Pregnancy progesterone test. Low and high progesterone levels and treatments. How can you help
One of the main hormones during pregnancy is progesterone. It is a special steroid hormone in the body of men and women. In a woman's body, she is responsible for the production of the pregnancy hormone. corpus luteum in the post-ovulation period. Also, the hormone is produced by the placenta during pregnancy and the adrenal glands at any time. Progesterone is made primarily from cholesterol. With the help of this hormone, conception occurs and pregnancy is maintained. But in fact, its influence extends much more widely.
Progesterone levels during pregnancy
The amount of the hormone in a woman during pregnancy fluctuates. Its content in the blood is influenced by many factors. Eat generally accepted norms, which should correspond to the content of progesterone in the blood. Approximate indicators acceptable level hormones are recorded in the table, depending on early or late pregnancy.
The table clearly shows that the norm of the hormone level is directly related to obstetric period pregnancy. Some institutions use other units of measurement this indicator— ng/ml. In this case, the level will be:
- In the 1st trimester - from 11.2 to 90 ng / ml;
- For the 2nd trimester, the indicator is in the range from 25.6 to 89.4 ng / ml;
- In the 3rd trimester, the hormone level varies from 48.4 to 422.5 ng / ml.
These indicators are considered normal and should not cause concern for the woman and the doctor. But sometimes the amount of progesterone can change its performance. This may be affected by:
- heredity,
- medicines,
- individual characteristics of the body.
In this regard, having received the results of the analyzes, do not draw conclusions based on numerical indicators. Only an experienced specialist can explain to you what is listed on the score sheet. He will prescribe, if necessary, a course of treatment.
Too much hormone during pregnancy
Elevated progesterone may show up in trouble placental development, the occurrence of cysts of the corpus luteum and not only. The reasons may be:
- problems in the functioning of the adrenal glands, which begin to produce increased amount progesterone;
- kidney failure;
- drugs prohibited during pregnancy.
Symptoms and consequences of excess hormone levels
The consequences of an excessive excess of the hormone can be fraught with women's health and for the unborn child, can lead to fetal death or induced abortion. With excess pregnancy hormone appear:
- vision problems;
- apathy;
- fatigue;
- disorientation in space.
If you notice these symptoms in yourself, do not self-medicate. And see a specialist as soon as possible.
Too much progesterone in early pregnancy
It also happens that the rate rises in the first trimester of pregnancy. But it is asymptomatic. And then the consequences can be unpredictable: Multiple pregnancy, problems in the growth of the placenta, disruption of the adrenal glands, kidney failure.
4 week
The concentration of the hormone early dates continues to grow. Progesterone in the first trimester is produced by the corpus luteum until the placenta is formed. It is the placenta that will create progesterone in the future. This hormone affects pregnancy not only at week 4, but throughout the pregnancy. The "duties" of progesterone include:
- preparing the uterus for fetal enlargement;
- prevention of the threat of miscarriage;
- accumulation of subcutaneous fat;
- in order to reject the body of the fetus, the hormone reduces immunity.
It also ensures the development and growth of the breast, makes the ligaments of the pelvis more elastic, and participates in the creation of the formation of the embryo.
It is these symptoms that are the main preparation for childbirth.
5 week
At the fifth week, the following symptoms are observed, concomitant early periods pregnancy:
- toxicosis in the initial stage;
- constipation;
- morning heartburn.
Increased production of progesterone relaxes the muscles of the uterus. To protect the fetus, the same hormone causes constipation by preventing food from passing through the intestines.
Lets you know fast fatiguability. There is an exacerbated reaction to odors. Certain foods and odors cause vomiting. Appetite may disappear. A woman during this period should reconsider her diet. You need to drink more water, eat more fiber.
6 week
At the 6th week of pregnancy, the level of the hormone becomes higher. It reaches 16-20 Nmol / l. If the indicator fluctuates at such an early date in one direction or the other, then there are some violations.
