Late ovulation

[Anonymous]

I came to SG 4 months ago and had all basic tests done, as did DH, with all normal results. The RE suggested we continue with trying on our own for a few months and then move to unmedicated IUI. We were going to do IUI this month but looks like my ovulation will fall right when we are on vacation, so we are just trying on our own again. It seems, however, that my ovulation is happening pretty late in my cycle -- last month cd 26 and this month they think I will ovulate around cd 20 or 21 (had an u/s and b/w yesterday). My cycles average about 30-33 days without any medication (clomid or progesterone). I asked the nurse if there is any reason for me to be concerned and she said that if I am unsuccessful this cycle then the Dr. may put me on fertility meds. This frustrates me b/c when I came to SG my ob/gyn had already diagnosed that I was having issues ovulating and had put me on two rounds of monitored clomid. Anyway, I am not here to complain but more to ask if anyone else has had issues with late ovulation and what they have done to treat or deal with it. Has anyone gotten pregnant with late ovulation? I took progesterone last month and will this month as well. Thanks for any input.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that late ovulation should affect your fertility, as long as your egg gets fertilized when it's ripe. Is the problem that by the time you ovulate the follicles are too big? Also, progesterone delays ovulation and should be taken AFTER you ovulate, not before.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I am taking progesterone after ovulation. No proof or info that my follicles are too big.

[Anonymous]

Then it doesn't seem like late ovulation is a problem. At least, it shouldn't be.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little confused. Is your cycle always 30-33 days, and last cycle you ovulated on cd 26? That sounds like an LP defect, not an ovulation problem. Your LP should be at least 10 days. Late ovulation isn't usually a problem, but you may want to explore whether your LP is adequate.

[Anonymous]

18:24 -- OP here -- they put me on progesterone last cycle to deal with any potential LP defect. I guess I had just read that late ovulation meant the uterine lining was old or the egg wasn't as fertile. No one else has heard that? Just trying to figure out why they would put me on fertility meds next month based on late ovulation.

[Anonymous]

I ovulate around day 17-20 and am in my 3rd trimester of my 4th pregnancy (and the other 3 resulted in healthy babies). I've never ovulated as early as the "textbook" day 14, ever, and I've seen charts with much later ovulation than mine and positive outcomes. So it doesn't sound like a problem to me. What does the RE think?

[Anonymous]

I read that early ovulation is a problem since an egg didn't have enought time to mature. Not sure that late ovulation is something to be concerned about.

[Anonymous]

The RE hasn't given me his synopsis yet b/c we are supposed to try on our own again this month and if it's not successful we'll talk about meds for next cycle. So I am meeting with him the day I have my blood pregnancy test (they are having me do blood pregnancy test b/c of progesterone since it can delay period). But okay, here is hoping.

[Anonymous]

I ovulate day 19, and am in my second trimester now (spontaneous pregnancy). I also have 19-day-long luteal phases (which seems abnormally long, but oh well).

So I'd say a long follicular phase isn't an impediment, but like one of the PPs mentioned, a very short luteal phase is an issue, so it's good you're getting treatment for it.

[Anonymous]

I have a similar issue. My LP is usually 9-10 days, meaning ovulation on day 18-19 of a 28-day cycle. I also have low progesterone levels, which indicates that my body does not have the time or hormones needed to let a fertilized egg implant. To treat this, CFA is treating both the "late ovulation" and the post-ovulatory progesterone levels. My doctor explained this as a two-step process...try to move the ovulation up to give more time for implantation afterwards and then try to increase the hormones needed for implantation. Hope this helps!