Low Progesterone
Low progesterone levels can have significant impact on a woman’s health and fertility. The two dominant ovarian hormones - estrogen and progesterone - have a naturally occurring shift throughout the menstrual cycle (read more about ovarian hormonal changes here). After ovulation occurs, the ruptured follicle develops into the corpus luteum and begins to produce progesterone. Progesterone is critical for a healthy pregnancy and often discussed only in this context. It has many other benefits, however, beyond achieving and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
If a woman’s hormone levels are not harmonious it can lead to a variety of other conditions such as PMS, thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, irregular periods, infertility, miscarriage, pre-term labor, and post-partum depression. While this post focuses on progesterone, please keep in mind that all hormones are important and therefore play an important role in your health.
Common Physical Symptoms of Low Progesterone
Bloating, carb cravings, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, pelvic cramps, tender breasts, weight gain
Fertility Awareness Support
An advantage of a woman charting her cycles using a fertility awareness method, such as the FertilityCare System, is that there are easily observable biomarkers or patterns that can indicate low progesterone. Two of the most common are tail end brown bleeding at the end of a woman’s period or two or more days of spotting before the start of her next period (premenstrual spotting).
A properly trained and certified fertility awareness instructor is able to help guide the woman towards a medical referral when these patterns and symptoms are present. A typical response from most doctors is to prescribe hormonal birth control to “regulate” these issues. A doctor trained in fertility awareness, such as a NaPro Technology medical consultant, understands the need for a personalized solution, not a “one size fits all” approach.
As progesterone is produced following ovulation, it is important that a woman knows when she ovulated - with the help of a fertility awareness method. She is then able to accurately have her progesterone levels tested with a blood test at the peak of progesterone - typically around seven days following ovulation.
Cooperative Progesterone Replacement Therapy (CPRT)
Progesterone supplementation should done with a bioidentical progesterone. This is fairly inexpensive and readily available. Mainstream physicians will often prescribe a synthetic progestin but this is not the same. This supplementation process is referred to as cooperative progesterone replacement therapy when done cooperatively with a woman’s cycle following NaPro Technology protocols. Supplementation can be accomplished intramuscularly, vaginally, or orally.
Sources:
Hilgers, MD, Dip. ABOG, CFCE, T., Daly, RN, CFCE, D., Hilgers, BA, CFCE, S., & Prebil, RN, BSN, CFCE, A. (2017). (p. 20) [Review of The Creighton Model FertilityCare System Book II: Advanced Teaching Skills]. Pope Paul VI Institute Press.
Jung, A. (2020, January 30). Progesterone Deficiency: How Too Little Progesterone Can Mean Big Problems [web log]. Retrieved October 18, 2021, from https://naturalwomanhood.org/low-progesterone-is-a-big-problem-pms-pmdd-infertility-miscarriage-postpartum-depression-2020/.
