Miscarriage Coming Off Pill
Question
I went off birth control pills last May and conceived in July. I was diagnosed with a missed miscarriage at 8 weeks. Since then I have started basal temperature charting and it looks like my luteal phase is only 9/10 days (27 day cycle with ovulation on day 18).
Could a luteal phase defect have caused my missed miscarriage? Should I see a doctor before trying again?
Margo
Answer
Last Updated: July 24, 2013
As an NFP teacher, I counsel my couples coming of the BCP to try not to conceive for about 6 months. The pill manufacturers recommend at least 3 months. “they fear lawsuits alleging birth defects due to the hormonal residues of the Pill.” (John Kippley,” Art of Natural Family Planning” 2000, p.408)
It is great that you are becoming aware of your fertility signs. Using fertility awareness is a much safer way of avoiding or achieving a pregnancy. Luteal phases on the average run 12 to 14 days. This is the consistent part of a woman’s cycle. However, some woman do have consistently longer or shorter luteal phases. An abnormally short luteal phase of less than nine days of elevated temperatures is probably infertile. A 9 day luteal phase is within normal but short. To answer your question, a short luteal phase could cause a missed miscarriage. However, you do not have a history of charting your cycles (I’m assuming this), so that we don’t really know what your normal is.
Another thing you may not be aware of is that the pill depletes your body of certain vitamins, one being the B vitamins. B vitamins are needed for a healthy pregnancy. My suggestion is get your body ready for a pregnancy before seeking a pregnancy. That means take a look at lifestyle and nutrition. A good book for this is ‘Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition’ by Marilyn M. Shannon. It has information on short luteal phases, nutrition coming off the pill, and miscarriages. I also recommend to continue charting, and if you haven’t taken a NFP class now would be a good time.
The above book can be obtained from www.ccli.org or 1-800-745-8252
Mary-Lynn Ott
It is great that you are becoming aware of your fertility signs. Using fertility awareness is a much safer way of avoiding or achieving a pregnancy. Luteal phases on the average run 12 to 14 days. This is the consistent part of a woman’s cycle. However, some woman do have consistently longer or shorter luteal phases. An abnormally short luteal phase of less than nine days of elevated temperatures is probably infertile. A 9 day luteal phase is within normal but short. To answer your question, a short luteal phase could cause a missed miscarriage. However, you do not have a history of charting your cycles (I’m assuming this), so that we don’t really know what your normal is.
Another thing you may not be aware of is that the pill depletes your body of certain vitamins, one being the B vitamins. B vitamins are needed for a healthy pregnancy. My suggestion is get your body ready for a pregnancy before seeking a pregnancy. That means take a look at lifestyle and nutrition. A good book for this is ‘Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition’ by Marilyn M. Shannon. It has information on short luteal phases, nutrition coming off the pill, and miscarriages. I also recommend to continue charting, and if you haven’t taken a NFP class now would be a good time.
The above book can be obtained from www.ccli.org or 1-800-745-8252
Mary-Lynn Ott
Answered By:
Mary-Lynn Ott
Mary-Lynn Ott, RN, Professional Member of CANFP, teaches the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP through Couple to Couple League, with her husband Tom, in the Stockton Region.
