Progesterone And Pregnancy

Progesterone And Pregnancy

Why is Progesterone Important in Pregnancy?

Progesterone is a hormone associated with the menstrual cycle. Levels of progesterone rise after ovulation and fall just before you get your period; in pregnancy, the progesterone level should stay elevated.

Progesterone works to maintain a nutrient-rich uterine lining and thus nourishes the developing baby.  One theory is that low progesterone could indicate an insufficient uterine lining. For this reason, some doctors prescribe progesterone supplements to women who have had previous miscarriages in the hopes that the supplements might reduce risk of future miscarriage.

Progesterone also delays the shedding of the endometrium (where implantation occurs).  This is believed to help prevent the early termination of an otherwise healthy pregnancy.  Of course, if an embryo is unhealthy to begin with, no amount of progesterone will prevent the inevitable.

Progesterone Cream

You may have seen progesterone creams on health food store shelves, or read online that they can boost your progesterone levels. These creams are available over the counter, thus circumventing the need to find a doctor who is onboard with prescribing progesterone supplements.

There’s a ton of material on the Internet about progesterone creams, ranging from claims that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread to accusations that progesterone creams are absolutely worthless and a waste of money. (The creams are often marketed as a way to balance hormone levels for women who are facing menopause.)

So that raises the question…

Do Progesterone Creams Really Prevent Miscarriage?

For women considering progesterone because of miscarriages, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Some so-called progesterone creams are indeed absolutely worthless and a waste of money. Creams made from wild yams do not contain actual progesterone; they contain a chemical that can be converted to progesterone in a laboratory but that is not converted to progesterone in the body. Additionally, there are different varieties of yams that contain varying amounts of the chemical compound.  It is not a good idea to buy wild yam cream with the idea of boosting your progesterone and preventing a miscarriage. It will not work.

Other progesterone creams on the market actually do contain real progesterone that can be absorbed by the body. However, these creams are highly variable in the amount of progesterone they contain.

It is best to only use  high quality or pharmaceutical grade progesterone to ensure an accurate dose and to have the reasonable expectation that the progesterone will actually be absorbed by your body.

What is the best way to apply progesterone cream?

If you have a history of miscarriage you can use natural progesterone cream as soon as you know you have ovulated, to supplement your own progesterone.   If you are charting your cycle, begin using the progesterone as soon as you have ovulated. If you wait until a pregnancy test shows a positive result, it may already be too late. Your body must provide enough progesterone to sustain the pregnancy from the very first moments of pregnancy.

A maintenance level of progesterone (10 to 40 mg/day) can be obtained by applying 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon once or twice a day (enough to spread over one area of your body such as belly, thigh, chest, face, arm, etc.).

I recommend applying the cream in two different spots of your body each day. You can rub a dime-sized amount into your skin, in an area on your neck, abdomen, or the back of your arm. Next, rub another dime-sized dollop directly over your pubis area, the space between your belly button and pubic bone. This is the area directly above your uterus.

Repeat this process twice daily, picking a different spot each day. An area can quickly become saturated which prevents future doses from being fully absorbed.

Continue using the cream, once in the morning and once in the evening, before bedtime. If you get some spotting which does not appear to be your usual period, continue applying the cream. However, if your period comes in full force, discontinue use of the progesterone.

Bear in mind that this is a low-cost do-it-yourself method of boosting progesterone. If you consistently have a short luteal phase or if you experience other difficulties, please see your doctor. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. If you know that low progesterone is your issue, ask for supplemental progesterone.

Progesterone Injections

Progesterone supplements are available as an oral capsule (the least effective but easy), vaginal suppository, or injection (the most effective but somewhat painful).  If your progesterone loss is severe, daily injections might be needed throughout your first trimester. 

In my case, I had to have injections administered every day by my husband.  The first injection was the hardest... for him!  He was so nervous it took us about 15 minutes to get through the first attempt.  He quickly became a pro, though, and it quickly became an easy task.  It wasn't hard at all for me to endure as I had pregnancy as my goal.  We women are hearty and will endure almost anything to become a mother.  After a few days of injections, my levels were completely normal and I carried my pregnancy to term.

Here are a few pointers in case you do have to have injections:

1.  You'll probably have injections in your hip, on your backside.  The injection will likely be done by someone else.  Ice the area first to numb it somewhat. 

2.  Stand up and put your hands on a counter or table. 

3.  Relax the leg on the side where you'll have the injection by putting your weight on the opposite leg. 

4.  Focus your attention on a magazine or picture while the injection is performed. 

Low progesterone is a very real condition and is quite treatable. You also have choices about where to start with progesterone supplementation. Each method has its merits and can make all the difference between miscarriage and success!

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