How your menstrual cycle reflects egg quality

[JustLooking_30]

This topic is probably relevant for anybody having cycles of variable length. My cycles range from 28 to 34 days, and my luteal phase either is 12 days or 14 days.

Interestingly, I found that the shorter 12 day luteal phases corresponded to the cycles where I had ovulated early (at 15-17 days).

If I ovulated at 19-20 days, LP was 14 days, indicating that this had been a 'better' egg because follicle produces progesterone for a longer time before dying.

I did some searching, and found this website, which exactly corroborated with my theory.

This blog from this doctor as well as the others are really interesting.

http://www.fertility.ca/2008/06/how-...r-egg-quality/

Jay,30, 1st IUI 4.17.10

[enigo]

I've just gotta say...I wish I could hug you for posting this!! I really feel so much better.
I've been torturing myself wondering about late ovulation and egg quality.
I just got pregnant when I Oed on cd38 and have been worried to death about egg quality and mc (since I had 2 last year)

[Blanca78]

Originally Posted by enigo

I've just gotta say...I wish I could hug you for posting this!! I really feel so much better.
I've been torturing myself wondering about late ovulation and egg quality.
I just got pregnant when I Oed on cd38 and have been worried to death about egg quality and mc (since I had 2 last year)

Ditto! I generally ovulate around day 20, so I was sooo happy to read this!
"Late ovulation is usually associated with a high antral follicle count ie a good ovarian reserve."

[enigo]

Originally Posted by Blanca78

Ditto! I generally ovulate around day 20, so I was sooo happy to read this!
"Late ovulation is usually associated with a high antral follicle count ie a good ovarian reserve."

That's the part I like too!

If you read all the posts from the women, I really like his honest, intelligent replies.

[Stevi]

Where does that leave us folk who O at cd13?

[JustLooking_30]

LOL, you are fine as long as you have always ovulated at CD13. If you normally ovulate at CD17 and you start ovulating at CD13 though, then you have an issue. However, I don't really know what can be said of somebody who has always ovulated at CD 8, for example.

This thread, as I said in the start, is only relevant to who have variable cycles, or to women whose cycles have suddenly shortened. The latter scenario is not the best of news

[Stevi]

I was sorta joking. My cycles average 26 days, O averages cd13. Leaving my luteal at 12 days. I've had some bad cycles lately, too many early periods for my liking. It's one of the reasons I jumped back into TTC.

[Keria]

This makes me sad

Premenstrual Spotting

Once the egg is released, the leftover follicle (now called a corpus luteal cyst) makes progesterone. Progesterone stabilizes the lining of the uterus.

A low-quality follicle is less likely to be associated with enough progesterone, and therefore the woman may notice a shorter luteal phase, and/or premenstrual spotting.

[jeminijad]

Well according to this, I am just doing fine and dandy. I O late and have 15 day LPs.

[lesliesara63]

Ugh I so wish I hadn't read that.

[karmab]

keria, there is more to it than just that, so dont be down. but if you think that's a problem, have you talked to your doctor about clomid? that's one of the indications for it. if luteal phase problems are coming from a less than optimal follicle, clomid helps the luteal phase by helping the follicular development.

[jessica_s]

Originally Posted by Keria

This makes me sad

Originally Posted by karmab

keria, there is more to it than just that, so dont be down.

I have pre-cycle spotting. I've not had it with any of my pregnancies though (so if I'm pregnant I don't have any spotting past ovulation/implantation related stuff) and progesterone has never been a problem for me.

[justthinkn]

Interesting article... But then I think of my friend of the 9-day luteal phase, with spotting days before flow, who's gotten pregnant once the first month of trying, once without trying at all... Two healthy pregnancies. I don't think anyone should be discouraged by this article, it's not the be-all-end-all, y/k?

[Blanca78]

Originally Posted by justthinkn

Interesting article... But then I think of my friend of the 9-day luteal phase, with spotting days before flow, who's gotten pregnant once the first month of trying, once without trying at all... Two healthy pregnancies. I don't think anyone should be discouraged by this article, it's not the be-all-end-all, y/k?

Yes. And I've had two doctors tell me my 10-day luteal phase is not a concern.

[JustLooking_30]

Originally Posted by justthinkn

Interesting article... But then I think of my friend of the 9-day luteal phase, with spotting days before flow, who's gotten pregnant once the first month of trying, once without trying at all... Two healthy pregnancies. I don't think anyone should be discouraged by this article, it's not the be-all-end-all, y/k?

I agree completely. The point of this article was only to tell women with cycles like mine (that jump around a few days in length) that their longer cycles may be their 'better' ones

[suzywan]

Yeah, the info kinda seems inconsistent. It says that O'ing on CD 11 or 12 is "ideal", but if you have 25 day cycles, you may have poor egg quality. If you O on CD 11 and have a 13 day LP your cycle will only be 24 days long... In order to get a 28 day cycle with O happening at CD 11 or 12 you'd have to have a 15 to 16 day LP and that seems pretty rare...

I suppose this info is more relevant to those having fertility issues?

Ideally ovulation will occur days 11 or 12. Delayed ovulation -day 13 or later- is not a sign of egg quality concerns; in fact, it is more commonly a sign of an excess ovarian reserve, generally a good thing. But early ovulation -days 8,9, or 10 of the cycle- implies lower quality eggs.