Causes, Effects and Treatments of Low Progesterone
You Don't Have to Live with
Progesterone Deficiency

Low progesterone can lead to many health issues for women whether trying to conceive or not.

The side effects can range from minimal to serious, with different types of treatments available for both cases.

There are several types of treatments that may be prescribed, depending on the reason for the lack of progesterone.

Progesterone Deficiency

Because progesterone is used to offset estrogen, the amount of progesterone in the body is always measured in correlation to the amount of estrogen in the body. Therefore, low progesterone levels do not necessarily mean a lack of progesterone; it could just mean a high level of estrogen in the body in comparison to the lower progesterone. A lack of progesterone in the body means that the correlating estrogen levels are too high.

Progesterone deficiency symptoms can encompass everything from menstrual cramping and other menstrual irregularities to infertility and miscarriages.

These are some of the symptoms of low progesterone levels:

• Bloating and water retention

• Insomnia

• Endometriosis – This occurs when endometrial-like cells occur in other reproductive areas outside of the uterine cavity. It can lead to pelvic pain and infertility.

• Ovarian Cysts and tenderness of the breasts

• Heavy flow

• Infertility and problems ovulating

• Miscarriages early in the reproduction process

• Luteal Phase Defect which can cause problems getting pregnant

Think YOU Might Have a Progesterone Deficiency?

To find out if you have a progesterone defeciency you can ask your doctor for a progesterone test. You can also get online progesterone tests. You can then talk about the test results with your healthcare provider to determine if you have a low progesterone level and discuss what to do about it.

It's also a good idea to get a estrogen (estradial) test done since it is the imbalance of these two hormones that can cause fertility problems. You can get estradial tests online also.

The Causes of Low Progesterone

There are many causes of low progesterone that are both genetic and environmental. Sometimes, though, the ovaries do not produce a healthy amount of progesterone. When this happens, it can be difficult to determine the cause.

These are some of the environmental causes that can be changed which would correct the low progesterone levels:

• High amounts of stress and anxiety
• Low amounts of exercise
• Improper or unhealthy diet

If there are any problems with progesterone production, changes should be made to any of these potential causes before other more expensive steps are taken. If the low progesterone levels have not rebounded, then seek additional help.

How to Test for Low Progesterone

After a low progesterone level has been suspected, there are several tests and treatments to correct the insufficiency. The tests can be performed for many reasons with both pregnant and non-pregnant women.

These are some of the times and reasons doctors will test for low progesterone levels:

• During a high-risk pregnancy, to ensure a healthier pregnancy and prevent a miscarriage
• After ovulation to determine ovulation patterns or irregularities
• After progesterone treatment to determine the effectiveness of the treatment
• If a woman is having abnormal bleeding, amenorrhea or going through menopause

Treating Low Progesterone

Once low progesterone has been confirmed by a doctor, there are several routes a patient can opt for treating the problem. The patient should never take any progesterone supplements in conjunction with estrogen over long periods of time because this could result in serious health risks. The potential treatments can be obtained by both prescription and over-the-counter purchases.

These are the options for treating low progesterone:

• Progesterone capsules – The capsules are typically used for women in menopause or having other irregularity issues with menstruation. Usually, it is prescribed to be taken once a day before bed over a five to ten day period. After the pills are stopped, the period should take anywhere from one to two weeks to occur.

• Progesterone creams – The creams are usually used in many different doses depending on the reason for using them. A typical prescription would be once or twice a day, which again would be dependent on the type of cream being used.

  When determining which cream is best for you, check the strength of progesterone. All creams have varying levels of progesterone, and depending on the reason for using the cream, the desired progesterone level of the cream may vary.

  The progesterone cream that I use and recommend is NatPro© Natural Progesterone Cream. It is the best quality on the market. Click the link above to find out why.

  There are several spots on the human body which progesterone is easily absorbed through, including the back of the neck, palms, wrists and upper arms or chest. These spots are all thinly covered with skin and have high blood flow near the surface, which distributes the progesterone throughout the body. It’s recommended to vary where you apply the cream.

  If you are trying to conceive, apply the cream only during the luteal phase (between ovulation and your period) when progesterone levels are supposed to be high. Applying in the follicular phase (between your period and ovulation) you can actually prevent ovulation.

  Once you are pregnant apply it every day without taking any days off then wean off about the 10th week when progesterone production is taken over by the placenta. Make sure you talk to your health care practitioner who may recommend for you to continue or prescribe injections instead.

• Progesterone injections – These shots are safe enough to be used during pregnancies. They are applied intramuscularly in several spots, including the thigh and butt. Some injections can provide enough progesterone to sustain a pregnancy for 10-12 weeks. Always make sure a professional is administering the injection.

• Alternative treatments for hormonal imbalance – If people want to take an all-natural approach for encouraging hormonal balance in the body, they can opt for introducing different herbs into the body.

  There are two types of herbs: phytoestrogenic herbs and non-estrogenic herbs. The non-estrogenic herbs are used for low levels of progesterone, and the phytoestrogenic herbs are used to treat high levels of progesterone.

  Other alternative treatments include fertility acupuncture, fertility massage and fertility aromatherapy.

While the alternative treatment typically causes the least amount, all treatments are capable of causing side effects. The side effects include nausea and vomiting, depression, dizziness, and hormone disruption. The triggers for side effects can result quickly or over long periods of time. If the side effects continue, consult a healthcare practitioner or herbalist for assistance.

Related pages

Progesterone Creams | Progesterone and Miscarriage | Progesterone Levels | Endometrium | Luteal Phase | Luteal Phase Defect | Corpus Luteum | Two Week Wait | What Happens at Conception | When Does Implantation Occur? | When Does Ovulation Occur? | When Does Conception Occur? | Follicular Phase | Endocrine Disruptors | Human Egg Fertilization | Increase Fertility Naturally | Menstrual Cycle Length | Pregnancy Implantation | Red Raspberry Leaf Tea | Vitex Agnus Castus |