The female hormonal system affects the functioning of the whole organism. Is it worth saying that during planning and the beginning of pregnancy, special attention is paid to him? One of the main indicators that pay close attention to is the progesterone content in a woman's blood. To obtain complete information about the state of the hormonal system, tests are performed during the menstrual cycle in different phases, the most important of which is ovulatory and luteal, when the egg is matured and implanted.
The key role of progesterone is to help a fertilized cell gain a foothold in the uterine cavity and develop in the mother’s womb. There are certain norms, with deviation from which the probability of a successful pregnancy can be extremely small. What are the progesterone levels by week of pregnancy, from the moment of conception? Why is this hormone so important for the female body, and what if its performance is low? About this in the article below.
What is progesterone?
Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum, contributes to the creation of a special secretory layer in the uterine body, which allows the fertilized egg to gain a foothold on its surface. Under its action, the uterus becomes less sensitive to oxytocin, which is designed to stimulate the contractile function of the muscles, relaxing the muscle layer. In addition, progesterone acts as an important link in a whole chain of other important processes that are necessary to maintain a normal hormonal background of a woman.
When planning pregnancy, you must be aware of what should be the norms of progesterone by week of pregnancy. In particular, the first phase of the cycle is characterized by its growth, since the uterus is being prepared for implantation of the embryo. This hormone is actively involved in its growth, as well as in the formation of tissues of a developing embryo. At the end of pregnancy, progesterone helps to facilitate the birth process, softening the ligaments and contributing to the divergence of the pelvic bones. In an unsuccessful attempt, when fertilization does not occur, its content in the body decreases markedly.
The role of the hormone during pregnancy
Since progesterone helps maintain pregnancy, there is no need to talk about its importance. With its lack, a woman can experience such unpleasant symptoms as toxicosis and pain in the lower abdomen, uterine bleeding. Therefore, it is important that progesterone is normal at 8 weeks of gestation normal. This is a critical period, since the probability of spontaneous abortion is extremely high.
This hormone avoids the death of the fetus, the risk of developing a miscarriage and the onset of a frozen pregnancy is reduced. A decrease in hormone production can be triggered by a decrease in the functions of the corpus luteum.
It would seem that such a small gland, which in other circumstances does not attach particular importance. However, up to 16 weeks of fetal gestation, it takes on a major role in the production of progesterone. This period is due to the fact that by the end of the fourth month of pregnancy, the period of formation of the placenta ends. Until the onset of labor, she will be responsible for the production of progesterone and other hormones vital for the preservation and development of the fetus. It is also worth noting that, in addition to the above functions, the hormone of pregnancy prepares the mammary glands for the future development of breast milk.
As determined in blood
In most cases, determining the progesterone norm by week of pregnancy, especially the first month, is required to exclude the need for a woman to prescribe additional medications. It should be understood that various factors can influence its content. These include: taking oral contraceptives, stress, pregnancy, nutrition, and the phase of the menstrual cycle.
For those who plan a pregnancy and monitor how hormones behave in the period before the onset of menstrual bleeding, it is recommended to take a blood test on the 22-23 day of the current cycle. Since with successful fertilization, the corpus luteum continues to function, and therefore progesterone is also produced, the indicators should be within normal limits. In this case, taking drugs containing this hormone separately is not required.
It is recommended to take a blood test on an empty stomach in the morning. The biomaterial for the study is taken from a vein.
Norms and deviations
Since the cycle consists of several phases, the progesterone content in each has its own differences. After the end of menstrual bleeding, the egg maturation period begins. This phase is called follicular. The hormone content at this stage is very small. Before studying standards and deviations, it is important to understand that they may differ if you take them in different laboratories. This is due to the fact that each sets its own boundaries, based on equipment and test materials. If we talk about the norm of progesterone at 2 weeks of gestation, then it is 12.0-18.2 nmol / L.
In the ovulatory phase, egg maturation occurs, after which the active growth of the corpus luteum begins. It provokes the production of hormones that will help during fertilization to fix the fetus in the body of the uterus. An increase in progesterone levels will occur until pregnancy develops. Thus, according to the growth of certain hormones (also includes hCG), we can talk about the likelihood of a successful conception. However, this is not the only reason progesterone can increase.
It happens that a woman’s blood does not show a deficiency, but rather a high hormone content. Can this serve as a reason for the positive dynamics of the development of pregnancy? One option is that in this situation, a woman develops several babies inside the womb. This is undoubtedly a positive point. The reverse side of the coin is not so pleasant and lies in the fact that the cause of an increased hormone in the blood of a woman can be renal failure or adrenal disease. Increased is the deviation of the value in the upper limit. What are the norms of progesterone by week of pregnancy in nmol? In the first trimester, indicators range from 8.9 to 468.4. For the second trimester: the lower limit is 71.5, the upper one is slightly lower than in the first trimester, up to 303.1 nmol / L, and in the third - from 88.7 to 771.5 nmol / L.
