Answer:
The luteal phase is one stage of your menstrual cycle. It occurs after ovulation (when your ovaries release an egg) and before your period starts. During this time, the lining of your uterus normally gets thicker to prepare for a possible pregnancy.
Causes of Luteal Phase Defect
The luteal phase is usually about 12 to14 days long. During this time, your ovaries make a hormone called progesterone. It tells the lining of your uterus to grow.
When you get pregnant, your developing baby attaches to this thickened lining. If you don't get pregnant, the lining eventually sheds, and you have a period.
A luteal phase defect can happen to you if your ovaries don't release enough progesterone, or if the lining of your uterus doesn't respond to the hormone.
The condition has been linked to many health problems, including things like:
AnorexiaEndometriosisExtreme amounts of exerciseHyperprolactinemia (too much of a hormone that's responsible for making breast milk)ObesityPolycystic ovary syndromeThyroid disorders
Many times, if you treat those conditions, you can correct your luteal phase defect.
Symptoms
When you have luteal phase defect, you may notice problems such as:
More frequent periodsMiscarriageTrouble getting pregnantSpotting between periodsDiagnosis
It may be hard for your doctor to pinpoint luteal phase defect as the source of your problems. There's no single test that can diagnose it. They may suggest blood tests that can help figure out what's happening, such as ones that check your levels of:
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)Luteinizing hormone (LH)Progesterone
A pelvic ultrasound may also help your doctor measure the thickness of the lining of your uterus.
In the past, your doctor may recommended a series of endometrial biopsies. They remove a small sample of the lining at a specific time of the month and examine it under a microscope to see if you were "in phase" or not. This is no longer done.
Keep in mind that every woman can have luteal phase changes from time to time. The National Institutes of Health says that an endometrial biopsy can't tell the difference between fertile and infertile women, so it doesn't recommend it as a routine infertility test.
