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What is the corpus luteum?
The corpus luteum, also called “corpus luteum”, develops temporarily each month during the second part of the body. menstrual cycle, and more precisely of the luteal phase, that is to say just after ovulation.
In fact, once ovulation is over, the ovarian follicle which contains the oocyte changes and takes on a yellow color to become an endocrine gland located inside the ovary and whose main role is to secrete progesterone.
The importance of the corpus luteum to get pregnant
Necessary for fertility and the proper development of pregnancy, the progesterone produced by the corpus luteum helps prepare the endometrium to receive the egg after fertilization. The uterine lining – or endometrium -, very thin at the start of the menstrual cycle, will thicken with the appearance of blood vessels and cells to provide a favorable environment for the implantation, that is, the period during which the embryo implants in the uterus.
It is estimated that progesterone is secreted in the last 14 days of the menstrual cycle. A secretion which causes an increase in the body temperature – above 37 ° C -, a sign that ovulation has taken place.
The role of the corpus luteum during pregnancy
After fertilization, the embryo implants itself after only a few days in the uterus and secretes thehormone HCG – chorionic gonadotropin hormone – or beta-hCG, by the trophoblast which will then become the placenta. It is an indicator of pregnancy whose rate increases during the first weeks after conception. It is usually at this time that the first signs of pregnancy appear: fatigue, nausea, emotivity, swelling of the chest …
The role of the hormone HCG is in particular to guarantee the proper functioning of the corpus luteum and the secretion of progesterone, essential for maintaining the implantation of the embryo in the uterus. During the first three months, the corpus luteum will continue to produce this essential pregnancy hormone. From the fourth month, the placenta is mature enough to ensure the exchanges between mother and child on its own.
What is the link between miscarriage and corpus luteum?
In rare cases, the miscarriage may be related to an insufficiency of the corpus luteum, also called luteal insufficiency. Hormonal deficiency which can also be linked to difficulty conceiving.
Drug treatment may be prescribed to compensate for the insufficiency.
Cyclic corpus luteum: when fertilization does not take place
If the egg is not fertilized, it is called a cyclic corpus luteum. The rate of hormonal secretion drops sharply, the uterus and the blood vessels in the lining of the womb constrict. The superficial part of the mucosa is then expelled in the form of rules. It is the start of a new menstrual cycle.