Problem #1 : Luteal Phase Defect

When I first began wondering if something was wrong 2 years ago, I found out that I had a luteal phase defect.  A luteal phase defect is when the time between ovulation and the next menses is less than 10 days.  10-14 days is what an average women's luteal phase is. Anything less than 10 days cannot support a pregnancy. 

How did I find this out you ask? Basal Body Temperature Charting. Back to the good old fashioned days of family planning. You use a handy little thermometer like this:

Here's the sucky thing about charting: you have to take your temperature at the EXACT moment you wake up in the morning. And preferably at the same time each day. No rolling over, no sitting up, drinking water...just grab your thermometer.  This is especially hard for me because i'm not a good sleeper. I wake up many times during the night and I never wake up at the same time. Luckily, I'm not one of those women whose temps vary dramatically if I take it at a different time!

Anyway, after 3 months of charting I found that my luteal phase was only 4 days long!!! Not good! So when I brought this up to my previous gynecologist she prescribed me progesterone pills. (note:she did not do a blood progesterone test, which she SHOULD have...and i'll come back to this point in a later post) Progesterone is a natural hormone that your body produces during the luteal phase. (unless you have the luteal phase defect in which your body fails to produce adequate amounts of progesterone) Progesterone rises in the blood following ovulation, peaks on days 5-9, and then declines and ideally day 26 should be shortly before a menstrual period. It's responsible for building and maintaining a lining of the uterus into which the fertilized egg can implant and continue to grow.

Here's what a "normal" chart looks like. This is mine while I'm taking the progesterone. Notice how levels are lower right after menses and then rise after ovulation, tapering off again when menses starts.

This is a chart of mine BEFORE progesterone supplements. Notice how my temps are all over the place. Haha! My first attempt at charting. But more importantly, the luteal phase. Definitely not normal!

This is what my progesterone supplements look like:

They remind me of little fish eggs!

The good thing about luteal phase defects is that you can "fix" the problem! Thank goodness for these little pills! Even if they do give you headaches!


Tomorrow's agenda: Problem #2: Hostile Environments.