Low progesterone -- 4 weeks

[Feronia]

I’m 4 weeks pregnant today and had my HCG and progesterone tested yesterday at 13 dpo. My HCG is fine (59), but we’ll see whether it doubles tomorrow. My progesterone is only 23 nmol/L (about 7.2 ng/ml), which is too low. However, no doctor will prescribe me progesterone suppositories. I just registered with my old midwife and called her, and it sounds like she can’t prescribe this either and hasn’t heard of anyone who was tested this early anyway.

With my daughter, I actually had my HCG and progesterone tested on the exact same day, 13 dpo, and my progesterone levels were 3 times higher. I know my levels are low also because my BBT has dropped, I only had a 7 day luteal phase last cycle, and my daughter still nurses around the clock.

Any advice or success stories about progesterone picking up after a low reading on its own?

 

[eme]

I’m 4 weeks pregnant today and had my HCG and progesterone tested yesterday at 13 dpo. My HCG is fine (59), but we’ll see whether it doubles tomorrow. My progesterone is only 23 nmol/L (about 7.2 ng/ml), which is too low. However, no doctor will prescribe me progesterone suppositories. I just registered with my old midwife and called her, and it sounds like she can’t prescribe this either and hasn’t heard of anyone who was tested this early anyway.

With my daughter, I actually had my HCG and progesterone tested on the exact same day, 13 dpo, and my progesterone levels were 3 times higher. I know my levels are low also because my BBT has dropped, I only had a 7 day luteal phase last cycle, and my daughter still nurses around the clock.

Any advice or success stories about progesterone picking up after a low reading on its own?

7.2 is a bit low as I know they like to see it be over 10 in the first tri. There are ways to try and help it naturally rise (almonds, spinach, etc) and there are also creams (at least there are here in the US, not sure where you are) you can buy at most health stores or vitamin shops. You have to be careful though that you don't take a cream that's meant for menopause because it has some ingredients in it that are harmful to pregnancy.

The cream I bought was Emerita https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/emerita-pro-gest-paraben-free-4-oz-cream/jp-7003?psource=SHIPNOW&sourceType=sc&source=FG&adGroup=20-40&keyword=JP-7003&cm_mmc=Google+Shopping-_-Product+Listing+Ads-_-20-40-_-JP-7003&cvosrc=cse.google.jp-7003&cvo_cid=38178165589&gclid=CJjTmJS18r4CFcnm7Aod0VMAdg&gclsrc=aw.ds#.U5ia9fldU04

The only other thing I would say is go in there and raise hell til a doctor gives it to you. They might be annoyed, but who cares, do what you've gotta do to get what you need for you and your baby!

 

[Feronia]

Thanks. for now I think I need to resort to natural methods of raising my progesterone since I'm in Canada. The only thing I can find here is wild yam cream, which, from what I'm reading, is not effective.

Hoping to hear of some success stories of people with low progesterone who managed to make it to term without progesterone supplements...

 

[eme]

NP

Here are some great, quick and easy to read links with great information!

https://youqueen.com/life/health/top-7-natural-ways-to-increase-progesterone/

https://www.nativeremedies.com/ailment/increase-low-progesterone-levels.html

I won't link any other since they all basically say the same thing. Hopefully your levels will come up naturally and the low numbers will soon be a thing of the past

 

[JanetPlanet]

Feronia, Congrats!

At almost 5 weeks along my progesterone was only 7.3.

Even though I actually have 2 or 3 different kinds of prescription progesterone supplements at home I opted not to use any. I've had at least 7 miscarriages and I used supplements with all of them and it did NOT help. Supplements may cause genital malformations in male fetuses. It was my personal choice not to use supplements, but everyone should do what they feel is best. I would never tell anyone what to do, only to find out as much information as possible and then make their own choice.

With one of my miscarriages my progesterone level was quite high at 50-something.

But, I'm 10w6d today and as of 10w0d I saw my baby waving with a great heartbeat and measuring 2 days ahead.

I'm nowhere near out of the woods, but if I lose this baby now, it won't be because of the initial low progesterone levels as the placenta takes over that job around 10 weeks.

Best of luck to you and keep us posted!

 

[Feronia]

Thanks for those links, eme. Of those symptoms of low progesterone, I don't have any whatsoever! My energy level is even fine, and I have no breast or nipple soreness (yikes, but those are also good pregnancy symptoms -- man I forgot how much first trimester sucks)!

I have been taking vitex for about a month and a half every day (in tea form), and 150 mg of B6 complex. Hopefully these help.

Feronia, Congrats!

Supplements may cause genital malformations in male fetuses. It was my personal choice not to use supplements, but everyone should do what they feel is best. I would never tell anyone what to do, only to find out as much information as possible and then make their own choice.

First of all, thank you SO much for your story. It gives me some hope, because I too am not keen on supplements.

I read about genital malformation when it comes to oral progesterone, but I wasn't sure about the link with bio-identical progesterone suppositories. Are suppositories also associated with birth defects?

 

[JanetPlanet]

I wasn't sure about the link with bio-identical progesterone suppositories. Are suppositories also associated with birth defects?

I wish I could answer this question.

From what I've been able to read, there doesn't seem to be a distinction in the method of administration (oral, vaginal or intramuscular). On the other hand, they don't seem to distinguish between synthetic and bio-identical progesterone. Common sense would seem to say that synthetic and bio-identical hormones are NOT the same.

Of course studies are usually done on animals rather than on pregnant women.

