Why take a progesterone test and is it important during pregnancy?

Progesterone: phases of the menstrual cycle

Estrogen and progesterone: phases of the menstrual cycle

With the onset of menstruation, during the follicular phase, this hormone is produced in small quantities.

Around the 14th–15th day of menstruation, during the ovulatory phase, hormone levels begin to rise. When the follicle on the ovary bursts and an egg is released, the luteal phase begins. The burst follicle turns into a corpus luteum and begins to produce the “pregnancy hormone”.

During this period progesterone in the blood increases, which is normal for a healthy female body. A high level of this hormone is a signal to the body that it needs to prepare for pregnancy.

Further developments are possible according to one of the scenarios:

If the expectant mother’s body is healthy and produces the “pregnancy hormone” in sufficient quantities, its concentration increases hundreds of times. From the 16th week, sometimes earlier, the placenta begins to produce this hormone. Before this, it is produced by the corpus luteum. The effect of progesterone on the uterus is very important in the second half of the menstrual cycle: the hormone reduces the number of its contractions, and, accordingly, the likelihood of miscarriage decreases.

When planning a pregnancy

Progesterone is a hormone on which the success of conception and the further process of bearing a baby depend.
When planning a pregnancy, it is very important to monitor its level, compare it with the norm and, if necessary, bring it to the required numbers. If an expectant mother is diagnosed with an elevated level, the mother is advised to simply follow an appropriate diet, continuing to calmly continue to prepare for pregnancy.

Low levels of the hormone can negatively affect the success of conception and even the further intrauterine development of the fetus.

If low progesterone levels are detected, a decision is made to prescribe medication correction. To correct hormone levels, you will have to use hormonal medications. The course will be selected by the attending physician individually.

When should I get tested?

Any test must be taken at the “correct” time. This also applies to this hormone. Since its concentration increases in the second half of the menstrual cycle, the appropriate time for analysis is the period after ovulation.

If you want to find out what concentration of progesterone is in your blood and when to take it, an ovulation test will tell you. Usually the test is taken on the 22nd–23rd day after the start of menstruation - with a 28-day cycle. If the cycle is longer (for example, 35 days), then it is taken on the 28th–29th day.

In any case, consult your doctor: he will prescribe a progesterone test and tell you on which day of the cycle it is best to take it.

With a regular cycle, the level of this hormone is analyzed seven days before the start of menstruation. When the cycle is irregular, measurements are taken several times. If a woman keeps a basal temperature chart, then blood is donated on the 6th or 7th day after its increase.

Blood for progesterone , as well as for other hormones, must be donated no earlier than 6–8 hours after the last meal. It is best to do this in the morning on an empty stomach.

Patient preparation rules

Standard conditions:

In the morning before 11-00, on an empty stomach, after 8-12 hours of fasting.
Important:
Agree with your doctor on the day of the test according to the day of the MC and the stage of pregnancy.
Possible:
During the working day of the ML “DILA” departments. Break of at least 6 hours after meals (fatty foods should be excluded).

You can add this study to your cart on this page

Progesterone: normal in women

The units in which laboratories measure hormone levels are ng/ml or nmol/l. Their full name is nanograms per milliliter or nanomoles per liter. To convert ng/ml to nmol/l, you need to multiply the value in ng/ml by 3.18.

If the body of childbearing age produces this hormone in sufficient quantities, the norm in women ranges from:

• follicular phase - 0.32–2.23 nmol/l;
• ovulatory phase - 0.48–9.41 nmol/l;
• luteal phase - 6.99–56.63 nmol/l.

After menopause, the hormone level does not rise above 0.64 nmol/l. This hormone is produced in much larger quantities when carrying a child, its norm is:

• I trimester - 8.9–468.4 nmol/l;
• II trimester - 71.5–303.1 nmol/l;
• III trimester - 88.7–771.5 nmol/l.

If you take any medications while carrying a child and are tested for progesterone, be sure to inform the laboratory assistant about this. He will make the necessary notes to correctly decipher the indicators.

is produced at different rates during the weeks Accordingly, the concentration of the hormone in the blood fluctuates. In addition, in various medical sources, hormone norms by week of pregnancy differ significantly. If your blood test results are different from those shown, don't worry.

