The level of progesterone in the blood is not constant. It fluctuates depending on the time of day. Its highest concentration in the blood is observed in the morning. In women, indicators change during the menstrual cycle. To correctly interpret the results, you need to know on which day to take the test for progesterone.
What is progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone of the steroid group that is present in women and men. It is produced by the adrenal cortex and ovaries, and during pregnancy - by the placenta. Progesterone prepares the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg, relaxes its walls, helps close the cervix, swelling of the mammary glands. Due to its basic functions, it is sometimes called pregnancy hormone or female hormone. In men, progesterone is produced in small quantities.
Why take a progesterone test
Low or high levels of progesterone can be the cause or consequence of various disorders of the body. The doctor prescribes a progesterone test in the following cases:
- identification of the causes of infertility in men and women;
- risk of miscarriage;
- menstrual irregularities;
- before the IVF procedure;
- during pregnancy planning;
- suspected adrenal disease;
- body hair in women;
- overweight.
An analysis of progesterone may also be necessary for newborns to diagnose a hereditary disease - adrenal cortical hyperplasia.
When is it better to take an analysis
Indicators of female hormones change throughout the menstrual cycle. Therefore, it is important to know on which day the progesterone test will show the correct result.
The menstrual cycle in women is divided into three phases:
- follicular;
- ovulatory;
- luteal.
The highest levels of progesterone in a non-pregnant woman are observed in the third phase. It starts from about the 15-17th day of the cycle and ends with menstruation. Analysis for the hormone progesterone must be taken during its maximum production.
The average duration of the menstrual cycle in women is 28 days. In this case, the peak of progesterone production occurs on the 21-22th day. It is at this time that you need to go through the procedure. On what day of the cycle will the progesterone test show the correct result if the duration is longer or shorter than the standard 28 days? In this case, the doctor individually calculates the day when the hormone level will be the highest.
For example, with a cycle duration of 26 days, it is better to schedule a progesterone test on the 19-20th day of the cycle, with a 35-day cycle on the 27-29th day.
How to take an analysis
A progesterone test is given in the morning on an empty stomach. The last meal should be 8 hours before the procedure. Blood is taken from a vein. To get a reliable result, the day before the test, some restrictions must be observed:
- exclude spicy, salty, fatty foods from the diet;
- do not drink alcohol, coffee and strong tea;
- refuse sex;
- avoid stress and physical exertion;
- Do not do an ultrasound, MRI, or X-ray.
If the patient is taking medication, it is necessary to inform the doctor before taking the test. Some drugs can increase or decrease blood progesterone levels. If necessary, the doctor will temporarily cancel the medication, in order to obtain more accurate results of the analysis. When therapy cannot be stopped, the indicators will have to be interpreted taking into account the drugs taken by the patient.
Pregnancy Progesterone Test
If the pregnancy is proceeding well, then the doctor has no reason to appoint a future mother a blood test for hormones. Therefore, this procedure is not required. But when the doctor suspects a pathology in a woman or fetus, a blood test for progesterone is necessary.
When pregnancy occurs, progesterone levels increase throughout the duration. This hormone is necessary for the normal development and preservation of the fetus. An insufficient level of progesterone during pregnancy is dangerous. It can lead to fetal hypoxia or even miscarriage.
Signs of a low level of this hormone during pregnancy:
- increased tone of the uterus;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- bloody issues;
- headache;
- flatulence.
If a woman has several of the described symptoms, then the doctor may suspect progesterone deficiency. To confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary to pass an analysis and determine the level of the hormone. If progesterone is below normal, then the doctor will prescribe drug therapy.
Low progesterone levels in the early stages can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. If the hormone levels stopped growing, this may indicate a frozen pregnancy.
Pregnancy progesterone levels may also be higher than normal. In this case, a woman may suspect renal failure, adrenal dysfunction. In multiple pregnancies, increased progesterone is the norm.
Progesterone Levels
Indicators of progesterone for men normally range from 0.32 to 0.64 nmol / L.
For non-pregnant women of reproductive age, progesterone levels are:
- in the follicular phase - from 0.32 to 2.25 nmol / l;
- in the ovulatory phase - from 0.46 to 9.41 nmol / l;
- in the luteal phase, from 6.95 to 56.63 nmol / L.
If a woman takes hormonal contraceptives, then for her other norms of blood progesterone levels:
- in the follicular phase - not higher than 3.6 nmol / l;
- in the ovulatory phase - from 1.52 to 5.45 nmol / l;
- in the luteal phase, from 3.01 to 66.8 nmol / L.
When menopause occurs, the level of progesterone is normally not higher than 0.64 nmol / L.
