Does Your Luteal Phase Change After A Miscarriage? Experts Weigh In

In the aftermath of miscarriage, there are a lot of questions that filter in between the devastation and grief of pregnancy loss. Concerns about future pregnancies fall at the top the list, and it’s not hard to see why. Starting a regular cycle again, tracking your ovulation, and speaking to your doctor are all necessary to navigating that road, but your body won’t necessarily snap back to business as usual following a miscarriage. You probably know that pregnancy hormones stick around for a bit and spotting might continue, but does your luteal phase change after a miscarriage?

According to the Ava World blog, the luteal phase is the latter part of your cycle, after ovulation has occurred. “You’ve had your period, you’ve ovulated, and now your body is waiting, with bated breath, for a possible pregnancy,” noted the fertility tracking website. In the case of miscarriage, while some things about your body may be affected, the luteal phase does not change, says Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, a Mississippi-based board-certified OB-GYN, in an email interview with Romper.

“However, after a miscarriage, it may take up to six weeks before the cycle returns to normal as it depends on how rapidly the pregnancy hormone levels decline,” she says. “People may experience delayed ovulation following a miscarriage because their first normal cycle may not occur for six to eight weeks after the miscarriage.”

Richardson explains that women will have bleeding off and on during a miscarriage “especially if it occurs naturally” and that the first bleeding after a miscarriage may not necessarily be a cycle. Therefore, the time of month when a woman's cycle begins may change after birth or a miscarriage, but the luteal phase will not be affected.

There isn't enough information about miscarriage that can ease the pain of pregnancy loss. But I do know there is power in finding women who have had similar experiences. Between sharing a hug and being told "it's OK to feel sad," perhaps you will find a bit of comfort.