Normal for men

In men, the level of this hormone is normally low, it ranges from 0.32–0.64 nmol/l.

What happens if a pregnant woman has low progesterone levels?

Women who become pregnant through IVF do not have a corpus luteum that produces progesterone on its own. For this reason, patients take artificial analogues of the hormone. If there is not enough progesterone, pregnancy will not develop. Those. in this case, progesterone concentrations are very important.

During a natural pregnancy, everything goes differently - you need to take a hormone test before pregnancy.

Low progesterone even before pregnancy leads to the fact that the endometrium will not be capable of normal embryo implantation. The fertilized egg attaches poorly, which can lead to impaired blood supply and the risk of early miscarriage. Replacement therapy during pregnancy will not bring the desired result, so the problem must be eliminated before conception.

Progesterone is reduced

If conception has occurred, and there is a lack of this hormone in the body, the body of the expectant mother does not “know” that she needs to prepare for pregnancy. A new monthly cycle begins, and the body rejects the fertilized egg in the uterus. Thus, a lack of progesterone can cause miscarriage in the first trimester.

A lack of the hormone can also be observed during a short luteal phase, when less than 10 days pass from ovulation to the start of the next menstruation. The duration of the luteal phase can be calculated using a basal temperature chart.

If after ovulation the hormone level is reduced, this indicates a hormonal imbalance. Its reasons may be:

• insufficient function of the corpus luteum and placenta;
• uterine bleeding not associated with menstruation;
• miscarriage;
• post-term pregnancy;
• chronic inflammation of the reproductive system;
• intrauterine growth retardation;
• taking certain medications.

In such cases, among other things, treatment with progesterone in dosage form is prescribed.

What is progesterone responsible for during pregnancy?

During early and late pregnancy, the level of progesterone, a female steroid hormone, must be monitored. It is synthesized by the corpus luteum (a temporary gland that forms from the follicle after ovulation) and the adrenal glands, and during pregnancy it is also produced by the placenta. Each period of pregnancy has its own norm of progesterone, and an increase or decrease in the concentration of the hormone compared to normal values ​​most often indicates a violation.

Progesterone is increased

In women, the level of this hormone in the blood begins to rise in the middle of the menstrual cycle. During this period, the body prepares for a possible pregnancy. When the level is elevated, body temperature rises, including basal temperature.

An increased level may occur with:

• pregnancy;
• renal failure;
• uterine bleeding (not menstruation);
• deviations in the development of the placenta;
• corpus luteum cyst;
• absence of menstruation for more than 6 months;
• production of insufficient or excessive amounts of hormones in the adrenal glands;
• taking certain medications.

When the blood concentration of this hormone is low, medications are prescribed. Taking progesterone can cause side effects: high blood pressure, nausea, swelling.

Drugs are not prescribed if a woman has:

• vaginal bleeding;
• liver function is impaired;
• breast tumor.

Prescribe with caution in the following cases:

• diabetes mellitus;
• impaired kidney function;
• epilepsy;
• heart failure;
• migraine attacks;
• depression;
• bronchial asthma;
• breastfeeding;
• ectopic pregnancy.

A specialist can prescribe treatment only after an analysis. The dosage form in which the patient will take the drug - injections or tablets - is chosen by the doctor.

Types of injection solutions: progesterone 2.5%, progesterone 2% and progesterone 1%. In these preparations, the hormone is contained in a solution of olive or almond oil. The shelf life of the drug solution is 5 years from the date of manufacture.

Progesterone 1%, 2% and 2.5%, which is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously, acts on the body faster and more effectively than tablets.

The form in which progesterone is most often prescribed is injections . The doctor may prescribe a drug if your period is late to correct the hormonal balance. If your hormonal balance is disturbed, then this hormone, when your period is delayed, resumes the normal cycle. If you are pregnant and there is a risk of miscarriage, then it will help preserve the fetus.

OH-progesterone

OH-progesterone (other names: 17-OH-progesterone, 17-OH, 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 17-OPG), contrary to popular belief, is not a hormone. It is a product of the metabolism of steroid hormones, which is secreted by the ovaries and the adrenal cortex. This is a kind of “semi-finished product” from which important hormones are formed. OH-progesterone is elevated or decreased during pregnancy A blood test during this period does not provide any useful information to the doctor. It is important what level of progesterone the baby has after birth.

