Progesterone

What is Progesterone?

Progesterone is a steroid hormone that is in charge of preparing a woman’s body for pregnancy. It works in parallel with other hormones to accomplish its roles. Every month, a woman’s uterus lining grows and replenish itself, due to estrogen hormones. During this cycle, a specific hormone, the LH, leads to a release of an egg as part of ovulation. This is when the ovary witnesses the formation of the corpus luteum that starts producing progesterone. This amount of progesterone, along the other quantities produced by the adrenal glands can halt the growth of the endometrium making it ready for a possible pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilized, the corpus luteum degenerates and progesterone levels decrease. This will mark the beginning of menstruation. But, if the egg is fertilized and stabilizes itself in the uterus, the corpus luteum keeps producing progesterone. Few weeks post-fertilization, progesterone production becomes the role of the placenta. Large amounts are then produced to keep the pregnancy ongoing and well.

Men also produce progesterone; but, the role of the hormone is not as major as for women. Its function in men comprises the formation of sperm.

For the past decades, health care providers have been prescribing progesterone supplements to treat many ailments. According to a study done by the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavior Research at the University of Virginia, these supplements have been used to treat ovarian failure, premenstrual symptoms, amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, menopausal symptoms, as well as a method for contraception. Another study done by the Neuroendocrine unit of Harvard Medical School showed the effectiveness of progesterone supplements as a treatment for seizure disorders and traumatic brain injury.

Why get tested for Progesterone?

Getting tested for the progesterone hormone can be helpful in many situations:

• This test can help identify and manage the factors that are leading to infertility. In that case, many tests need to be taken within the same menstrual cycle to evaluate this hormone’s variation.
• It can help determine if ovulation happened, when it happened and how effective is an induced ovulation.
• Women who get pregnant need to get tested for progesterone, early during their pregnancy, to identify possible problems accompanying pregnancy such as an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage. Pregnant women who are noticing some abnormal abdominal pain accompanied by some spotting need to get tested.
• Couples who have been having difficulties getting pregnant need to get tested for progesterone as it can help identify the effectiveness of progesterone injections.
• This test is effective in following up the efficiency of hormone replacement therapy.
• This test can accompany other tests like CBC and FSH to determine the cause behind an abnormal uterine bleeding in women who are not pregnant.
• Women who are having a high-risk pregnancy need to keep monitoring her progesterone levels.

Women who are experiencing signs of low progesterone levels need to get tested. When progesterone levels are low, estrogen becomes the dominant hormone. This is when signs like weigh gain, low sex drive, mood swings, depression, breast tenderness, fibrocystic breasts, fibroids, gallbladder problems, and PMS start appearing.

Women who are witnessing symptoms related to high progesterone levels need to get tested as well. Such signs include drowsiness, weight fluctuations, depression, bloating, spinning sensation, water retention, discomfort in the legs, anxiety, having low libido, and anxiety.

This test is not common for men since progesterone levels are minimal in men’s blood. But, those who have signs of adrenal diseases should be tested. Such symptoms include witnessing a stabbing pain in the lower back, abdomen and legs, depression and mood swings, blood sugar dysregulation, high blood pressure, upper body obesity accompanied by thinning of the arms and legs, as well as muscle and bone weakness.

What can affect the levels of Progesterone?

Pregnancy can affect your levels of progesterone, especially when a woman is pregnant with more than one baby. Also, taking estrogen and progesterone supplements will sabotage your test values possibly leading to a misdiagnosis. There is no evidence of any food that may have significant effects on your serum progesterone levels.

A study published by the Journal of Alcohol and Alcoholism explained that drinking alcohol moderately can suppress the production of progesterone, especially during the luteal phase of menstruation.

What do the test results of progesterone mean?

After giving your blood sample, your results will be sent to you. Serum progesterone levels are normally expressed in nanograms per deciliter. Normal values of progesterone vary according to age and gender. Pregnancy and menstruation also alter results. Under normal circumstances, progesterone levels are expected to be low at the beginning of a menstrual cycle; then, they should peak few days after ovulation. Finally, levels need to go back to their lows by the end of the menstrual cycle. If a woman become pregnant after ovulating; then, progesterone levels stay high.

These are the normal values of this hormone:

• For men, women who are post-menopausal and women who are at their initial stage of their menstruation: levels need to be at or below 1 ng/ml
• For women who are in the middle of their menstruation cycle: levels need to be between 5 and 20 ng/ml.
• For women who are pregnant and in their first trimester: normal progesterone levels need to be between 11.2 and 90 ng/ml.
• For pregnant women who are in their second trimester: normal values need to be between 25.6 and 89.4 ng/ml.
• For women who are pregnant and in their third and last trimester: normal progesterone levels need to be between 48.4 and 42.5 ng/ml.

If your progesterone test results were less or above the normal ranges, you are considered to have abnormal results. You need to keep in mind that one test cannot predict a health problem. Also, progesterone levels can change significantly within a single day.

If your progesterone levels are too high, you may have ovarian cancer, adrenal cancer, or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (a disorder of the adrenal glands). If your progesterone levels are lower than the normal values; then, you may have amenorrhea (lack of periods), you may be unable to ovulate, you might be having an ectopic pregnancy, you may be facing a miscarriage or fetal death. To make a more solid diagnosis, some tests may be required.

Where can I get a Progesterone test near me?

Please use our Lab Locator to find find a convenient testing location.

Women who have a 28-day cycle, blood should be drawn on day 21 (day 1 is the day that bleeding begins). For longer or shorter cycles, count 8 days back from the day your next menstruation would start. Women who no longer have a menstruation cycle, blood can be drawn any day of the month.

Reviewed By: Dr. Kurt Kloss, MD
Last Reviewed Date: May 19, 2020