAmber Do you measure bbt orally?
I do it vaginally and it gives more accurate measurements and the chart doesn’t look so wonky.

I take BBT orally.

I just did a test and it was negative, so this alongside not coming on my period, suggests I haven’t ovulated despite the rise in temps? so I’m guessing BBT isn’t an accurate thing for me? Makes me feel like I’ve taken a step backwards instead of forwards :-(.

@OneAmber I would suggest start tracking vaginally and if your temps are still up and down speak to someone about it, I don’t think it’s normal for them to be like that.

I will give that a go once I start a new cycle so it doesn’t get confused, thank you.

I have spoken to my GP and they just tell me everything is normal and they won’t look into anything until we’ve been trying for a year, and I did say what if I don’t actually ovulate in that time? She just said come back in a year so it was quite frustrating really.

There are lots of strict rules about when to take the temperature. I also think with the weather fluctuating a lot this is definitely going to affect it. Agree with @emmatcc1 and try vaginal temps. The book I mentioned does go into detail about how to identify anovulatory cycles so it's definitely worth a read. Also has pages for you to show your GP! She also discusses other methods of identifying ovulation, I used the cervical method as well as temperature, found it to be difficult to begin with but once you get the hang of it, is so easy I personally found it more reliable an indicator than temperature

thanks for much for the support and advice girls, I really appreciate it!

I’ve ordered the book and thought I’d share it here in case anyone else wants to order. I found it for £3.90 including delivery (it’s £21 on Amazon)
https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/toni-weschler/taking-charge-of-your-fertility/9780091887582

@OneAmber I really hope you find it as useful as I did. There were a lot of "lightbulb" moments, and things clicking into place. Above all it is a generally interesting read that takes you through fertility in a way that's easy to understand without being patronising