A Luteinized Unruptured Follicle (LUF) is where the egg grows in the maturing follicle normally and the follicle becomes a corpus luteum as normal, hormone levels and everything about the cycle can appear normal BUT the egg does not release from the follicle and remains trapped inside it. LUFs can therefore be a major reason why you are not conceiving.
Have you checked that you actually ovulate?
Follicle tracking is not something mainstream doctors usually offer as part of their initial fertility testing. They tend to just rely on hormones tests only. Usually if your estrogen and progesterone hormone levels looks normal it is a good sign that ovulation has occurred but this is not guaranteed, Ovulation kits can also give a good indication of when you are coming up to ovulation as they are designed to detect the Luteinizing hormone in your urine which rises just before ovulation but again this is all about assumption not a confirmation of ovulation.
It is not possible to see the tiny egg but with a transvaginal scan you can see the follicle/s growing in size and then after ovulation the follicle will collapse to become a corpus luteum and there will be free fluid visible and these are great signs that ovulation has been successful.
For years my cycles were so regular I could predict when my period would arrive, an ovulation test would always give me a smiley face to say ovulation was on the way and though my progesterone level was not as high as it should be there was no reason to think that I didn’t ovulate each cycle. Clearly the cycle I did conceive my twins I ovulated naturally but there may have been months or even years of cycles when I didn’t.
I was really surprised to find out through follicle tracking that my follicle would grow as expected, and all looked great but then a few days later I was most distraught to find out that the follicle stuck around like a half deflated balloon that continued to grow as a cyst with no signs of ovulation. I don’t know what happened every month as it would mean scans each and every month and it could be that once in a while I ovulated just fine, but it was clear that for at least some of the time it could look like I was ovulating when in reality this wasn’t the case.
Thankfully I discovered all this on my charting journey when I saw my NaProTechnology Consultant. I am now able to take bio identical medication each month which helps restore my cycle and I now ovulate successfully.
Are you concerned you may not be ovulating? or are you struggling to conceive but not sure why? Contact me today to discuss your situation.
Naturally Conceive 