The third phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle is called the Luteal Phase, and is the time between ovulation and start of a woman’s period. It is during this important time that fertilization and implantation occurs.
As you might imagine, any disruption in the luteal phase of the cycle can be cause for concern since it can affect fertility. Most experts agree that a luteal phase less than 12 days does not give the uterus sufficient time to establish a nourishing lining for a growing fetus and therefore will cause a miscarriage if fertilization has occurred.
Symptoms of Luteal Phase Defect
Fertility charting can help to determine the length of your luteal phase and if you have low progesterone. Luteal phase defect is estimated to affect 3-4% of women who have ‘unexplained infertility’, up to 63% of women who repeatedly miscarry and 6-10% of women who are fertile.
There are several factors which can cause a luteal phase defect (LPD). The most common is a low progesterone level. Progesterone is an important hormone needed for preserving the uterine lining and pregnancy during the first trimester. In the event a woman’s progesterone production did not reach the optimum level during this important stage in her cycle, a LPD may occur.
Low Progesterone and Luteal Phase Defect
Progesterone is produced throughout the entire cycle with levels elevating directly after ovulation and staying elevated until menstruation begins. If progesterone levels do not elevate enough after ovulation or drop too soon before menstruation, this can cause a short luteal phase. Here are some of the most common culprits to low progesterone:
Poor Follicle Production
If your ovaries do not make enough FSH hormone during the first half of the menstrual cycle (the time between your last period and ovulation), than follicle production may be weak, which can cause a thin uterine lining and an early period. This of course will prohibit fertilization and implantation form taking place.
A Premature Drop in Progesterone
If progesterone levels drop too soon (usually within a few days of ovulation), then the body will automatically think that it is time to flush out the uterus and start all over again. Very short cycles (usually less than 24 days) is usually a sign of this type of luteal phase defect.
Low Lutenizing Hormone
Lutenizing Hormone (LH) increases prior to ovulation occurring (24hrs). It is this spike in LH which causes ovulation to occur. A lower than normal LH surge at ovulation can prevent ovulation from occurring and cause low progesterone levels as well.
Uterine Lining Failure
A fertilized egg needs a nourishing environment to grow into a fetus. This is the job of the uterus. But, if your uterine lining is not thick enough – or strong enough – it can sustain this new life and a miscarriage may occur. This to can be caused by low hormones or hormonal imbalance. Estrogen is the hormone which thickens the uterine lining in preparation for implantation and progesterone “ripens” the uterus preparing for implantation.
Abnormally Low Cholesterol Levels & Being Underweight
Another cause of LPD is abnormally low cholesterol levels which results in low to no progesterone production. All hormones, including progesterone, must have cholesterol in order to be manufactured by the body. Being underweight can also be a cause for LPD due to low cholesterol and body fat levels which can cause low hormonal levels across the board.
Solutions for Luteal Phase Defects
While a luteal phase defect can be very serious, prohibiting a pregnancy until it is fixed, the good news is that in most cases it can be helped by natural therapies.
Luteal Phase Defect and low progesterone levels can be increased with a variety of methods including herbs, diet, supplements and/or progesterone cream.
Diet
Make sure that any of the herbal and supplement suggestions mentioned below are made in conjunction with a diet rich in whole foods, specifically:
Vitamin C: A study in Fertility and Sterility showed that vitamin C improves hormone levels and increases fertility in some women with luteal phase defect. During the study, 25% of the women who received vitamin C had got pregnant within 6 months compared to the placebo group in which 11% got pregnant in the same time period. Foods rich in vitamin C are: Papaya, bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberry and oranges.
Essential fatty acids: EFA’s are important for hormone production. Many women are low in EFA’s, specifically omega 3. Some foods rich in EFA’s are Flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, sardines, halibut, shrimp, snapper, scallops and chia seeds.
Green leafy vegetables: Green vegetables are rich in B vitamins which are necessary for proper hormonal balance.
Cholesterol from eggs, coconut oil and fat from organic and grass-fed animal products: Cholesterol is necessary for hormone production. Avoid eating a ‘low-fat’ diet and makes sure to eat a diet that includes whole fat sourced from grass-fed animal products. Foods rich in clean cholesterol: grass-fed beef, raw milk from grass-fed cows or goats, whole milk yogurt and kefir, free-range/pastured eggs, butter from grass-fed milk (Kerry Gold is a common one), Coconut oil.