If the indicators are higher than acceptable, then this may be a cystic drift, a difficulty in the development of the placenta.
Multiple pregnancies also increase progesterone levels. With spontaneous miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, fetal growth retardation, on the contrary, a decrease in the hormone is observed.
progesterone shots
If the hormone index has fallen extremely, progesterone injections are prescribed for the expectant mother. Injections can be replaced with tablets. Do not be afraid of injections during pregnancy. Progesterone injections in the early and later dates won't harm you or your baby. On the contrary, they will make the pregnancy calmer and the baby healthier.
The injection is given under the skin or into a muscle. Intramuscular administration is considered more traditional. But it must be performed by an experienced doctor.
How to keep progesterone levels normal?
- sleep well;
- Healthy food;
- do not get nervous over trifles;
- be careful about taking strong, hormonal drugs.
And pass all the tests before planning pregnancy. To normalize the hormone, the doctor may prescribe hormone-based drugs that contain progesterone. It can be Utrozhestan in suppositories, Duphaston, Femoston in tablets. Treatment is selected for a specific patient, taking into account the characteristics of complications.
If the life of a woman or an unborn child is in danger, the expectant mother is transferred to the hospital for preservation. In the hospital, under the supervision of doctors, fluctuations in progesterone in the blood are controlled. If necessary, resort to hormonal therapy.
At the end of treatment, systemic monitoring of the hormone in the body is carried out. To do this, you need to periodically take a blood test. This will help to detect a deviation from the norm in time and begin treatment.
The norm of progesterone during pregnancy is the key to health future mother and her baby.
Progesterone is a steroid hormone found in the body of both women and men. In women, it is produced in the ovaries, in men - in the testicles, and also in the in large numbers adrenal glands in both sexes. This hormone got its name due to its main function - the hormone for pregnancy.
Factors affecting low progesterone:
- alcohol, smoking, drug abuse
- a sudden change in weight
- taking hormonal drugs
- stress and depression
- heredity
- lack of ovulation
- fetal growth retardation
- insufficient function of the placenta
Low level progesterone in a woman's body directly affects conception. After all, it is this hormone that promotes ovulation, and with its lack, it may not occur and the sperm will simply have no one to fertilize.
Even if ovulation occurs, the sperm fertilizes the cell, and she sets off, then without progesterone, her chances of survival are very small. After all, it is he who prepares the uterus for fixing the fertilized egg and prevents its subsequent rejection. Without help, the egg will not attach to the wall and will die.
But progesterone is important not only during conception and throughout pregnancy - aboutThe health of the baby directly depends on it, and a lack of the hormone can provoke a miscarriage or stop the development of pregnancy.
A high level of progesterone is also dangerous and indicates abnormalities in a woman's body. Such indicators can provoke:
- corpus luteum cyst
- improper development of the placenta
- kidney failure
- violation menstrual cycle
- the use of certain medications
For a baby, an increased level of the hormone most often does not pose a serious danger, but for a mother, it can report serious problems. If the hormone is elevated, it also requires adjustment, as with a low level.
Ways to normalize
Modern medicine helps to easily solve most of the problems that women face during the period, so even when receiving bad results under no circumstances should you panic. A competent attending physician will easily adjust the level by prescribing hormonal drugs in the form of tablets or injections.
If the level of progesterone is critically low, then most likely there will be a need for urgent hospitalization, but these cases most often have a favorable outcome.
After completing the course of treatment, even with the normalization of the hormone level, you should not forget about it and now it will have to be controlled throughout the pregnancy.
You can help the hormone on your own:
- To do this, first of all, you need to calm down and forget about stress. Emotional condition has a direct effect on hormonal balance, so the most safe method normalize the level of the hormone - bring the internal balance back to normal.
- It is also very important to pay attention to nutrition. Eat to increase progesterone fatty foods, and to reduce, on the contrary, products with a minimum of . In this case, fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy products with low percentage fat, lean fish.
