Progesterone is a hormone, produced by the ovaries, which plays a very important role in the pregnancy process, being responsible for regulating the woman's menstrual cycle and preparing the uterus to receive the fertilized egg, preventing it from being expelled by the body.
Normally, progesterone levels increase after ovulation and stay high if pregnancy occurs, so the body keeps the walls of the uterus developing and does not produce an abortion. However, if there is no pregnancy, the ovaries cease to produce progesterone and therefore the lining of the uterus is destroyed and eliminated naturally through menstruation.
Thus, the decrease in normal levels of this hormone can result in fertility problems in the woman who is trying to conceive, or serious consequences such as ectopic pregnancy or abortion in the pregnant woman.
When progesterone test is needed
The progesterone test is usually indicated for women with:
- Pregnancy risk;
- Irregular menstruation;
- Difficulty getting pregnant.
This test is usually done at prenatal visits, but it may be necessary to repeat it more often if the pregnant woman has decreased values between visits.
Although it can be used during pregnancy, this type of test is not used to confirm if there is a pregnancy, and the most accurate and recommended is the HCG test. Here's how and when it should be done.
What do progesterone levels mean
Progesterone levels can be assessed through a blood test that identifies the amount of the hormone per ml of blood. This test should be done about 7 days after ovulation, and may indicate the following results:
1. High progesterone
The level of progesterone is considered high when its value is higher than 10 ng / mL, which usually occurs during ovulation, that is, when the mature ovum is released by the ovary. This increase in the production of the hormone serves to prepare the uterus in case there is a pregnancy, and it stays throughout the pregnancy, to avoid an abortion, for example.
Thus, high levels of progesterone are usually a good sign for those trying to conceive, as they allow the fertilized egg to stick to the walls of the uterus and begin to develop without menstruation or the release of a new egg. In addition, high levels in a pregnant woman also indicate less risk of miscarriage.
However, if the levels remain high, even when the woman has not yet fertilized, it can be a sign of some problems such as:
- Cysts in the ovary;
- Excessive functioning of the adrenal glands;
- Cancer of the ovary or adrenal glands.
In these cases, the doctor may order other blood tests or an ultrasound scan to see if there are any changes that can confirm the presence of any of these problems.
To ensure that progesterone levels are correct, a woman should not be taking any progesterone pill during the 4 weeks prior to the test.
2. Low progesterone
When the progesterone value is less than 10 ng / mL, the production of this hormone is considered low. In these cases, the woman may have difficulty becoming pregnant, because the amount of progesterone is not enough to prepare the uterus for pregnancy, ending with menstruation with elimination of the fertilized egg. These women usually need to use progesterone supplements to increase the chances of getting pregnant.
Even in pregnancy, if progesterone levels have been decreasing with the advancement of the weeks, it means that there is a high risk of developing an ectopic pregnancy or an abortion and therefore it is necessary to initiate appropriate treatment to avoid serious consequences.
Women with low progesterone may still have symptoms such as weight gain, frequent headaches, sudden mood swings, low sexual appetite, irregular menstruation or hot flashes, for example.
How to prepare for the exam
Preparing for the progesterone exam is very important to ensure that the results are correct and that you are not being influenced by other factors. So, to take the exam it is recommended:
- Get 3 hours fast before the exam;
- Inform the doctor about all the medicines you are taking;
- Stop using progesterone pills such as Cerazette, Juliet, Norestin or Exluton;
- Avoid performing X-rays until 7 days before;
In addition, it is also important to take the exam about 7 days after ovulation, as it is the period when the levels are naturally higher. However, if the doctor is trying to evaluate the levels of progesterone out of ovulation, to evaluate if they remain elevated throughout the cycle, it may be necessary to take the test before ovulation, for example.
How To Correct Progesterone Levels
Treatment to correct progesterone levels is usually only done when the amount of the hormone is lower than normal, and is done with the use of progesterone tablets, such as Utrogestan, especially in the case of women who are difficult to conceive. In pregnant women with a high risk of miscarriage, progesterone is usually injected directly into the vagina by the obstetrician or gynecologist.
However, before starting treatment, your doctor should repeat the test to confirm the result and exclude other factors that may be lowering progesterone levels, such as eating before or being in another phase of the menstrual cycle, for example.
In most cases, the ingestion of this type of medicine takes place during 10 days in a row and after the 17th day of the menstrual cycle, being resumed each cycle. The duration of the treatment and the doses of the medicines must always be well calculated for each case, being indispensable the orientation of the doctor.
Possible Side Effects of Treatment
The use of hormones, such as progesterone, can bring some side effects to the body such as weight gain, generalized swelling, fluid retention, excessive tiredness, discomfort in the breasts or irregular menstruation.
In addition, some women may still experience increased appetite, frequent headaches, fever and difficulty sleeping. This type of medication should be avoided in people with arterial diseases, depression, breast cancer, vaginal bleeding outside the menstrual period or with liver diseases.
How to increase progesterone levels naturally
Since progesterone is a hormone produced naturally by the body, there are some precautions that can increase your concentration in the body, such as:
- Take turmeric, thyme or oregano tea;
- Increase intake of foods rich in vitamin B6, such as liver steak, banana or salmon;
- Take a magnesium supplement, with the advice of a nutritionist;
- Prefer foods with high amounts of protein;
- Make a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and leafy vegetables, such as spinach;
In addition, giving preference to organic foods can also help in the production of progesterone, since the chemicals used in packaged foods can impair the body's ability to produce hormones.
Reference values of progesterone
The progesterone levels in the blood vary according to the menstrual period and the phase of the woman's life, being:
- Beginning of the menstrual period : 1 ng / mL or less;
- Before ovulation : less than 10 ng / mL;
- 7 to 10 days after ovulation : greater than 10 ng / mL;
- In the middle of the menstrual cycle : 5 to 20 ng / mL;
- First trimester of pregnancy : 11 to 90 ng / mL
- Second trimester of pregnancy : 25 to 90 ng / mL;
- Third trimester of pregnancy : 42 to 48 ng / mL.
Thus, whenever there is a change in value, the result should be evaluated by a physician in order to understand what may be altering the result, initiating treatment if necessary.
