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What is the Luteal Phase?

The Luteal Phase, also referred to as "Days Past Ovulation" or "DPO", is the part of the cycle that begins at ovulation and ends the day before your next period. Typically, it lasts about 14 days and must be at least 10 days long to support pregnancy. The Luteal Phase is named after the corpus luteum, a growth on the surface of the ovary where a mature egg was released at ovulation. The corpus luteum produces progesterone in preparing the body for pregnancy.

The length of the Luteal Phase determines the time of ovulation within your menstrual cycle. Ovulation can be delayed by a number of factors, such as stress, increased activity or medication, but the length of the Luteal Phase is usually constant. Using the length of your luteal phase, you can calculate the time of ovulation within your cycle by subtracting the length of your luteal phase from the length of your cycle. For example, if your cycle is 28 days long and your luteal phase is 15 days long, ovulation will occur on day 13 and your luteal phase will be from day 14 to day 28.