MARCH OF DIMES | MARCH FOR BABIES | NACERSANO

Low progesterone levels...

Hi! Some of you know that I am 3 weeks pregnant with suspected twins. My HCG levels are high, however, my doctor called me today to tell me that my progesterone levels are low. It was 7. She prescribed progesterone pills for me. I am reading on the internet and it doesn't look good for me to carry this pregnancy to full term. The information says that doctors prescribe progesterone in vain to save a pregnancy that would have otherwise ended in miscarriage. However, message boards from other women who have had this same problem have carried healthy babies to full term. I was just wondering if anyone had ever had this problem? If so, did you carry to full-term, and what was your progesterone level?
MasonsMom

254 Replies

  • dude999991
    Lindsay,

    Thank you for your reply.

    This morning we went to the doctor and had another Ultra sound done. The doctor said the test we were having done was a more detailed test. Our regular doctor was off today so after the nurse did the test we saw the on-call doctor. The oncall Doctor said they did not see a heartbeat and was sending the results to our doctor and she wanted us to see her ASAP.

    We were then sent back to our regular OBGYN office and saw another doctor. He said with the size of the fetus we WOULD see a heartbeat at this time, and they did not. :frown:

    My wife is handling things as good as can be expected. Thank you again for your support.

    - B
  • Lindsay W
    Hi B - This is Lindsay and I work at the March of Dimes.

    While 3.89 is a low number, a single reading does not really give that much information. What is important is that the number climb over a short period of time, which is why your wife will receive another blood test tomorrow. Progesterone levels do not rise as dramatically as hCG levels, but they do need to rise. (They usually range between 9 and 47ng/ml in the first trimester.) Your wife's doc will be looking at both hormone levels. Repeated low levels are not a good sign and this sometimes is when progesterone supplementation is discussed. While progesterone supplementation (suppositories) are safe and may seem to work for some women, their theraputic value has not been scientifically proven yet.

    I suggest you and your wife make a list of your questions today and take it with you tomorrow. This way you won't forget to ask about anything that may be troubling you.

    Best wishes to you both,

    Lindsay
    Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education Center
  • dude999991
    Low progesterone levels - Week 6
    Hi there!

    My wife is coming up on 6 weeks pregnant on on 5/8/08. This will be our first child.

    On Sunday my wife was experiencing slight spotting. We called the doctor and they told us to come in yesterday. The doctor found small abrasion on the side of her vagina. She believed this was the cause of the spotting. She applied medicine and since then no more spotting.

    The Doctor did an ultrasound. She saw the baby, it was positioned properly in the uterus. Baby was measuring at around 6 weeks, so that was good. She thought she saw movement and that it could be the heart moving. However she said sometimes it is hard to see this early.

    Ok... Now to my question. Her progesterone test came back low at 3.89. The doctor is having us go back tomorrow for another ultra sound and blood test. Can you carry to term with that low of progesterone? She didn't mention doing any type of progesterone supplements.

    Of course we are very worried, trying to think the good thoughts.

    Thank you for reading and any thoughts or experiences you have are greatly appreciated.

    - B
  • txtwinzmom
    I am reading where many women were prescribed pills or creams. It took us 5 years (6 IUIs and 1 IVF) before we had our 31wkr twins (due to HELLP syndrome). All of my reproductive Endocrinologists only prescribe progesterone injections. I was on the injections until the end of my first trimester. Trust me, they are awful shots, but they are worth every bit of discomfort. I do not know anyone undergoing fertility treatments that does not go on the injections. The suppositories and creams aren't absorbed into the bloodstream as readily or as concentrated as the injections.
    Good luck!!
  • wanttobemom
    very slow rising HcG levels???
    I don't know what to think right now. The nurse kept telling me I was going to have a miscarriage until this past Monday when the 2nd ultrasound results seemed odd but positive.
    I am 6w6d pregnant today. My HcG is going up very slowly. It has never doubled. It was:
    2015 on 4/3
    2757 on 4/7
    2849 on 4/10
    3736 on 4/14
    4100 on 4/18 prog. 13
    ? on 4/24
    Yes..a lot of blood tests. I had an ultrasound on 4/14 and 4/21 - exactly 1 week apart. There was a heartbeat both times and it positively increased from 107 to 128. Development was normal. They said I was 5w6d on the 14th and 6w4d on the 21st. Not sure if that 2 day difference is bad? The nurse didn't even talk about that. I am so worried and the wait is so hard. I didn't go to work this week and don't know if I should stay home one more week? No real miscarriage signs. A little brown spotting on toilet paper. Nurse gave me progesterone pills the other day. Is this weird? Have you heard of this before without a miscarriage? :angry:
  • jenn0627
    Re: little to no progest.
    Hello, sorry to hear you are having trouble conceiving. I have unfortunately been there though so I can sympathize. It took us 3 years to have our first child. I too used progesterone cream to help me get pregnant both times (i have two children now, almost 5 and almost 2) but I wanted to let you know it can sometimes take several months to regulate your system. I believe it took me 5-6 months of taking the cream each time before I got pregnant so don't give up. I knew I was low in progesterone though, did the doc take your blood and check your hormone levels? Ask if your progesterone was low, if so, the cream just might work. Unfortunately with stress, the foods we eat, lack of exercise, etc. our hormones get all messed up so you are not alone believe me. Here is a website that might help you, www.johnleemd.com. He was (he died several years back) a doc that spent most of his life dealing with hormones, menopause, etc. so he has a couple of really good books that explain why women's hormones get messed up and how he recommends natural progesterone cream to help solve all kinds of female problems including fertility. Hope that helps and good luck! - Jennifer
  • brookesmom724
    little to no progest.
    I am in my mid twenties, I have already had a full term pregnancy, that literally went perfect. She is almost two(in July). I have not had a period in over 9 months!! I took a saliva test recently that said I had no progesterone and very little estrogen. My husband and I want to conceive very desperately, so I've been on progestrone cream for 2 months and I've still had no period, my doc says there's nothing else she'll reccomend...does anyone have any thoughts on this
  • caligal
    Starting progesterone
    I am so glad that I found this site. I was feeling very alone in this situation, but now I can see that there are others who are sharing my boat!

