The luteal phase and pregnancy

The luteal phase is the third phase of the menstrual cycle, it begins after the ovulation period and ends the day before menstruation begins. As a general rule, this cycle lasts between 12 and 14 days, as long as the woman has her menstruation regularly (every 28 days) and normally, if the days of duration cannot vary between 10 to 16 days at most (if menstruation is delayed to a maximum of 35 days or is too short, not reaching 20 days).

The luteal phase differs in different symptoms depending on whether the woman is preparing to become pregnant and the ovum is fertilized or, if on the contrary, she is unable to become pregnant or follows a normal luteal phase cycle prior to menstruation. In the event that the woman is not pregnant, that is, her ovum has not been fertilized, it is distinguished in a very notable way since women perceive a change of mood and physicality prior to menstruation: sadness, sensitivity, swelling of the mammary glands, excessive fatigue … is what we commonly know as premenstrual syndrome. It is in this period is when the woman senses that the menstruation cycle is approaching due to the low mood that this phase produces for no apparent reason.

CHANGES IN THE BODY

The luteal phase is also characterized by internal changes in the woman’s body, which are important to know especially if you want to get pregnant. After passing the ovulation cycle , a tissue with a yellowish / orange color is created in the ovaries that is characterized by being very rich in cholesterol and that releases progesterone (also known as the pregnancy hormone), responsible for preparing the endometrium to feed to the fertilized egg (in case of being pregnant) until it can be nourished by the maternal blood through the placenta that surrounds it.

In addition, the progesterone that develops during the luteal phase is very good for women who want to become pregnant since it conditions the endometrium to facilitate the implantation of the embryo and also, it releases a mucous flow that protects from possible internal infections and typical itching in the bleeding of menstruation and the possible lowered defenses that can develop in this cycle.

STEPS OF THE LUTEAL PHASE

The luteal phase is a cycle that can develop in different ways, on the one hand if your goal is to get pregnant and the egg manages to be fertilized and on the other, if the egg is not fertilized and pregnancy has not occurred. In the case of wanting to get pregnant , it is very important that women know first-hand this cycle prior to menstruation, since it is the primary phase before the ovum can be fertilized with the greatest guarantee of success . The development of the yellowish membrane that is created around the ovary throughout the luteal phase will allow progesterone to continue to be secreted and therefore the endometrium to be nourished and there are more chances of pregnancy.

In this phase, it is very important that the woman knows the duration of her luteal phase in order to know when in which period she is most fertile in order to have a better chance of becoming pregnant. She herself can control when they are more likely to become pregnant and thus be able to carry out sexual intercourse in a more effective period . If you don’t know what your most fertile period is, at PregDream we help you hit the nail on the head, with the ovulation calculator

DIFFERENCES IF THERE IS PREGNANCY OR NOT

In the event that you finally get pregnant, the placenta will begin to secrete a new hormone, known by the name of gonadotropin, which is what determines, through a blood test or a pregnancy test, that the woman is pregnant. This hormone will be responsible for ensuring that the yellow membrane produced in the luteal phase continues to secrete progesterone to continue nourishing the endometrium, which in turn, feeds the fertilized egg until it can do so directly from the mother.

If you have not managed to get pregnant, the empty follicle contracts and therefore, progesterone decreases its secretion as it is not so necessary, although it continues to function despite reducing the intensity of segregation and continues to be a barrier to prevent infections in women during the menstruation. The endometrium, by not being able to feed itself enough because it does not produce the progesterone it needs for its growth, also decreases its layer with which it was wrapped and with which it was fed, therefore, in turn, what covers the womb begins to break and is what gives rise to menstruation bleeding.

Here, menstruation will begin again and therefore the cycle begins again.