During pregnancy, progesterone levels depend on the duration and gradually increase.
| Gestational age | nmol / l |
| 1st trimester | 1-6 week | 38.15 - 69 |
| 7-14 week | 64.8 - 127 |
| 2nd trimester | 15-24 week | 124 - 247.1 |
| 25-33 week | 197 - 402.8 |
| 3rd trimester | 34-40 week | 381.4 - 546 |
Increased progesterone
Progesterone relaxes ligaments, tendons and smooth muscles of internal organs. During pregnancy, this is necessary to relieve tension from the uterus, to allow it to stretch and not squeeze the fetus. However, progesterone cannot act pointwise. At the same time, muscle tone decreases in other organs, for example, the gastrointestinal tract.
If there is no pregnancy, and progesterone is elevated, its prolonged exposure to the body can lead to negative consequences. The relaxed muscles of the stomach and intestines slowly promote food through the digestive tract, which causes fermentation, bloating and flatulence. Reducing the tone of the ligaments and tendons can lead to increased injuries.
Elevated progesterone disrupts metabolic processes in the body. The result is increased appetite and weight gain. Long-term exposure to elevated progesterone on the body can trigger the development of diabetes.
During pregnancy, progesterone suppresses the immunity of a woman so that the mother's body does not reject the fetus. If there is no pregnancy, then high levels of the hormone can cause frequent colds.
High progesterone provokes stretching of the walls of blood vessels and an increase in their permeability. Fluid from the bloodstream seeps into the body's tissues, which leads to swelling, the most common problem in pregnant women.
Increased progesterone stimulates the sebaceous glands, which can cause skin rashes - acne.
If the level of progesterone exceeds the norm, this may indicate some malfunctions in the body. High levels of the hormone can be a symptom of the following diseases:
- adrenal dysfunction;
- neoplasms in the female reproductive system;
- renal failure;
- liver failure;
- corpus luteum cysts;
- ovarian cancer.
Low progesterone
The most dangerous is low progesterone during pregnancy. The body is not ready for bearing and preserving the fetus. Fertilization of the fertilized egg occurs. If a woman has a history of miscarriage, then when planning a new pregnancy, she needs to be tested for progesterone. With low levels of the hormone, a medical adjustment of its level will be required.
If a woman is not pregnant, then low progesterone can cause the following symptoms:
- pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation;
- menstrual irregularities;
- emotional instability;
- headache;
- sleep disturbances;
- constant fatigue and weakness;
- hair loss.
The reasons for low progesterone are very different. Only a doctor after examining a patient can determine what is the matter and prescribe treatment.
Possible causes of low progesterone:
- oncological diseases;
- complications after an abortion;
- chronic inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive system;
- renal failure;
- endocrine system disorders;
- corpus luteum insufficiency;
- true pregnancy overtaking;
- severe stress;
- pathologically low body weight;
- too much physical activity;
- taking certain medications (antibiotics, painkillers, hormonal contraceptives).
Hormone correction
Progesterone is amenable to medical correction. Its concentration in the blood can be either increased or decreased. But such a treatment tactic is not always justified, because it does not affect the cause of the pathology. High or low progesterone is often the result of acute or chronic diseases. The doctor must find out the true cause of the deviation of the indicators from the norm, make a diagnosis.
At the time of treatment of the disease that caused hormonal failure, drug therapy can be prescribed to correct progesterone.
Treatment for high progesterone
With increased progesterone, a special diet has a positive effect. Revision of the diet can reduce the level of the hormone in the blood and relieve unpleasant symptoms. Diet involves the rejection of fatty foods, sweets, beans, nuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkins. Preference should be given to low-fat meat, low-fat dairy products, vegetables. Peppermint tea has the ability to lower progesterone.
Drugs used to reduce progesterone:
- Mifepristone is a synthetic drug used for medical abortion in early pregnancy. Mifepristone blocks progesterone, its concentration in the blood decreases sharply.
- “Clomiphene” is a hormonal drug of the antiestrogen type. In less than a week is able to lower progesterone.
- “Tamoxifen” is a synthetic hormone with a pronounced antitumor effect. It is prescribed for certain types of cancer and also reduces progesterone.
Low Progesterone Treatment
With low progesterone, stress and heavy physical exertion must be avoided. You need to be examined by a gynecologist and endocrinologist to diagnose diseases that cause hormonal failure. In the course of treatment, the doctor may prescribe to the patient drugs that increase the level of progesterone, such as Dufaston, Utrozhestan, Kraynon, Iprozhin and others.
Important! All drugs that increase or decrease progesterone should be taken only as directed by a doctor. Do not self-medicate!