Women having IVF do need progesterone supplementation. And women with a known short luteal phase may also need supplementation. But can it save a doomed pregnancy? It may, if the pregnancy's only problem is low progesterone.

Sorry if that sounded kinda clinical. I've been researching infertility and miscarriage for almost five years and I'm starting to sound like the gobbledygook in the studies I've been reading!

 

[Feronia]

No, that’s perfect, thanks. I agree about the distinction between bio-identical and synthetic. I’m also finding studies that aren’t distinguising between the two (or that do not include control groups that use no progesterone).

I did have a short luteal phase last month, but I never did before getting pregnant. I have no idea whether the 7 day luteal phase was a one of since it was my first postpartum cycle and I'm still breastfeeding around the clock or whether it is a "true" luteal phase defect. Hopefully tomorrow I will know whether this is a doomed pregnancy or whether hormone therapy may help.

I’m applying to midwifery school, so I am also interested in this from a clinical/ professional standpoint. (Would I prescribe someone progesterone supplements in my shoes? I’m not sure yet.)

Thank you all.

 

[Feronia]

I actually found an interesting study about the developmental and reproductive toxicity of progesterone supplements in humans: https://www.oehha.org/PROP65/hazard_ident/pdf_zip/progeshid5.pdf

It's long, but from about page 15 to page 26, it discusses pregnancy outcomes, genital abnormalities, etc. in relation to progesterone supplementation in early pregnancy. I haven't finished reading it, but I'm now thinking that I will not mess with progesterone supplementation.

 

[JanetPlanet]

I think I read that one too. I'm pretty sure those studies were on rabbits or mice?


Keep us posted on how you're doing. Why won't my emoticons work???

 

[Feronia]

It looked like some of the evidence was talking about personal accounts in human females, but that the link is still questionable. I'm still wavering!

Well, my HCG tripled in 48 hours, but my progesterone only went from 7.2 to 8.2 ng/ml. At least it went up? It's now wait and see.

 

[JanetPlanet]

Tripled...WOW! That's great!


And even if it's a bit low, your progesterone IS rising. It's hard to know what to do regarding supplementation...does your doctor have a recommendation?

 

[Feronia]

Yeah, I'm happy it tripled!

I just went to a walk in clinic to be tested, the the guy was a real tool. He told me to stop nursing my 17 month old since "she's had more than enough" and kept calling me "sweety" and "dear," so I'm not going to go back!

My midwives are not allowed to prescribe progesterone, but I have a naturopath who can. They do not think that I should do the supplementation based on the lack of evidence of its effectiveness but said that it's my choice.

 

[DolceBella]

I started progesterone supplements at first because my level was low, but I think the problem is that I was so very early on. After two weeks of supplements, I felt terrible and sluggish. They retested my level and it was through the roof, so I stopped taking them. They said I probably never needed them in the first place. I just needed time to let my body do things naturally.

 

[Excited2See]

Hello ladies,

I was actually considering the progesterone supplement Emerita to aid in my TTC journey. After reading alll the links and such, I really don't know what to do. I am changing doctors because old doctor who diagnosed me with fertility issues feel that I should enjoy my youth and worry about ttc later.

I see my new doctor in July and hopefully we can make some headway together.

 

[pandi77]

I had 3 early losses due to low progesterone and a doctor who wouldn't prescribe it. With this pregnancy it was 10 at 5 weeks and that was with vitex and emirta progesterone cream. It was the first cycle I used it and I continued and my progesterone slowly crept up. I don't think the pregnancy would have made it without the supplementation.

The studies I read about defects associated with progesterone in early pregnancy was based on when doctors were still using synthetic progesterone or "progestins" vs naturally occurring progesterone. The studies I found with links to defects were all a few decades or more old and used extremely high levels of these laboratory created progestins with some negative results. All progesterone supplementation that women are prescribed now are based on naturally occurring progesterone and although are still created in a lab are molecularly identical to natural progesterone and not synthetic. It is routine in assisted pregnancy to combine progesterone supplementation with any other fertility treatments and imperative to their success and there hasn't been a correlation of higher birth defects in these women vs women w/o supplementation.

I attached two articles- one on the difference between to the forms of progesterone and the other showing how supplementation of the current progesterone formula effected various groups of women in the first trimester for anyone who wants to read them. The percentage of miscarriage dropped anywhere from 30-60% depending on what the determined issue was for each control group.

Supplementation won't save a failing pregnancy but repeated studies have shown the rate of failed pregnancy in the first trimester is significantly lowered when supplementation is given. Progesterone deficiency is on the rise and one of the top reasons for failed pregnancy when a healthy egg is fertilized so something to consider. It's a personal choice but for me being two weeks away from meeting my LO I'm happy to have finally got a bean to stick. Good luck to you all


https://rscbayarea.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/The-Safety-of-Progesterone.pdf

https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/supplements-and-miscarriage/progesterone-cream

 

[Feronia]

Thanks for those articles. The first one seems a bit dubious to me, especially where it says "If Progesterone is so bad why do thousands of doctors, including us, and most IVF programs worldwide use Progesterone supplementation during the first three months of pregnancy?"

There are plenty of things doctors have prescribed in pregnancy in the past (like DES) that were shown to be pretty horrible in the long run.

The second one was the link I was looking for the other day! I found it and then lost it, and I wanted to show it to my midwife, so thanks! I don't know whether my problem is reoccurring lack of progesterone since I carried my DD to term without supplementation, so I wonder whether something like this can simply appear?