Progesterone is a very important hormone and not only during pregnancy. He is responsible for the health of a woman and her unborn baby and creates all the conditions for normal course pregnancy. Each girl should carefully monitor the level of its content in the body, but in case of any deviations, in no case should panic, but trust the specialist and strictly follow all his recommendations.
Nature very well thinks through all the conditions of human development at all stages. Even in its infancy, the embryo already feels cared for and foreseen. However, the slightest failure in the support system can be dangerous and end badly. Everything needs to be kept under control, including the level of progesterone during pregnancy.
What is progesterone
In both women and men, a hormone called progesterone circulates through the bloodstream. It plays the greatest role in the case when it comes to the reproductive role of a person. This also applies to the bearing of the fetus, and the process of its conception. However, it can be detected not only during pregnancy. Progesterone has a significant effect on the renewal of the inner layer lining the uterus.
It is very important that the earliest stages of pregnancy are accompanied by the right amount of this hormone. It is thanks to him that the fetal egg gets a chance to fix in the uterus and further development. Without it, this muscular organ contracts, pushing the embryo out and getting rid of it. And since progesterone is produced in the ovaries, it is very important to control the correct functioning of these organs.
In fact, the functions of this hormone are much wider than described above. More full list can be described as follows:
- Progesterone helps the fertilized egg attach to the walls of the uterus and stay there.
- Conducts a kind of acquaintance of the female body with the protein of the embryo, because it also contains the father's DNA. Without this, the immune system perceives new cells as a kind of virus and gets rid of it. Partly because of this ability of the body in the first months of pregnancy, the body of a woman is very weak and vulnerable to all sorts of diseases.
- The hormone prepares the entire body of the future mother for the difficult and exhausting period of bearing a child, as well as for the process of giving birth to a baby.
- Thanks to progesterone, the endometrium of the uterus becomes such that the embryo is securely fixed there and does not experience inconvenience during the first weeks of pregnancy. After all, this time is very important and difficult for the future newborn. Systems and organs are just being laid.
- It is thanks to this hormone that the mammary glands grow, and over time, colostrum appears in them.
- The uterus begins to grow without much difficulty.
- Muscles of the muscle "house" gestational sac do not begin to decline before forty weeks.
- It does not allow the nervous system of a pregnant woman to loosen excessively.
- Progesterone forms a subcutaneous fat reserve in a woman in interesting position. Such a measure is provided by nature for the nutrition of the fetus in adverse conditions.
- It supports normal performance blood viscosity, as well as the mass fraction of glucose in her blood. Without this, the fetus would not survive and would not be able to eat normally.
Deviations from the norm in the content of progesterone determined at the beginning of pregnancy give the doctor a reason to prescribe treatment. In critical situations, even hospitalization is required. The lack of a hormone is compensated by various drugs and injections.
Determination of the content of progesterone in the blood
The amount of progesterone is not the slightest difficulty to determine. To do this, the specialist sends the expectant mother to the laboratory, where she donates blood from a vein. It is worth noting that in the first trimester this does not happen to everyone. The referral is given only to those who have previously been diagnosed with problems with the genital organs or have already had miscarriages. If there are no complications and any complaints, you will have to visit the laboratory later, during the second trimester. Close attention the level of this hormone is also given to those women who carry a child longer than the due date.
There are some rules that must be observed when visiting the laboratory in order to donate hormones:
- You need to donate blood from a vein on an empty stomach.
- If you have been prescribed any medication hormonal group, they need to be temporarily stopped taking two days in advance.
- The day before the surrender, you can not be nervous and worry in every possible way.
- If you did not quit smoking when you found out you were pregnant, do not smoke for at least three to four hours before the test.
- You can't eat, you can only drink a little clean water without gas.
IN extreme cases determination is carried out during the day. But for this, breakfast must be low-fat and after it at least 6 hours must pass.
