Women with regular menstrual cycles of one month, but with short luteal phases or without ovulation, may have more fertility-related problems.
- The length of the luteal phase, or the time between ovulation and the next period, can actually vary greatly, even in healthy women, a study suggests.
- Women with regular one-month cycles, but with short luteal phases or no ovulation, experience greater bone loss than those with normal ovulatory cycles. They also have more difficulty conceiving.
- “I would have liked to know that my perfectly regular periods, spaced one month apart, could hide silent ovulatory disorders which can lead to fertility problems,” confides a doctor in the study.
We tend to think that a regular 28-day menstrual cycle, with ovulation around day 14, is synonymous with good reproductive health. But a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction challenges this preconceived idea: the duration of the luteal phase, that is to say the time between ovulation and the next period, can in reality vary considerably, even in healthy women. Which is not without consequences.
Only 11% of women had normal ovulatory cycles
“We found a wide variety of luteal phase durations, even in healthy premenopausal women”say researchers from the University of British Columbia, Canada, in a press release. The study, which took place over an entire year, followed 53 healthy women, with an average of 13 menstrual cycles each. To be included, participants had to have at least two consecutive cycles that were both ovulatory and of normal duration.
However, the results showed that the duration of the luteal phase – which normally lasts 10 days or more depending on the method used here – remained unpredictable. “Amazing fact: despite rigorous selection, only 6 of the 53 women (11%) had normal ovulatory cycles throughout the duration of the study”indicate the scientists. In addition, 55% of women presented “at least a short luteal phase” (less than 10 days) during the year – which, according to the study, should alert specialists.
A link between short luteal phase and fertility disorders
According to a meta-analysis by CeMCOR (Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research) published in 2014, women with regular one-month cycles, but with short luteal phases or without ovulation, experience greater bone loss than those with normal ovulatory cycles. They also have more difficulty conceiving. Sophia Park, doctor and professor. at the University of British Columbia, shares his experience: “I would have liked to know that my perfectly regular periods, spaced a month apart, could hide silent ovulatory disorders which can lead to fertility problems.”
This study highlights the importance for women to know their ovulatory cycle and the length of their luteal phase. “Why? Because estrogen, a powerful growth stimulator, must be counterbalanced. Progesterone reduces cell proliferation while encouraging cells to grow and specialize.”assure the researchers. However, a luteal phase that is too short could indicate a lack of progesterone, thus disrupting this delicate balance and potentially affecting fertility.
