Question

We're using NFP to prevent pregnancy, no other contraception. Ds is 8 months old and breastfed. I have short cycles (23 day avg.) with short luteal phase (avg 3-5 days). Since I get my period on what would be my first infertile day post-ovulation, I don't have any infertile days after ovlulation, so I don't have a chance to have infertile intercourse. Of course, with a short luteal phase I couldn't sustain a pregnancy anyway. My question is, can I know if I'll have a short cycle/luteal phase BEFORE my cycle is over so I can have unprotected intercourse with no chance of pregnancy? Do I have to abstain every cycle, or should I be infertile for some time?

Thanks

Courtney

Answer

Dear Courtney,

You cannot know ahead of time if you are going to have a short luteal phase nor can you count on these phases always being short.

What is true is that when returning to fertility while breastfeeding it is very common to have short luteal phases in the first couple of cycles which will lengthen out to more normal lengths with each succeeding cycle. You can actually expect your next luteal phase to be longer. Also just because this phase is short it doesn't mean you can't conceive.

When you are cycling you can have infertile days before as well as after ovulation. To identify those days before ovulation you would need to learn to recognize the presence or absence of cervical mucus. Doing this would give you the confidence that you need to have infertile intercourse in both phases of your cycle.

I suggest that you learn one of the mucus methods listed on our web site. The knowledge you will gain will be very useful for your long term reproductive health as well as natural family planning.

Judy Wilmurt

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