    My story?
    My husband and I have been trying to conceive for over a year now. I have never had regular cycles so I thought that we might need help. I was diagnosed with PCOS and prescribed Clomid. I took my first cycle of Clomid in March. On day 22, my progesterone level was low and I was told that I didn't ovulate. Imagine our surprise and immense joy when two weeks later, I had a positive HPT! My Ob was a little less hopeful, given that my progesterone level on day 22 was VERY low (1.4) so she sent me to have my progesterone level checked. It came back at 6.9 so I am starting progesterone suppositories today. From everything that I've read on the internet, this does not bode well for me to carry this pregnancy to term.

    I also have Multiple Sclerosis. I read that people with autoimmune diseases can create antibodies to their own hormones, including progesterone, causing low levels.

    Please, please, please tell me that somebody out there has had success with this treatment. Does anybody else have an autoimmune disease and success with progesterone supplements??? It must be successful sometimes or else they would stop prescribing it, right?
  • 35baby
    Re: Vitrex or Chaste Berry
    I actually bought Vitex last week and I was going to take it in conjuction with the cloimid until I read somewhere that would not be a good idea. I have heard good things about Chaste Berry but I don't know of anyone who actually conceived using it. Sorry :(
  • nan
    Vitrex or Chaste Berry
    Has anyone one tried Chaste Berry an herbal supplement said to improve progesterone levels? It is not a hormone so it takes longer to work, apparently about 3 months. I am debating wheather or not to try this before progesterone. If it is a waste of my time I'll skip it.
  • 35baby
    Progesterone level almost normal
    Hello everyone, I am 35 years old and my DH and I have been trying to conceive for about 5yrs on our own without any luck. We do have a 15 y/o son. Today will be my 2nd day of my 2nd cycle of taking 50mg of clomid. Before clomid my progesterone was a 10. The 1st month on clomid my progesterone level went to 12.6. I want to know if I am wasting my time with clomid and if I need to go straight to IUI because of my age?
  • baby2
    Progesterine level low
    Hi, I'm 34 yrs old and with my first child born 9 years ago I had no problems getting pregnant. Now me and my husband have been trying to conceive for 8 months and I went to my OB/GYN and my level was 7.8 and she prescribed Prometrium 200.00 mg I'm also doing the Basal Cell Temperature chart also. Is this normal? My OB/GYN stated that she would like my levels to be over 10. Does age make your levels go down?
  • okonski12
    hello, I got pregnant right away after having my first child in 2005.
    That was October. We were so happy, but I also had the problem with my progesterine level being low. I did have problems on my first pregnancy I had gestational diabetes. So anyways she put me on promitriom to help with the lining of the uterus, well two weeks later I lost my second baby and I was so devestated I had to go for a dnc to remove all the dead cells that were in there. So now me and my husband been trying for 2 years with out drugs to see what happens. Maybe it's my age or I can't produce anything I don't know. There are a lot of reasons why we can't get pregnant.
  • iansgirl4ever

    In reply to MiryBuckles:

    Re: Update from MasonsMom.
    I hope and pray that all will be well with you and your baby!
  • 1sttimepreggo
    low progesterone
    Hi there! I'm glad to have found this website because it's refreshing to find other woman going through this too. I am currently 5.5 weeks pregnant. My latest hcg level was 5200 which they tell me is good. My progesterone level is "borderline" at 11.6 so they prescribed oral supplements of 100mg/daily. I worry over everything and I'm just wondering if anyone knows how fast oral supplements increase my levels and how worried I should be.....? Good luck to all!
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