What is progesterone?
Progesterone is a steroid hormone that plays a vital role in the female menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Some key points about progesterone:
- It is produced mainly by the corpus luteum in the ovary after ovulation, and by the placenta during pregnancy.
- Along with estrogen, progesterone helps control the menstrual cycle. It helps prepare the lining of the uterus for pregnancy each month.
- If pregnancy occurs, progesterone helps maintain the lining of the uterus to support the growing fetus.
- Progesterone levels rise steadily during pregnancy and fall sharply after birth. This triggers milk production in the breasts.
- In a normal menstrual cycle, progesterone levels start to rise after ovulation, peak about 7 days later, and then fall rapidly if no pregnancy occurs. This signals the next menstrual period.
- Progesterone testing can check if ovulation occurred. Low levels may signal infertility issues.
- Progesterone is used to treat irregular periods, infertility, symptoms of menopause, and to prevent miscarriages or early birth.
- Natural progesterone creams, pills or injections can relieve PMS and menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings and sleep problems.
As progesterone specialists for over 30 years, Hormone Optimal Care provides comprehensive hormone testing and customized bioidentical hormone therapy using FDA-approved hormones identically matched to those your body naturally produces. Contact us today for a consultation to see if progesterone therapy is right for you.
Some useful references on progesterone:
"Progesterone test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia."
"Progesterone: Uses, Side Effects, Dosage & Interactions." testosteronegel.biz
I tried to cover the key aspects of what progesterone is, its role in the female reproductive system, how it is used medically, and provide some credible references for further reading. As a reputable hormone clinic, I aimed for an informative tone with some light promotional content woven in. Please let me know if you would like me to modify or expand this draft further.