Progesterone insights

mrsmarks8412 · January 2016

Hi ladies,

My hcg has been low and slow rising, and I've had some light spotting, so I insisted on having my progesterone checked along other my last beta. It came back as 3.9 at 4w3d. The nurse who called with the results said that this is just where it should be, but from levels I've seen others post, this seems low.

I'm wondering if this seems normal/ if others have had similar levels at 4 weeks. I'm also curious about levels that were deemed low enough for you to be put on supplement or suppositories.

reesaXden · January 2016

I believe anything below 10 is considered too low and supplements are needed.
I had to be on supplements last time and my progesterone was 9.1.

crispy11 · January 2016

I would call back. I heard greater than 8 at a minimum. Mine is 11.9 and my doctor wanted to recheck in a week. I asked to recheck in 2 days instead after reading here. I should get a call today.

xtina22312 · January 2016

Mine ran 11.9 and I'm ok supplements I would call back anything less then 10 is low per my ob

mom2adoodle · January 2016

Per my doctor "During 5 to 6 weeks of your pregnancy, progesterone level in a range of 10-29 ng/ml is normal."

I'm wondering if they will retest you? Did you ask if they could follow up with your levels in a couple of days and see if supplements might help?

JennM205 · January 2016

My progesterone was 14ish at 4w4d and 11ish at 4w6d and I was put on supplements that very day. I've also read that anything below 10 is considered too low. I would definitely call back and challenge the 'normalcy' of progesterone at 3.9. Good luck and keep us posted!

Forever0905 · January 2016

That seems extremely low to me. I've read/heard 10 is the minimum in a nonmedicated cycle and 15 on a medicated cycle. I would definitely speak to your doctor (and if it were me request suppositories).

Sarafuss · January 2016

I would call back and ask for progesterone supplements. That seems very low IMO. I'm on supplements and my level was 14 (though it had dropped from 16 the week before).

camichael84 · January 2016

Mine was 7.8 with my first child and 8.8 with this one, and I was put on suppliments both times. The nurse I spoke with told me that mine wasn't "terrible", but they like to see it at 15 or above. From what I've read, though, different doctors have different guidelines and opinions regarding progesterone. That said, 3.9 is very low and if it were me, I'd insist on progesterone suppliments.

mrsmarks8412 · January 2016

Ugh I had an appointment for an ultrasound today to rule out ectopic, as my hcg levels are lower than the average curve. They didn't see anything bad, but as I am only 4w4d, they didn't see anything really at all.

I asked about my 3.9 progesterone, and the doctor said that yes, this is in fact low, but that although the viability of this pregnancy is still "unconfirmed," the outcome is already determined, whatever it may be. She didn't even want to entertain the idea of progesterone.

Frustrating

JennM205 · January 2016

@mrsmarks8412 Wow. I'm surprised at her response. And I can certainly understand why you're frustrated. What happens next? Will you have another ultrasound in the coming weeks? Are they doing more blood work to track HCG and progesterone? I might consider consulting a different doctor, if you are able to. Others have posted similar issues on other threads and someone (I can't remember who) made a really great point - you have a long road ahead with this OB and deserve someone supportive and who truly cares about you. If your doctor isn't that person, maybe it's time to find someone else who is.

AnnaS930 · January 2016

@mrsmarks8412 - That just doesn't sound correct to me, and I hate to step on a healthcare professional's toes but I don't know....
"Progesterone is a steroid hormone initially produced by the corpus luteum. In early pregnancy, progesterone is critical for pregnancy maintenance until the placenta takes over this function at 7 to 9 weeks of gestation, and its name is derived from this function: pro-gestational steroidal ketone."
... seems like if it's low now then it needs to be supplemented? I'm a pharmacist, I certainly don't have a huge background in medications/supplements specifically during pregnancy but I approve an awful lot of progesterone in early pregnancies...

AnnaS930 · January 2016

Although, I must say - the trials I'm reading are mostly in reference to those with a previous spontaneous premature birth... not seeing a lot of solid evidence for the use without those circumstances

camichael84 · January 2016

I did a lot of looking up progesterone during my last pregnancy when I was first put on it, and I found that some OBs don't believe in supplementing. They have the belief that the progesterone is low bc it's not a viable pregnancy (vs the low progesterone causing the pregnancy to be not viable). It sounds like your OB may be one of those with that belief. That said, I carried my daughter to term and she's now a healthy 16 month old after I had low progesterone and supplimented. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

JessicaC0203 · January 2016

@mrsmarks8412 I do not know if this will be reassuring or not but just wanted to inform everyone of a large study that most OBs are now referring to if they stay up on the literature. Pretty much, after looking at >800 women with recurrent miscarriage, progesterone supplementation does not lower the risk of subsequent miscarriage. There was a previous study of around 200 women that showed that it might (leading to more supplementation) but this study had a lot of flaws.

I am very big into evidence based medicine and can see why an OB would not want to prescribe progesterone and therefore I did not even get my levels drawn because I wouldn't have done anything about it anyway (after doing the research). I have attached a link. (The original article was published in the New England Journal of Medicine which is the best in 2015. There is a link to that within this link)

https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/information/research/the-promise-trial/

bettertogether27 · January 2016

I would highly suggest consulting a second doctor in this case, and really making your firm position on intent for supplementing/further testing known. You are informed and you have the power to shape your healthcare.

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