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Are you currently on your Trying To Conceive (TTC) journey? Or you’re just trying to understand your cycle better? Either way, you’re going to want to get to know your luteal phase really well!
To put it very simply, your luteal phase is the second half of your cycle.
If a fertilized egg happens to implant in your luteal phase, this would also be the time frame when a pregnancy officially starts.
But there’s a lot more that you should know about the luteal phase. So keep reading to soak in all the need-to-knows!
Key Takeaways
- Your luteal phase includes the second half of your menstrual cycle. It’s the time after ovulation before your next period.
- The main job of the luteal phase is to prepare your body for pregnancy.
- During this phase, progesterone is the main hormone at play.
- Increased progesterone levels can make you experience symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and cramping.
- Your luteal phase is likely to last between 12 – 14 days but 11 – 17 days is considered normal. If yours is longer or shorter, it could indicate an underlying condition, so check in with your doctor if needed.
- There is a small chance that you can conceive during your luteal phase as it’s considered the tail-end of your fertile window.
- If you think there’s a chance you’re pregnant, try to wait until at least the day of your missed period before testing.
- If your luteal phase feels overwhelming, there are some things you can do to support yourself. Try tracking your menstrual cycle and focusing on your mental health. You can also alter your exercise habits and consume foods that support hormonal balance.
What Is the Luteal Phase?
Your luteal phase is the time between your first day post-ovulation until the first day of your new menstrual period.
As a reminder, there are 3 major phases of your menstrual cycle. Here they are in order:
- The follicular phase is when your body is preparing your follicles to release a mature egg.
- The ovulatory phase is when you actually release the mature egg.
- The luteal phase starts the day after ovulation and is when your body is preparing for a potential pregnancy.
That’s the basic gist. But take a look at the next two sections to learn more about what exactly goes down during your luteal phase and how it affects your hormones.
What Happens in the Luteal Phase?
After you ovulate, the follicle that ruptured to release the egg will form a structure called the corpus luteum.
The corpus luteum releases progesterone which causes your progesterone to rise.
This hormone is vital in preparing your body for early pregnancy. It helps your endometrium (your uterine lining) thicken enough so that it can support an embryo.
From here, there are two main scenarios that can play out.
Scenario 1: You get pregnant
If an egg does become fertilized and successfully implants, your progesterone will keep rising. You’ll also begin producing hCG (aka the pregnancy hormone) as well.
Scenario 2: You don’t get pregnant
If a fertilized egg doesn’t implant or no egg is fertilized at all, the corpus luteum will begin to break down. Timewise, this happens around 9 DPO – 11 DPO (days post-ovulation).
Once this breakdown begins, your progesterone starts dropping. This then signals to your body: “No pregnancy this time. Shed the uterine lining and try again!”
So then your period begins and a new cycle starts the whole process over back in the follicular phase.
What Hormones Are Involved in the Luteal Phase?
The hormone progesterone is the main star of the luteal phase. But estrogen plays a part too.
Here’s what’s going on with your luteal phase hormones at a glance:
Hormone | What it does in the luteal phase? |
Progesterone | |
Estrogen |
|
Now that you’ve seen what happens in your luteal phase, you may be wondering how long this all takes? Find out next.
How Long Is the Luteal Phase?
The exact length of your luteal phase can vary from about 11 days to 17 days. But for most women, the luteal phase is about 12 to 14 days long.
And though there can be some changes cycle to cycle, your luteal phase length is more consistent than your follicular phase length.
Looking at these numbers worrying: What if my luteal phase is longer or shorter than this? More on that next!
What Qualifies as a Short Luteal Phase? Or a Long Luteal Phase?
Here’s what to know about having a short luteal phase or a long luteal phase:
Definition | Why it happens | Why it’s a concern |
A short luteal phase lasts less than 11 days. | You may have a Luteal Phase Defect (LPD). A LPD is when your body struggles either making or responding to progesterone. | Your uterus will not be able to properly prepare for a healthy pregnancy. In short, the embryo’s “home” is not ready to safely house its guest. |
A long luteal phase lasts for more than 17 days. In other words, it’s been more than 17 DPO and your period still hasn’t come. | Long luteal phases are less common but can happen if:
| You could actually be unknowingly pregnant. So take a test to be sure. If you have a hormonal imbalance, it’s likely impacting not just your menstrual health but your overall health as well. |
Know more: Your Guide to Luteal Phase Defects
Reading this and feeling concerned about how long or short your luteal phase is? Be sure to consult your doctor. And if you want some quick tips on what you can do about it, read the next section!
Can You Alter Your Luteal Phase Length?
If you have a short luteal phase due to low progesterone levels, eating foods that support progesterone production can make a difference.
You can start by incorporating more foods that are rich in:
- Vitamin C and vitamin B6
- Antioxidants
- Healthy fats
Learn more: How to Lengthen the Luteal Phase? Fertility’s Game-changer!
But what if your issue is that your luteal phase is too long? That’s a question for your doctor, as there may be more going on behind the scenes with your hormones.
One thing you can do, though, is to make sure that you’re tracking your cycles as accurately as possible. Using the Inito monitor can help with this.
Inito helps you not only predict but also confirm ovulation. And knowing exactly when you ovulated is key to understanding the length of your luteal phase.
Now, if you’re TTC, you may be curious to know if you have a chance at conception if you have sex in your luteal phase. This is a very common question! Learn the answer below.
Can You Get Pregnant During Luteal Phase?
Yes, it’s possible to conceive post-ovulation. This is because an egg can survive in your reproductive tract for up to 24 hours after ovulation.
But if you’re to get pregnant, have sex in the days leading up to ovulation when your chances are much higher. Your chances of conceiving in your luteal phase (the very end of our fertile window) are low, around 8%.