The beginning of pregnancy
In the normal course of pregnancy, the level of hormones should correspond to the gestational age of the fetus, in particular, it concerns progesterone and hCG. Norms by week of pregnancy can be studied in the laboratory, where tests will be taken. To effectively evaluate indicators and track them in dynamics, the clinic should not be changed. Do not despair if the result is different from the established border. Even if the progesterone in the blood is low, it can be raised. As for hCG (a hormone that indicates the presence and proper development of an embryo), its numbers should only grow. The norm of progesterone for weeks of pregnancy in nmol / l by the end of the first month is approximately 18.5.
A decrease in indicators may indicate a risk of abortion. It is possible to correct the situation only by taking timely measures to eliminate the cause of the hormone decline, for example, by prescribing medications. The dosage and duration of administration is determined by the attending physician.
First trimester
Considering the norms of progesterone by week of pregnancy in nmol / l, one can notice a tendency to its growth. If in the first or second week the indicators are from 38.15 to 57.8, then after a month (in the fifth or sixth week) are 59.1-69 nmol / L. By the end of the second month of pregnancy, the numbers can range from 64.8 to 75 nmol / L. An upward trend has been observed over the course of all nine months.
The experience of foreign doctors shows that the advisability of prescribing additional medications that will compensate for the lack of progesterone may be due to:
- Pregnancy using IVF.
- The presence of a history of spontaneous miscarriages.
- Luteal phase deficiency.
- The absence of a corpus luteum.
If fertilization and implantation of the ovum occurs naturally and pregnancy proceeds normally, then it is not necessary to additionally control the content of progesterone in the blood. It will be much more effective and more indicative to control the woman's blood level of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), best in dynamics. It is recommended to take the analysis no more than once every 2-3 days. Indicators should be doubled, which indicates the successful development of the embryo.
The consequences of a hormone deficiency
If as a result of the analysis it turns out that the indicators do not reach or do not correspond to the progesterone norm at 4 weeks of pregnancy, then there is a likelihood of developing a dead pregnancy. Due to hormone deficiency, the fetus may also experience intrauterine growth retardation. These consequences can be predetermined if a woman plans pregnancy in advance. Doctors recommend that couples who have not been able to conceive naturally for a long time due to progesterone deficiency carry out a blood test for 2-3 months. It allows you to determine the phase of the cycle in which additional drugs are required, and the duration of the course.
With a deviation from the norm of progesterone at 5 weeks of pregnancy in a smaller direction, doctors can diagnose a threat to bearing a pregnancy. Some associate the deterioration in well-being in the second phase of the cycle with changes in the hormonal background of a woman. She can also feel the swelling of the abdomen and chest, notice that there has been a jump in weight. A sharp change in mood, irritability, which is attributed to premenstrual syndrome, is also associated with a decrease in progesterone in the blood.
High hormone levels
It is possible to independently determine compliance with progesterone standards at 7 weeks of gestation or at another time, for this it is enough to take a blood test. However, you can’t try to pick up medications yourself. During a consultation with a doctor, it is necessary to assess your well-being, as this is also a very significant point. In particular, with a high content of progesterone, a pregnant woman may experience visual impairment, fatigue, and depression.
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that large laboratories set standards not for the weeks of pregnancy, but for the trimesters. Therefore, it is worthwhile to clarify in advance how the information will be provided in the transcript of the analyzes.
The connection of progesterone and hCG
Recently, a doctor’s recommendation is often found on the need to take additional drugs to compensate for the insufficient production of progesterone. However, in the short term this is ineffective. A healthy body can cope on its own in order to preserve the embryo. If he does not have internal deviations, then most likely the pregnancy will pass without deviations. For those who want to reassure themselves and take tests to make sure of this, it is worth knowing: the progesterone norm at 3 weeks of pregnancy can be within the lower limit. The main thing is that the hCG indicator has an upward trend. This is the key to a successful pregnancy.
When planning pregnancy, it is important to control the processes that take place inside, but the main thing in this matter is not to overdo it. If there is a delay in the onset of menstrual bleeding, the first thing a woman does after conducting an express test for determining pregnancy is a blood test for hCG. Most doctors of the antenatal clinic will not even offer to check the progesterone content for a woman, therefore, for many pregnant women, this study is not required. The exception is those who previously had problems with the body's own production of progesterone. As a rule, the first tests begin to take at 1-2 weeks of delay in menstrual bleeding, normally progesterone at 6 weeks of gestation (here we are talking about the obstetric period) is 18.57 nmol / L.
Second and third trimesters
In the second trimester, the hormone score is determined using prenatal screening. This control analysis is carried out at 16-18 weeks of pregnancy, according to the norms, progesterone in nmol / l at this time is 124-177. The test also examines the level of AFP, free estradiol and hCG. Screening allows you to identify the likelihood of having a baby with pathologies or genetic abnormalities. However, its results are not final, and if there are deviations, the doctors send the future mother for additional consultation with narrow specialists.
The third screening is an ultrasound scan, cardiotocography. A separate blood test for hormones, including progesterone, is not required. As for the latter, if the doctor determined the need to control its blood content, then at the beginning of the third trimester, the indicators are in the range of 270-326 nmol / l (29-30 weeks of pregnancy), and closer to the date of delivery, the fortieth week, it will increase to 421-546 nmol / L.
It is important to understand that any deviations in blood counts should be commented on by the attending physician. No absentee consultations will not adequately assess the situation and choose the appropriate treatment regimen.