Calculate your luteal phase length for any cycle by entering your ovulation date and next period.
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Related Tools/Info: Ovulation Calendar, Luteal Phase Constancy Calculator
The luteal phase is the third and final phase of the menstrual cycle, following
ovulation. Also referred as as days post ovulation (DPO), luteal length is
the number of days between ovulation up to the day before the
start of your next period. A normal luteal phase is considered to be
between 10 and 16 days.
What's happening during the luteal phase:
the corpus luteum (which forms from the follicle
that released the egg at ovulation) produces progesterone primarily to maintain
the thickness of the endometrium lining in the uterus in the event
that fertilization occurs. In a nutshell (or, shall we say eggshell?!), our
bodies prepare for the possibility of pregnancy by creating a nurturing environment onto which
the fertilized egg can attach. But, if fertilization does not occur,
the corpus luteum runs out of steam: progesterone production stops and the
endometrium lining is shed via the process we all know and love - menstruation.