It's this LH surge which causes the egg to literally burst through the ovarian wall, usually within a day or so of the occurrence. After ovulation, the egg tumbles out into the pelvic cavity, where it is quickly swept up by the fimbria of the fallopian tubes. Often, though, the egg is not retrieved, and therefore pregnancy would not be possible that cycle. This would be true even if intercourse occurred when the woman was at the height of her fertile phase. The corpus luteum remains behind on the interior ovarian wall, and starts releasing progesterone.
Progesterone quickly stops the release of all other eggs until the next cycle.
The corpus luteum has a finite lifespan, of about 12 to 16 days. It rarely varies more than a couple days within each individual woman. This is because its presence on the ovarian wall is unaffected by the stresses of everyday life. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child's, please consult your family's health care provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals.