If you are experiencing a difficulty in getting pregnant or you are having miscarriages, then you could be suffering from a problem called luteal phase defect (LPD). This condition works to disturb a woman’s menstrual cycle. However, there has been no consensus as to whether this condition directly is a cause of infertility. This is because there is no direct test that will tell us if it is so.

The time period between ovulation and the starting of a woman’s period is the third phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This is termed luteal phase. This is the phase when fertilization and implantation occur. Typically, a luteal phase defect is when the lining of a woman’s womb does not grow as required during the woman’s menstrual cycle. This makes it very difficult for implantation of the embryo in the uterus and for the woman to thus become pregnant.

Usually, a biopsy of the endometrium is conducted to determine if the uterus can bear a pregnancy. This test is done just one or two days in advance of the next period. For the biopsy, a small portion of the uterine lining is taken as a sample and tested to see if it is a typical one pertaining to that day of the cycle. On dating the sample, if it is found that there is a difference between this date and your menstrual cycle, the lining is considered out of phase. The diagnosis is confirmed only after two biopsy results indicate out of phase dates.

Another diagnostic test that is used to diagnose LPD is the serum progesterone test. This is a blood test that is done seven days after a woman’s ovulation. The result gives an indication if the body is producing a sufficient amount of progesterone.

It is important to treat luteal phase defect anyway as it contributes to the better health of the body. However, if you have any condition that may lead to luteal phase defect, it has to anyway be treated. No treatment is required if the woman patient does not want to get pregnant.

If you are suffering from this condition, it is important to talk to our fertility specialists because all the treatments may not be effective. It has been observed that women who get treated for LPD and do not go in for assisted reproduction techniques have improved chances of becoming pregnant. For any clarifications that you may need on LPD treatment or interpretation of your condition, or for a second opinion, get in touch with IVF Spring Fertility Centre.