Luteal Phase Defect

Short luteal phase:

Many women suffer from luteal phase defects. This occurs when the second half (Luteal phase) of the cycle is shortened. This is the time between ovulation and the next peroid. Typically, a women’s luteal phase is 14 days and no longer then 16 days, but can be much shorter <10 days if there is a hormonal imbalance. Women who have a luteal phase defect will find it more difficult to get pregnant. 

In order to understand how many days your luteal phase is, you must know when you ovulate. If you are ovulating on day 22 with a 10 day luteal phase, your cycle will be 32 days which is considered normal, but because you ovulated a little bit later then average (14 days), your luteal phase is shorter. A goal would be to understand why you’re luteal phase is shortened.

Disadvantages to a short luteal phase:

• Lower spike of progesterone, Lower BBT

• Difficulty getting pregnant

  • Less time for a fertilized embryo to implant, making implantation more difficult from a time perspective

  • Increased risk early pregnancy loss/miscarriage, lower progesterone output to sustain a pregnancy

• PMS: relative estrogen dominance. Lower progesterone compared to estrogen creates an imbalance and often women will have symptoms of PMS (cravings, cramping, mood fluctuations, acne, bowel changes, inflammation, etc)

Potential causes: 

• Low progesterone production

  • Relative Estrogen dominance: the balance of Estrogen to Progesterone makes the body feel like it’s in an estrogen dominant state due to LOW progesterone

• Estrogen dominance: normal amounts of progesterone output, higher estrogen

• Thyroid hypofunction: lower thyroid output = lower progesterone output

• Poor follicle development: the follicle eventually turns into the corpus luteum which produces progesterone.

• Uterine lining abnormalities

• High prolactin levels: often women who are breastfeeding will have shortened luteal phases. You can also have high prolactin levels (you would want to investigate this) when not breastfeeding due to other imbalances/causes

• Chronic stress, nutrient deficiencies, underlying infections, excessive exercise, toxicity, etc

Symptoms:

• Short menstrual cycles (<24 days), or shortened Luteal phase (<10 days)

• Spotting before periods

• Difficulty conceiving

• Early miscarriages

Ways to support the body with a luteal phase defect

• Learn about your cycle and body: bring awareness to these areas so you can advocate for your health

• Address underlying conditions (thyroid issues, high prolactin, toxicity, low progesterone, etc)

  • Get your thyroid checked (more then TSH and reflex T4)

    • Ask for a FULL thyroid panel (TSH, Free & Total T3, Free and Total T4, Reverse T3, Thyroid antibodies)

  • Balance Blood Sugar: Avoid excessive sugar and refined carbs. Pair carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Address stress & sleep to further support your blood sugar

  • Seek further assistance if needed to get to the root cause

• Lifestyle changes

  • Stress reduction/parasympathetic nervous system activation

    • Chronic stress increases cortisol, which can suppress progesterone production

    • Get out in nature, practice grounding/earthing, acupuncture, warm epsom salt baths, hypnotherapy, yoga practice, etc

    • Start a deep breathing practice or meditation

    • Focus on ways to support your body, not necessarily get rid of the stress, because stress comes and goes as waves throughout life. Build resilience in your body so that it can handle stress better.

  • Moderate exercise: cycle syncing and balancing between hard and easy workouts

    • Daily walking is a must, strive for 8-10k steps a day

    • This is a non-negotiable in my book

  • Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being underweight or overweight can impact ovulation and progesterone production

  • Improve Sleep: Lack of sleep disrupts hormone balance. Aim for 7–9 hours per night

• Balanced diet with variety of whole foods including vegetables and fruits, healthy fats (fatty fish, olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, meats, butter, ghee), lots of protein, beef liver/organs, whole food carbs. Processed foods are not serving you.

• Vitamin/Mineral supports: 

  • Whole food vitamin C: Studies suggest it may help increase progesterone levels

  • B Vitamins esp B6: Helps increase progesterone levels and balance hormones

  • Magnesium: supports 500+ processes, especially hormone health

  • Zinc: Helps stimulate ovulation and progesterone production

  • Potassium

  • Adrenal Cocktails

• Herbal Supports:

  • Vitex (Chasteberry): Helps regulate the menstrual cycle and promote progesterone production.

  • Maca Root: may help lengthen luteal phase

• Ask doctor about bioidential progesterone if consistently low & natural supports are not supporting the body. 

Taking a deeper dive into your health is a beautiful thing. Being your personal health advocate is something I highly encourage. I have seen many women improve their luteal phases and improve their cycles with simple changes to their life!

Always discuss lifestyle, supplement, and diet changes with your healthcare provider prior to making changes. This blog is not medical advice, simply education.