There is a norm within which the determined values must be. However, it does not remain constant. Even when a woman is not yet pregnant, the level of the hormone changes depending on which day of her menstrual cycle she has. this moment. After fertilization has already taken place, progesterone becomes more stable and changes along with the gestation period.
As soon as a woman has managed to get pregnant, progesterone stabilizes. But there is such a pattern that the longer the gestational age, the greater the content of the hormone in the blood. And if in the early stages its production is carried out only by the ovaries and adrenal glands, then in the end the placenta itself also helps them. If the indicators determined by the laboratory differ somewhat from the established norm, this may well be a feature of this female body. However, a specialist should decide on this. Such conclusions, made independently, can be fatal for an unborn child.
Elevated progesterone during pregnancy
It must be said that elevated progesterone during pregnancy is a much rarer phenomenon than the reverse situation. And most often, these test results are found in women bearing more than one fetus. This is due to the fact that the wise organism makes more efforts to save all the babies.
If, nevertheless, an excess of progesterone appeared due to pathological processes organism, this also has its own reasons. For example, these could be symptoms bad work kidneys, hydatidiform mole (a kind of problem with the placenta), as well as malfunctioning adrenal glands. And in no case should you think that the more progesterone, the better. Thus, you can get serious problems, so doctors try to immediately take the necessary measures.
Symptoms of high progesterone
The increased level of progesterone will not go unnoticed for a woman. Like the vast majority of problems in any body, excess progesterone during pregnancy has its own symptoms:
- The expectant mother begins to suffer from headaches due to high progesterone.
- Fatigue sets in much faster than even other pregnant women.
- Sometimes the amount of the hormone above the norm causes an excessive increase in the uterus. In addition, bleeding is possible.
- Pregnant women with a similar pathology want to sleep almost all the time.
- Nausea is considered common occurrences in the early stages of childbearing. Therefore, although the symptoms elevated hormone and include this malaise, it is not always possible to notice it.
- Another symptom that may not be noticed behind the usual ailments of a pregnant woman is heartburn. In the same group, you can include both heaviness in the abdomen and bloating.
- Constipation may also occur.
As mentioned above, some of the above symptoms may well be found in a completely healthy pregnant woman. At the same time, they will not at all be harbingers of something unpleasant. That is why some doctors send all their patients for hormone testing. The consequences of an analysis not done in time can sometimes be quite unpleasant. At the same time, it is not worth prescribing examinations for yourself, as well as medications. The doctor will find out the entire history. It is possible, for example, that you are taking medications that can artificially increase the values in the results. The gynecologist will eliminate such misunderstandings.
If progesterone is still more than normal, the specialist finds out what increases it and prescribes treatment based on the results of the examination. In no case should you try to cope on your own. This is dangerous even for an ordinary person in a standard situation. And a woman in a state of pregnancy is a very fragile and unstable “system”. And at the same time, she is no longer responsible only for herself alone. Self-administered medications can be dangerous in and of themselves, and overdose can occur. It may well have a negative impact on the fetus, and then there will be no one to blame.
Progesterone is a steroid hormone produced primarily in female body. It is synthesized in the corpus luteum and serves one purpose - preparation for possible conception child. Progesterone during pregnancy contributes to the safe bearing of the fetus. Hormone deficiency leads to spontaneous miscarriage and other serious complications.
The role of progesterone during pregnancy
Before pregnancy, progesterone is synthesized by the corpus luteum. This temporary gland is formed immediately after ovulation in the second (luteal) phase of the cycle and continues to function until the next menstruation. The task of the hormone at this stage is to provide conditions for the possible implantation of the embryo.
Influence of progesterone in the second phase of the cycle:
- Preparation of the uterine mucosa for the adoption of the fetal egg. The endometrium gradually grows and thickens, in its cells the supply of nutrients. Sufficient thickness of the endometrium ensures the normal course of the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Decreased immunity. The mother organism perceives the embryo as a foreign object and tries to get rid of it. Progesterone suppresses the activity of the immune system and helps to maintain pregnancy.