If you’re not already familiar with when your fertile window is, here’s a quick rundown:
- Your fertile window is made up of the 6 days of your cycle where you’re most likely to conceive.
- This window includes the 4 days leading up to ovulation, the day you ovulate, and the day after you ovulate.
- Of these 6 days, the two days you have the highest chance at conceive are the 2 days before you ovulate.
Wondering how you can figure out exactly when your fertile window is each cycle? Use the Inito Fertility monitor!
On a single test strip, Inito accurately tracks exact numerical values of the 4 key fertility hormones:
- LH, estrogen, and FSH – these help you predict your fertile window
- PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone) – this allows you to confirm ovulation
Let’s say you’re sure you had sex in your fertile window. How would you be able to tell if your symptoms are regular luteal phase symptoms versus early pregnancy signs? Keep reading!
What Are Normal Luteal Phase Symptoms?
The luteal phase is notorious for bringing a range of pesky symptoms along with it! Most of them are caused by your rising progesterone.
Here’s a glimpse at common luteal phase symptoms to expect:
- Fatigue
- Constipation or bloating
- Moodiness
- Breast tenderness
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Vaginal discharge that is thick and sticky
- Increased urination
- Backache
Know more: Luteal Phase Symptoms: What’s Normal vs. What’s Not
How to Tell If You’re Pregnant vs. Not Pregnant Based on Your Symptoms?
Trying to tell if you’re pregnant during your luteal phase can be quite a challenge!
All those symptoms you saw in the previous section are fair game whether you’re pregnant or not. This is because even before a pregnancy is official, your body is preparing for pregnancy with rising progesterone.
That said, there are a few small indicators that could potentially point to pregnancy.
Here they are:
- Implantation bleeding – spotting or light bleeding that last for a day or two, it’s usually pink or brownish and happens around between 6-12 DPO
- Implantation cramps – these are felt in your lower abdomen and feel like a dull aching that lasts for a few hours or days around the time of implantation
- A heightened sense of smell
- Food cravings or food aversions
- Darker areolas
Important! Keep in mind that having a few of these symptoms does NOT confirm pregnancy.
On the flip side, not noticing these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t pregnant either. The only way to confirm pregnancy is to take a pregnancy test. In the next section, you’ll learn more about when to test for the most accurate results.
When in the Luteal Phase Should You Take a Pregnancy Test?
Testing too early in your luteal phase can cause unnecessary disappointment. This is because it takes your body time to produce enough hCG that a test can actually detect.
So try to avoid testing until you’ve reached at least the first day of your expected period. This is usually around 14 DPO or more.
If you test around that time and it comes up negative, test again once it’s been a full week since your missed period.
Know more: Pregnancy Testing 101: How Soon After Ovulation Can You Test?
And if your luteal symptoms are really intense, we’ve got some helpful tips below for how to make your luteal phase go smoother.
How Can I Support My Body During the Luteal Phase?
The good news is that you have more power over our hormones and our menstrual cycle than you may think!
Here are 4 ways you can take back some control over your luteal phase:
1. Alter your diet
Your body needs more calories during this phase of your menstrual cycle. On top of that, you’re likely to experience more food cravings.
With those two things in mind, here’s how to set yourself up for success with what you eat in the luteal phase:
Choose lean meats
- Incorporate more complex carbs and
- progesterone-boosting foods
- Try seed cycling
- Plan ahead for food cravings by having healthier options ready-to-go.
Know more: Best Foods to Eat During the Luteal Phase
2. Get adequate exercise
When it comes to exercise in the luteal phase, it comes down to listening to your body and what feels good for you.
For many women, medium or low-intensity workouts tend to be supportive during this time when your energy levels are naturally a little lower.
However, some women may find that adding more intense exercises (like going for a run) can boost their mood and decrease mood swings.
Either way, it’s important that you find some way to move your body during this cycle phase. Exercise and movement can help reduce the intensity of luteal phase symptoms/PMS symptoms.
3. Prioritize your mental health
When your progesterone levels are high and estrogen levels are low, you may have more mood swings. This is why it’s really important to care for yourself mentally during the luteal phase.
Here are a few ways you can keep your mental health in check during this menstrual cycle phase:
- Get enough sleep (at least 7 hours)
- Keep a journal and use it to write down what’s on your mind
- Try mindfulness practices like meditation, EFT/tapping, or breathwork
- Spend time alone or in nature
Connect with supportive people in your life or with people in a helpful community (like Inito’s fertility support group)
4. Track your menstrual cycle
Don’t underestimate the importance of understanding your cycle. Paying attention to how you feel throughout your cycle is really helpful information to know.
A helpful way you can keep record of your symptoms cycle to cycle is by using the Inito app, which syncs with the Inito Fertility Monitor.
FAQs
A great place to start with naturally lengthening your luteal is your diet. Include progesterone-boosting foods like vitamin B6, vitamin C, antioxidants, and healthy fats. Click the article below for more guidance on ways you can naturally optimize your luteal phase.
Learn more: How to Lengthen the Luteal Phase? Fertility’s Game-changer!
Making some simple changes to what you eat and how you exercise in your luteal phase can help boost and/or support your energy.
Read more: Cycle Syncing: What it Is and How to Start
When it comes to your luteal phase diet, it’s good to add in foods that either boost progesterone or support your energy levels.
In general, this includes foods that are high in complex carbs or protein or that have vitamin B6, calcium, or magnesium. Click the link below to learn which foods to avoid versus which to add during this time!
Know more: Best Foods to Eating During the Luteal Phase
Luteal phase starts the first day past ovulation (1 DPO). It then lasts until you get your period and begin a new menstrual cycle.
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