Luteal phase: meaning of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and of the corpus luteum gravidarum
The luteal phase is one of the phases of the menstrual cycle, as well as the follicular or ovulatory phase. This phase, which follows ovulation for about 24 hours, has a duration that can be long or short depending on the day of arrival of the cycle.
The luteal phase, also called luteal phase, is therefore directly involved in the calculation of fertile days and it is important to consider it if you want to get pregnant, although the scientific debate on the subject is still open. Let's find out together, then, the meaning of this phase. that of corpus luteum gravidarum, what is the progesterone it produces and how it binds to ovulation and conception.
Meaning of the luteal or luteal phase
The luteal is one of the phases of the menstrual cycle lasting about 12-14 days. It occurs after ovulation, but before the beginning of the cycle and is characterized by the formation of the so-called corpus luteum, which serves to prepare the uterus for possible conception.
The corpus luteum (endocrine gland produced starting from the follicle that was released from the ovum) during the luteal phase produces progesterone, a hormone that is needed by the uterus precisely so that it can receive - if fertilization occurs - the possible embryo of the future In this way, if the oocyte has been fertilized, the environment will be ready to favor the engraftment of the embryo and, consequently, the start of pregnancy.
If a woman has become pregnant, therefore, the embryo can stick to the inside of the thickened lining of the uterus, which will otherwise be expelled with the arrival of menstruation. How many days after ovulation does your period come? About 14 days after ovulation.
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Corpus luteum and progesterone: what is it for in the luteal phase and during pregnancy?
If you are wondering what the literal meaning of the expression "corpus luteum" is, it is easy to say: the word "luteum" in Latin means "yellow" and one of the substances contained therein, lutein, is characterized by this color. yellowish.
The corpus luteum, as we have seen, is a temporary gland capable of producing progesterone that nourishes the endometrium, ie the mucous membrane that lines the inside of the uterus. If the egg is not fertilized, the level of progesterone will drop significantly and the endometrium, deprived of its nourishment, will eventually detach and be expelled with the arrival of the cycle.
Progesterone is really essential if you are looking for a pregnancy: without this hormone, the endometrium would not allow the embryo to take root! In fact, progesterone stimulates the production of glycoproteins (which will be used to nourish the embryo). Its production, in the case of a pregnancy, will be guaranteed by yet another hormone, gonadotropin (hCG), which serves precisely to maintain the corpus luteum gravidarum functions to produce progesterone for the entire duration of gestation.
The other phases of the menstrual cycle: follicular and ovulatory phase
The luteal phase is preceded, in the menstrual cycle, by the follicular one. In it occurs the development of the follicle, together with an increase in estrogen hormones, which serve to stimulate the proliferation of the endometrium before ovulation, so that a pregnancy can occur.
In the ovulatory phase, on the other hand, the actual ovulation takes place, that is the expulsion of the oocyte from the ovary. The oocyte, while traveling through the fallopian tubes, may or may not be inseminated, and this is precisely the moment when a woman can become pregnant! The oocyte survives a day (24 hours) maximum, while the spermatozoa can reach the 4 days of life, and this is what determines the four to five fertile days of our female cycle.
Luteal phase and pregnancy: can a woman get pregnant during this phase of the menstrual cycle?
So you are wondering if during the luteal phase you can get pregnant or not. The answer is the following: if the luteal begins - as we have seen - immediately after ovulation and ends when the period arrives, it will be quite difficult to get pregnant during this period of time.
Once ovulation is complete, the egg can only be fertilized for one more day, so - 24 hours after that - it will be difficult to get a conception. If you are trying to get pregnant, you should calculate your fertility days, which do not correspond to the luteal period, but to the one immediately preceding it: these are the three days before ovulation and at the latest within the day following ovulation. Here is a video that can help you calculate your fertile days:
How many days after ovulation does the cycle arrive? Short and long luteal phase
The menstrual cycle, if regular, arrives 14 days after ovulation. The luteal phase will therefore be considered short if it lasts less than 10 days. In this case, progesterone will not be able to reach the levels necessary for the embryo to attach itself to the "endometrium. Although the unanimity of the scientific community is still lacking in this regard, it is thought that the short luteal phase may represent one of the causes of female infertility.
Among the symptoms that can occur in case of short luteal there are in fact the presence of spontaneous abortions, difficulty in getting pregnant, spotting between one cycle and another, short and irregular menstrual cycles. Your gynecologist will be able to carry out his diagnosis thanks to the analysis of the blood with hormonal detection, or through an "ultrasound scan.
The long luteal phase, on the other hand, is not necessarily linked to problems of infertility or difficulty in ovulation. Often it is due only to hormonal imbalances or to problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Again, your gynecologist will make you do the necessary tests.
For more scientific information on the luteal phase, you can consult the Madescape website.
