Progesterone, also known as progesterone, abbreviated as “P”, is a steroid involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and has an effect on human and other animal embryos, and is produced early in pregnancy by the corpus luteum of the ovary. During pregnancy, progesterone is an important hormone to support early fetal growth and development. High concentrations of progesterone play a significant sedative role in the enlarged uterus and are important to support early pregnancy Luteinizing hormone is related to pregnancy in this way At pregnancy, HCG stimulates the corpus luteum to produce progesterone; 7 to 9 weeks gradually transition to placental production, also known as luteal placental transfer; 10 to 11 weeks placental production of progesterone increases significantly, when the placental The trophoblast 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 whether the ovaries are ovulating or not, as well as to understand the pregnancy status. 1. Why is it called “corpus luteum”? Because it is yellow when it is fresh, so it is called corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is actually a mass of cells that forms after ovulation. 2.When is the luteal phase? As mentioned above, the corpus luteum is produced after ovulation, so it is not difficult to remember that after ovulation is the luteal phase. The luteal phase lasts from the first day after ovulation to the first day before menstruation. The luteal phase lasts for about 12-14 days. If there is no fertilization, the corpus luteum degenerates, at which point the luteal phase ends and menstruation occurs. If the egg has been fertilized, the corpus luteum will last until the 6th month of pregnancy before it begins to degenerate. 3. What is the relationship between the corpus luteum and pregnancy? The main function of the corpus luteum is to secrete progesterone [luteinizing hormone], estrogen and relaxin. Luteinizing hormone is a natural progesterone that has a significant morphological effect on the estrogen-induced endometrium in the body and is necessary for the maintenance of pregnancy, specifically for the following purposes: (1) To thicken the endometrium during the late menstrual cycle in preparation for the implantation of a fertilized egg. (2) Promoting adequate breast development in preparation for breast milk production. (3) Produces an ovulation-inhibiting effect. Therefore, the luteal phase can be interpreted as a relatively safe period. (4) It inhibits the contraction of smooth muscles. In layman’s terms, the corpus luteum is like a decorator who paints the uterine environment and arranges it properly so that the fertilized egg can live more safely and comfortably! Let it take root here in the uterus with peace of mind! Luteal insufficiency refers to the incomplete formation of the corpus luteum after ovulation, resulting in insufficient secretion of progesterone, which prevents the endometrium from converting in time and is not conducive to the fertilized egg’s implantation. If the luteal insufficiency exists after pregnancy, the progesterone is relatively low, and it is easy to “slip” in early pregnancy. 4.How to determine whether the luteal function is normal? (1) Look at the menstrual condition: the end of the luteal phase is the period of menstruation. If the corpus luteum is insufficient, the luteal phase will be shortened, resulting in early menstruation. The clinical manifestations are regular menstruation, but the menstrual cycle is shortened, or a small amount of bleeding starts a few days before the period, and the amount of menstruation varies. (2) Look for a history of spontaneous abortion: clinically, women of childbearing age commonly have early miscarriage, habitual miscarriage, and infertility. MM with a history of miscarriage with low progesterone needs special attention. (3) Self-detection of basal body temperature method (BBT): specific as follows Normal body temperature: typical bidirectional body temperature: after ovulation, the corpus luteum secretes progesterone, body temperature rises rapidly by 0.3-0.5 degrees and continues to fall only before the next menstrual flow; this is the normal situation oh. What is the body temperature of insufficient luteal function? 1, after ovulation, although the body temperature rises 0.3-0.5 degrees Celsius, but the luteal phase lasts a relatively short time, generally shorter than 12 days. If the luteal phase is about 9-11 days, there is a possibility of luteal hypoplasia. 2, BBT is stepped up or stepped down, the curve takes 3 days to reach a high level (or low level), can be diagnosed as luteal insufficiency. (1) The temperature rises slowly and falls early, indicating insufficient concentration of luteinizing hormone (2) The temperature rises at a normal rate and falls slowly, indicating poor luteal function (3) Monophasic body temperature The menstrual cycle without ovulation or luteal formation, lack of progesterone, fluctuations in body temperature, but no continuous warming or insufficient increase in body temperature, less than 0.3 degrees Celsius. Warm tip: The accuracy of temperature test is not the highest, and the temperature can change in the middle of the day due to hormones, medications, illness, or human measurement errors, so it is for reference only, do not have a psychological burden. The best way is to go to the hospital to check! 5.What is the role of progesterone? The main role of progesterone in adult women who are not pregnant 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 content 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 first know the following roles of progesterone (1) Immunoprotection Progesterone is immunoprotective and suppresses 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. When progesterone is insufficient, it 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, which makes the endometrium tolerant to embryo implantation. Metaphase cells are transformed from endometrial mesenchymal cells and contain glycogen granules that 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 alter the permeability of the uterine cell membrane to ions, leaving the membrane in a state of superfusion, thus reducing the excitability and conductivity of the uterine muscle and decreasing the sensitivity of the uterine muscle to various stimuli (including contractile hormones), thereby preventing the uterus from expelling the embryo and acting as a fetal preservation agent. (4) Other 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. 6.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, ovarian corpus luteum insufficiency can also lead to a decrease in progesterone content, while serious dysfunction of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland can also affect ovarian function, so that ovulation is impaired, and progesterone content will be reduced accordingly. The external symptoms of low progesterone are: thyroid insufficiency, fibrocystic breasts, gallbladder disease The symptoms of low progesterone are: thyroid insufficiency, fibrocystic breasts, gallbladder disease, hypoglycemia, etc. However, irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain, vaginal dryness and breast tenderness may also occur. Low progesterone in early pregnancy may lead to miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. (1) What should I do if I have low progesterone during pregnancy preparation? When a woman has low progesterone before pregnancy, it is usually necessary to cure it first before having a baby. For young women, progesterone can maintain the regularity of menstruation. When progesterone level is low, it is necessary to go to a regular hospital for relevant examinations in time to clarify the causative factors and treat the symptoms in order to effectively achieve the purpose of curing the disease. (2) What should I do if I have low progesterone during pregnancy? When you have low progesterone after pregnancy and the progesterone value is at a certain level, we recommend you to keep the pregnancy, you can regulate it by supplementing progesterone tablets, it is decided according to your own recovery, we will do long-term observation and advice, don’t worry too much. If your progesterone value, but still have fetal heart, you can continue the treatment; if there is no fetal heart, then you can give up the treatment.