All of these foods are necessary for proper hormone production in the body. Click here to learn more about eating a natural fertility diet…
Vitex (Chasteberry)
For those looking for a more natural way to boost their progesterone levels, taking a supplement of Vitex (otherwise known as Chasteberry) may be the answer. A small fruit tree grown in the Mediterranean, Vitex has been used for centuries to treat all sorts of female issues including infertility. Studies have shown this herb to be affective at lengthening the luteal phase.
While it does not contain any hormones itself, it does help the body to increase its own production of luteinizing hormone (promoting ovulation to occur) which in turns boosts progesterone levels during the luteal phase of the cycle. Learn more about vitex and fertility…
Progesterone Cream
One of the most common treatments for lengthening a woman’s luteal phase is to use a progesterone cream. Found over the counter, natural progesterone cream should be used twice a day on the inner arm, inner thigh, or neck, after ovulation has occurred until the period begins. If the problem begins with low Lutenizing Hormone, then just adding progesterone may not work. Click here to learn more about using progesterone cream properly…
B6
A lot of women have reported a lengthened luteal phase after supplementing with B6. This may have been caused by the hormonal balancing effect B6 has on the body. B6 can be found in tuna, bananas, turkey, liver, salmon and many of the greens included in UltraGreens. Taking a B6 supplement is also another choice. Suggested usage is 50mg up to 100mg daily. Make sure to use B6 in conjunction with a B complex or multivitamin to avoid causing imbalances.
Antioxidants
Recent studies have found that oxidative damage may be a cause of luteal phase defect. Women who had luteal phase defect and recurrent miscarriages were found to have significantly lower levels of antioxidants than healthy women. There are so many benefits of antioxidants on fertility, they should be a part of every couples fertility program. Learn more about antioxidants and fertility…
Any type of luteal Phase Defect is serious since it will prevent pregnancy. Luckily, they can be easily remedied with the therapies listed above. You may also find it helpful to get your hormones tested as well as fertility chart to determine the length of your luteal phase and to also see the changes your chosen protocol are causing.
References:
1. Weiss, R.F. 1988. Herbal Medicine, Beaconsfield Arcanum, Gothenburg, Sweden.
2. Trickey, R. Women’s Hormones & the Menstrual Cycle. 2003, Allen & Unwin.
3. Vitamin C Increases Fertility in Women with Luteal Phase Defect. Fertility and Sterility (2003;80:459–61)
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I had a fibroid operation nine mouths a go.my menstration has stop.it came in dec and mar.after the operation i was giving no drugs.what shoud i do.i dont have a child and will want .can i have the second chance.thanks you so much.
Hi Judy,
Have you seen your doctor to find out why you are not menstruating?
I’ve been TTC for a while now. Last month, I had 1 day of brown spotting, then a few days of nothing, then my period. So this month, I temped. I had 1 day of brown spotting 9 DPO and then my period at 12 DPO. Before last month, I had never spotted. I have a 2 year old who still nurses 3 times per day. She’s 27 months and I got my first PP period at 6 months and my cycles have been regular (24-32 days) since. Is this a luteal phase problem?
I am on day 17 of my cycle and started bleeding. Taking Bio Prog days 12-26 and tried to conceive days 10, 13 and 14. Is this a period or something else?
Hi Anne,
Based on your information there is no real way for me to know for sure if you may have LPD or not. Because low progesterone is the leading cause of LPD you may want to consider taking a progesterone test. This may help you to determine if in fact that is the case. This article has great tips for what you can to nutritionally and supplemental to start. If you continue to spot, you also may want to consider other options, but you may need to wean your child before beginning these.
All the best,
Dalene
Hi Dawn,
Well since you just started bleeding there is no way for you or I to know if this is going to be a full menstrual bleed or just mid-cycle spotting. If you have other questions please contact us at this link: http://natural-fertility-info.com/contact-us
All the best!
