Progesterone in Dehradun

What is a Progesterone?

Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum, the structure left behind in the ovary after an egg is released, and its job is to prepare and maintain the uterine lining for a possible pregnancy. That origin is what makes the test informative: meaningful progesterone essentially only appears after ovulation has happened, so measuring it at the right moment confirms whether an egg was released in that cycle. The timing is the whole test. Levels are very low in the first half of the cycle, rise after ovulation, peak roughly seven days later and then fall if pregnancy does not occur, so a sample taken at the wrong point is uninformative rather than abnormal. The conventional timing is around day 21 of a 28-day cycle, but that number is a shorthand for seven days before the next period is expected, and in a woman with a longer or irregular cycle day 21 may fall before ovulation and give a misleadingly low result. In early pregnancy, progesterone from the corpus luteum sustains the pregnancy until the placenta takes over, which is why it is sometimes measured alongside beta-hCG.

Why take this test?

Progesterone is advised in the assessment of difficulty conceiving, where its central use is confirming that ovulation is occurring, and in the investigation of irregular or absent periods where anovulation is suspected, as in polycystic ovary syndrome. It is used to monitor cycles in women undergoing fertility treatment, and to assess whether an ovulation-inducing medicine has worked. In early pregnancy it is sometimes measured alongside beta-hCG when there is bleeding or pain and the question is whether the pregnancy is progressing normally, though it is a supporting rather than a deciding measurement, and an ultrasound answers that question more definitively. It is also part of the work-up in recurrent miscarriage. Time the sample to your own cycle rather than to a fixed date: seven days before your next period is expected is the rule, and tell the laboratory the date your last period started.

• Confirming ovulation in the assessment of difficulty conceiving
• Irregular or absent periods with suspected anovulation
• Polycystic ovary syndrome work-up
• Monitoring response to ovulation-inducing treatment
• Alongside beta-hCG in early pregnancy with bleeding or pain
• Investigation of recurrent miscarriage

Normal reference ranges

Ranges are indicative for adults. Your report carries the lab-specific reference range and is reviewed by a LabONE pathologist; always interpret results with your doctor.

FAQs: Progesterone in Dehradun