- Development of a secret fallopian tubes for the safe transport of the egg into the uterine cavity. The synthesized mucus also provides nourishment to the fetus as it moves through the fallopian tubes.
You can track the change in the level of progesterone by basal temperature. To do this, you need to take measurements in the rectum every day starting from the first day of the cycle (in the morning, without getting out of bed). Progesterone and body temperature are closely related.
After ovulation (the release of a mature egg from the ovary), the level of the hormone rises, and basal body temperature rises by 0.3-0.5 degrees. At this point, it remains until the end of the menstrual cycle. If pregnancy does not occur, the concentration of progesterone drops, and rejection of the mucous layer of the uterus occurs - menstruation. At successful conception the child's basal temperature remains above 37 degrees throughout the first trimester.
In early pregnancy, progesterone plays the following role:
- Reduces the tone of the muscular layer of the uterus and prevents miscarriage.
- Promotes the development of the mammary glands and prepares them for milk production.
- Increases the elasticity of the ligaments of the pelvis, helps the body adapt to upcoming birth.
- Determines the formation of the dominant pregnancy in the brain. Now all the processes occurring in the body of a woman will be subordinated to one goal - the bearing of the fetus.
The influence of the hormone on the onset and bearing of pregnancy
Progesterone is the key hormone that determines the possibility of conceiving a child. It creates all the conditions for the egg to meet with the sperm and be fertilized. Progesterone prepares the bed for implantation - the introduction of a fertilized egg into the uterus. And also the hormone helps to ensure that the pregnancy proceeds safely - from the moment of conception to childbirth.
The level of progesterone in the second phase of the cycle should be 7-56 nmol / l. Exactly this concentration of the hormone allows a woman to become pregnant. Lack of progesterone levels interferes with fertilization, implantation and gestation.
In most cases, a woman simply cannot conceive a child due to progesterone deficiency in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. Even if fertilization occurs, such a pregnancy is often terminated early.
Consequences of abnormal progesterone levels and
The normal concentration of progesterone is determined by the phase of the menstrual cycle:
- Follicular phase - 0.3-2.2 nmol / l.
- Ovulatory phase - 0.5-9.4 nmol / l.
- Luteal phase - 7-56.6 nmol / l.
During of pregnancy, the maximum rate of increase in the hormone progesterone falls on the 7-8th week. Further, its level continues to grow, but not so actively. The increase in progesterone goes up to 37-38 weeks, after which its concentration in the blood falls. Decreased hormone levels signal early delivery.
Normal values during gestation:
- I trimester - 9-469 nmol / l.
- II trimester - 72-304 nmol / l.
- III trimester - 89 - 772 nmol / l.
hinders normal development embryo. This condition is observed with various complications:
- The threat of termination of uterine pregnancy.
- Early miscarriage.
- Regressive pregnancy.
- Ectopic pregnancy.
- Placental insufficiency with concomitant hypoxia and retention prenatal development fetus.
- Threat premature birth(after 22 weeks).
- True prolongation of pregnancy (after 41 weeks).
It is not always possible to find out the reasons for the insufficient level of progesterone. This may be ovarian pathology, interfering factors, pituitary disease, or thyroid gland. Hormonal imbalance leads to progesterone deficiency, which leads to a number of pathological changes.
The second phase of the cycle turns out to be defective, the woman's body cannot prepare for the conception of a child. The bearing of the fetus is in jeopardy, and medical support is indispensable.
Excess progesterone is also an unfavorable symptom.. An increase in the level of the hormone indicates the causes:
- A corpus luteum cyst is a benign tumor-like formation of the ovary.
- Pathology of the placenta, leading to malnutrition of the fetus and a delay in its development.
- Kidney disease, in which the excretion of the hormone from the body is reduced.
May lead to miscarriage.
Some increase in progesterone is noted with multiple pregnancy after 16 weeks, however, in some expectant mothers, the hormone level remains within the normal range.
How to pass the analysis?