Dalene
I have been charting my BBT for about 8 months now. The number of days from my temp. rise until my period has varied: 13, 15, 12, 10, 12, 14, and last month was 13. This month, my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby, and have skipped only 1 night since my period
I had a temp rise on day 23, and even though the temps have stayed up, it was not a full rise. I’m at day 29 now, and of course checking out everything about earliest pregnancy signs and such. I have a very good feeling that I am in fact pregnant, although that may just be wishful thinking. On the chance that I could be pregnant, I am now worried about having a short luteal phase this month and losing the baby. Is there anything that I can do at this point to try to ensure that doesn’t happen?
Hello Hethir,
I need your advice. I have been ttc for 7 months and ONLY since ttc have I started brown spotting 4-5 days before my period. I have had a regular 23 day cycle for 2 years, since coming of the pill. My luteal phase has only been 9 days. Since taking B6, my luteal phase is now 11 days. But the spotting keeps getting worse. I took Soy isoflavones CD 1-5 this month thinking perharps a poor corpus luteam may be the cause. I had EWCM for 10 days this cycle. I ovulated on CD 14 as usual, and started Emeritta Progest 3DPO. By 4DPO i had alot of brown spotting. Which is at least a week sooner than the spotting usually starts. The cream also made me dizzy and sick to my stomach, mind you i think i may have used a little too much. Im at a loss, and really unsure of what to do from here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hello,
We’ve been TTC for too long now, and we’ve just recently had a miscarriage in September of 11. While I was all to happy to learn we could conceive it was devastating to have lost our baby. When I was pregnant, and didn’t know it, I swear to the Lord above, that I had a period. Not until 8 days after my period did I test due to mid cycle spotting. (something that’s never happened to me before) As you can guess, I was beyond surprised when I saw that second line appear. We’ve also had what you would call “chemical pregnancies” in the past. I would test, and an incredibly faint line would appear, and I’d wait two days and nothing. I just recently started to REALLY look over my chart on fertility friend, and realized that my luteal phase is only 9-10 days long. I’m thinking that, could be the culprit as to why I’m not able to keep these pregnancies. I’m currently taking 100 B-complex. (and thanks to this site, I’m going to be eating more green leafy veggies, and more foods high in vitamin C) Is the 100 B-complex enough? Or should I be taking more B-6 with the complex? My husband is deployed right now, so I’m taking this time to try and “fix” this problem. Crossing my fingers and praying it works.
thanks so much!
Diana
Hi Rebecca,
You could contact your doctor about your progesterone level (to see if it is adequate. I am not sure if there is really anything you can do at this point. Without knowing what is causing LPD, if you even have that, it is hard to say what may be helpful. You may find that information on our Recurrent Miscarriages page may be helpful.
All the best, hoping you are pregnant!
Dalene
Hi hollis,
What you are experiencing after beginning the progesterone cream is very typical. This is because hen you are first introducing progesterone back into the body after an extended period of progesterone deficiency, the estrogen receptor sites ‘wake up’ (are stimulated) enhancing the action of estrogen for a short period of time. This is acutally a sign that the progesterone is working, even though at the beginning it can exacerbate estrogen dominance symptoms such as breast tenderness and swelling, spotting, fluid retention, dizziness, hot flashes, fatigue, headaches and nausea. This should go away after the first couple cycles of use. We do not find soy isoflavones work very well and often end up causing more hormonal imbalance in the end. Dietary changes should come first before herbs or supplement use for LPD. Because I do not know what your diet or lifestyle is like it is hard to say what may be best to learn about. Honestly manipulating hormones by using soy isoflavones in the first half of the cycle and then using the progesterone cream the second half of the cycle may not be the best route to go at first. It is best to begin with dietary changes, supplementing nutrients that may be lacking, then adding herbs to regulate the cycle length next, and last increasing progesterone directly. Just a thought. Check out our thoughts on soy isoflavone use at the end of the article at this link: http://natural-fertility-info.com/fertility-supplements-qa.html
All the best,
Dalene
Hi Diana,
I am glad to hear you went back through your charts and figured this out! For B6 suggested usage is 50mg up to 100mg daily. Make sure to use B6 in conjunction with a B complex or multivitamin to avoid causing imbalances. You would look at your B complex supplement label to see how many milligrams of B6 are included in it. If it is less than 50-100mg you will need to additionally supplement with a separate B6.
Best Wishes,
Dalene