Functions of progesterone during pregnancy

During this period, the hormone performs several important functions:

• Prevention of ectopic pregnancy. Progesterone activates the process of formation of mucus in the fallopian tubes - the source of nutrition for the fertilized egg as it moves to the uterus.
• Protection against rejection of the fertilized egg.
• Stimulation of uterine growth. The hormone transforms the muscle fibers of the organ, increasing its size. This is necessary because the fetus develops and grows, accordingly, and the uterus must increase in size.
• Decreased myometrial activity. Thanks to this, it is possible to carry out pregnancy well, prevent miscarriage and premature labor. Progesterone also helps relax smooth muscles throughout the body.
• Participates in the process of growth and development of mammary glands for subsequent lactation.

As you can see, progesterone is simply necessary during the period of bearing a child; it allows the embryo to develop normally.

OH-progesterone: normal

An analysis of the hormone concentration is taken on the 4th–5th day of the cycle. This must be done 8 hours or more after the last meal. If the adrenal glands are healthy and secrete OH-progesterone in sufficient quantities, the norm in women of childbearing age should be within the following range:

• 1.24–8.24 nmol/l - follicular phase;
• 0.91–4.24 nmol/l - ovulatory phase;
• 0.99–11.51 nmol/l - luteal phase.

During menopause, the hormone level decreases to 0.39–1.55 nmol/l. It can be increased in women during pregnancy:

• I trimester - 3.55–17.03 nmol/l;
• II trimester - 3.55–20 nmol/l;
• III trimester - 3.75–33.33 nmol/l.

Preparation and delivery rules

To ensure that the analysis is correct and you do not have to re-donate blood, you should prepare:

• calculate the day correctly;
• give up spicy, fatty and sweet foods for 2 days. There is no need to overuse strong tea and coffee. Avoid alcohol for this period and suspend drug therapy;
• 2 days in advance, eliminate physical activity, do not attend training, stop playing sports, and do not have sex. You need to take a break from heavy household work - don’t move furniture, don’t plant potatoes;
• for two days it is necessary to avoid stress and anxiety;
• the day before you need to have dinner no later than 8 hours before visiting the clinic;
• do not have breakfast, do not smoke on the day of the test.

Increase in OH-progesterone

At elevated levels, the following may develop:

• adrenal tumors;
• ovarian tumors;
• congenital disorders of the adrenal cortex.

Disturbances in the functioning of the adrenal cortex can manifest themselves:

• increased amount of hair in women on the face and chest;
• acne;
• menstrual irregularities;
• polycystic ovary syndrome;
• stillbirth;
• miscarriages;
• early child mortality.

Congenital adrenal cortex dysfunction (CAD) in a woman can also lead to infertility, but sometimes symptoms do not appear and pregnancy occurs without complications. If you have a decrease or increase in hormone levels, consult a specialist. With correct and timely analysis, you will be prescribed treatment that will help avoid the unpleasant consequences of the disease.

When is it necessary?

Since the main function of progesterone is to regulate menstruation and ensure a normal cycle and conception, the analysis is prescribed to patients:

• having difficulty conceiving and diagnosed infertility. The reproductive function of women directly depends on this hormone;
• in the first weeks of pregnancy and in the 2nd trimester, with cycle disorders (amenorrhea);
• during pregnancy planning to predict its occurrence. If the indicators differ from the norm, the gynecologist will be able to predict possible complications. For example, if there is not enough progesterone, spontaneous miscarriage is possible;
• during pregnancy, if there is an increase in blood pressure and edema develops;
• in the second trimester to check the condition of the placenta;
• for all kinds of disorders of the monthly cycle;
• in the presence of symptoms of a tumor or ovarian cyst or pathologies of the adrenal glands;
• in the absence of ovulation.

Attention!
Before menopause, progesterone levels also drop, which can lead to the development of cervical cancer. The following signs indicate a violation of the progesterone norm:

• chest pain;
• cycle disorders;
• uterine bleeding of varying intensity;
• bloating;
• mood swings;
• obesity.