Outside of pregnancy, a blood test to determine the hormone is prescribed in such situations:
- Menstrual disorders.
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
- Infertility is the inability to conceive a child within 12 months.
- Miscarriage - repeated spontaneous miscarriages.
A blood test for progesterone is taken on the 21-22nd day of the cycle. This tactic will be true only if it takes about 28 days from one menstruation to another. If a woman's cycle is irregular, it is important to pre-calculate the date of ovulation, and then count 7-8 days from it. This day will be optimum time for examination.
During pregnancy, the routine determination of progesterone is not carried out. Your doctor may order blood sampling in the following situations:
- The threat of termination of pregnancy based on the woman's complaints (pain in the lower abdomen, bloody vaginal discharge) or ultrasound data.
- signs placental insufficiency and fetal growth retardation.
- Diagnosis of a true pregnancy prolongation after the 41st week.
At normal flow gestation study is not performed.
Blood sampling takes place strictly on an empty stomach in the morning from 8 to 14 hours. Material for research is taken from a vein. On the eve of the test, it is recommended to refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol, to avoid mental and physical exertion.
Decoding of the analysis is carried out only by a doctor. A decrease or increase in a hormone is not yet a diagnosis. It is important to evaluate all available data in order to find out the cause of such deviations and choose the right treatment tactics.
Can you get pregnant with low progesterone?
In medicine, there are cases when a woman managed to conceive with a progesterone deficiency and give birth at term. healthy child. It is assumed that at some point the factors affecting the concentration of the hormone ceased to act, and pregnancy occurred.
But the probability of conceiving a child in this situation is extremely low. Even if the fetal egg is fixed in the uterine cavity, there is big risk termination of pregnancy in the early stages.
Low progesterone - an indication for drug correction. Taking hormones allows you to restore the menstrual cycle and helps prepare for pregnancy. It is also important to find the cause of the pathology in order to avoid the development of complications.
Methods for the treatment of progesterone deficiency
A few years ago, progesterone-based drugs were prescribed to almost every woman who came to the doctor with signs of a threatened or incipient miscarriage. It was believed that with such a pathology, hormonal support is necessary. This tactic was referred to as conservation therapy. Most often, Duphaston or Utrozhestan were prescribed - analogues of progesterone, which increase its level in the body.
Today, obstetric practice has been revised, and gynecologists are no longer so actively prescribing hormonal drugs. Progesterone is needed in two situations:
- Insufficiency of the luteal phase. Pathology must be diagnosed before pregnancy. In these circumstances, the woman has a shortage of her own progesterone, and it must be supplemented from the outside. The drug is recommended up to 16 weeks. In the second trimester, the placenta matures. He begins to produce progesterone, and the need for medicines disappears.
- Pregnancy after IVF. In vitro fertilization, conception occurs in a test tube. The woman does not ovulate on her own, and the corpus luteum does not form. Progesterone is not produced in the right amount, and medication is needed to maintain pregnancy.
In other situations, hormonal support is rarely performed.. If the threat of miscarriage is caused by a defect in the ovum, this is more likely an indication for abortion. Pathology of the hemostasis system and inflammatory processes in the uterine cavity are also not treated with progesterone.
At the stage of conception of a child, the use of progestogens in the second phase of the cycle may not be used. Now the doctor first tries to calculate the date of ovulation and only then prescribes the selected drug. This scheme is justified early application progesterone threatened to suppress ovulation, which means that pregnancy in this case did not occur.
The selection of the drug and the scheme of its use is carried out by a specialist. Taking hormones without a doctor's prescription is unacceptable. It is important not to forget about hormonal background:
- Balanced diet.
- Reception of vitamins in the winter-spring period.
- Adequate physical activity.
- Correction of the daily routine: good sleep and rest.
- Healthy lifestyle and avoidance bad habits.
- Competent choice of contraception.
- Timely treatment gynecological diseases.
These measures reduce the risk of developing hormonal imbalance and promote reproductive health.
