Progesterone, also known as progesterone, abbreviated as “P”, and also called progesterone, luteinizing steroid, luteinizing hormone, progesterone, progesterone or progesterone, is a steroid involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and has an effect on human and other animal embryos, produced by the ovarian corpus luteum in early pregnancy. During pregnancy, progesterone is an important hormone for supporting early fetal growth and development. High levels of progesterone play a significant sedative role in the enlarged uterus and are important for early pregnancy support. During pregnancy, hCG stimulates the corpus luteum to produce progesterone; 7-9 weeks gradually transition to placental production, also known as luteal placental transfer; 10-11 weeks placental production of progesterone increases significantly, when the trophoblast of the placenta takes over from the corpus luteum to produce progesterone and maintain pregnancy. Progesterone test during pregnancy is mainly used to understand the function of the corpus luteum and the presence of ovulation in the ovaries, as well as to understand the status of pregnancy. What is the role of progesterone In adult women who are not pregnant, the main role of progesterone is to cooperate with estrogen and participate in the maintenance of the normal menstrual cycle; during pregnancy progesterone is mainly produced by the placenta and its level increases with the week of pregnancy. Progesterone builds on the action of estrogen to keep the fertilized egg in the uterus and to maintain a smooth pregnancy. To understand the importance of progesterone testing, it is important to know the following effects of progesterone: (1) Immunoprotection Progesterone is immunoprotective and inhibits the immune response. In one study, certain tumor cells were implanted in the uterus of animals and only in animals injected with progesterone, the cells were not rejected and implanted towards the uterine wall, indicating that progesterone suppresses the immune response. This could also suggest that when a woman has an increased progesterone during a normal pregnancy, it prevents the embryo from being rejected by the mother and maintains the pregnancy. Insufficient progesterone may allow the embryo to be rejected by the mother and miscarry. (2) Embryo implantation At ovulation, under the effect of progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum, the endometrium transforms from the proliferative phase to the secretory phase, making the endometrium tolerant to embryo implantation. Metaphase cells are transformed from endometrial mesenchymal cells and contain glycogen granules, which supply embryonic nutrition. Progesterone induces endometrial mesenchymal metaphase transformation and regulates the expression of various implantation-related factors in an autocrine or paracrine form. Therefore, progesterone is necessary to maintain the metaphase response. (3) Inhibition of uterine contraction Some studies suggest that progesterone can change the permeability of the uterine cell membrane to ions and keep the membrane in a superficial state, thus reducing the excitability and conductivity of the uterine muscle and decreasing the sensitivity of the uterine muscle to various stimuli (including contractile hormones), thus preventing the uterus from expelling the embryo and playing a role in fetal preservation. (4) Others Progesterone can increase fetal insulin secretion by raising maternal blood glucose levels, thus promoting fetal growth. Progesterone can also promote the synthesis of certain proteins in the uterus, which facilitates the maintenance of the pregnancy state. What should I do if I have low progesterone? Low progesterone can be caused by preterm miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth, amenorrhea, infertility, or luteal insufficiency, which can also lead to a decrease in progesterone when the ovarian corpus luteum is underdeveloped, while serious dysfunction of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland can also affect ovarian function, causing ovulation to become impaired and progesterone levels to decrease accordingly. The external symptoms of low progesterone are: thyroid insufficiency, fibrocystic breasts, gallbladder disease, hypoglycemia, etc. However, irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, etc. may also occur. Low progesterone in early pregnancy may lead to miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. (1) What to do with low progesterone before pregnancy When women have low progesterone before pregnancy, it is usually necessary to cure it before having a baby. For young women, progesterone can maintain the regularity of menstruation, and when progesterone levels are low, it is important to go to a regular hospital for relevant examinations in a timely manner to clarify the causative factors and treat the symptoms to effectively achieve the purpose of curing the disease. You can also regulate your own progesterone value through diet, taking in food that is rich in soy isoflavones and natural vitamin E. These ingredients in food can help women produce more progesterone themselves. Fresh fruits can also help us to supplement, such as: kiwi, strawberries or grapefruit and other fruits these can help to replenish the body of women’s vitamin C and vitamin E, can make progesterone to normal levels. (2) Low progesterone during pregnancy how to do Low progesterone after pregnancy, progesterone value at a certain level, the doctor will advise you to keep the baby. Usually your doctor will prescribe you progesterone supplementation. By supplementing progesterone tablets to regulate, depending on the recovery of the pregnant woman itself, the doctor will give you long-term observation and advice, do not worry too much. If your progesterone value, but still have fetal heart, you can continue the treatment; if there is no fetal heart, you can give up the treatment.