Cycle Length and Follicular and Luteal Phase - ADVICE NEEDED!

ECHOX

Hi all,

I was hoping for some advice. I start fertility treatment this month (natural IUI) but I'm a bit confused about the importance of my cycle (bear with me!)

My cycle was 32 days last month, but this month so far is 35 days (no sign of AF apart from cramping).

I know that your follicular phase can vary, and that your luteal phase should be pretty much the same. My previous luteal phase was 12 days (perfect!) and this cycle my luteal phase seems it will be about the same, but should I be concerned that if my luteal phase is the same this month it will make my whole cycle quite long (about 35-39 days)?

Any help would be reallyyyy appreciated xx

hboaz

Sounds like you've got it all right - the reason a cycle might be longer is typically because you ovulated later than normal. That means that you had a longer follicular phase, but your luteal phase should stay close to the same. If your follicular phase was longer, it would make your entire cycle longer as a result.

ECHOX

Thank you for this - should I not be concerned with the length of my cycle then? Is it only really the two parts of the cycle that matter the most?

x

kcolly32

@ECHOX you're right about the luteal phase being pretty much the same length every cycle, it might vary by a day or two max. However your follicular phase can change every month. I deal with occasional long cycles and I ovulate different times each month but my luteal phase stays pretty much the same. I've had a cycle last 52 days because I just didn't ovulate on time. So basically you could be ovulating at different times and that's normal for you. Most of us here aren't the perfect ovulate every 14 days pattern, and that's why temping helps out or even OPKs. They can help show you when you ovulate or atleast narrow down the days so you can predict when AF is coming. Hope this helps!

ECHOX

Thank you so much for your response. I'm pretty confident it was just late ovulation (I picked this up on Clear Blue digital ovulation tests and the tests provided by the NHS). So fingers tightly crossed that this doesn't impact on my treatment

x

bsckgb7

When you say "natural" iui do you mean at home with a turkey baster?  Or just the RE is doing IUI, but with no meds?

ECHOX

Great terminology! I mean at a fertility clinic just unmedicated IUI x