Your entire body receives direction from your hormones. Hormones are secreted by your endocrine system and are responsible for telling your organs what to do and when to do it.first They’re essentially chemical messengers that travel throughout your bloodstream, working slowly over time to affect processes like growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction.
Sometimes, these chemical messengers can get out of balance, and this leads to chronic disorders like Type 2 diabetes, weak bones, and infertility.2 Hormones can be secreted by your adrenal glands, endocrine-related organs, hypothalamus, gonads, and other organs.3
Progesterone is important for fertility and supporting pregnancy. It’s a steroid hormone secreted by the corpus luteum and then the placenta if you become pregnant.4 In some cases, infertile couples opt for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
This is a complex series of procedures in which eggs are removed from the ovaries, fertilized by sperm in a laboratory, and then transferred into the uterus.5 A full cycle can take up to three weeks6 and cost $12,000.7 In response to her struggles with infertility, Amy Galliher-Beckley, PhD,8 co-founder of MFB Fertility and Proov Progesterone Test.9
The Relationship Between Estrogen and Progesterone
Each of your body systems maintains balance to help you maintain optimal health. Your reproductive system is no different. For a woman, there are a number of hormones that affect a complex system for maturing a follicle and releasing an egg to the uterus. If fertilized, the egg must implant in a uterus, called the endometrium, where it begins to develop into a baby.
These events are controlled by hormones secreted from several sources in the body. The ovaries produce eggs and are the main source of estrogen. The adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney and also make a small amount. Estrogen plays a role in the physical changes during puberty; It also controls the menstrual cycle, protects bone health, and affects your mood.ten
The second hormone required for fertility is progesterone, a steroid hormone first secreted by the corpus luteum. After ovulation, the corpus luteum attaches to the ovary, which functions as a temporary gland.11 These two hormones are controlled by the release of other hormones.
During the menstrual cycle, gonadotropin-releasing hormone is secreted from the hypothalamus, triggering the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland.twelfth This initiates follicular growth and stimulates an increase in estrogen.
Lutein-forming hormone (LH), also secreted by the pituitary gland, aids in the maturation of the follicles and is an ovulatory inducer. When estrogen levels rise high enough, it signals a sudden release of LH that, around mid-cycle, triggers a cascade of events that eventually releases a mature egg from the follicle.13
Once released, the empty follicle becomes the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. The release of progesterone triggers the uterus to develop a high vascular bed suitable for implantation of the fertilized egg.
Without fertilization, the corpus luteum begins to degenerate, progesterone secretion decreases, and menstruation occurs. If pregnant, the corpus luteum produces progesterone for the first 10 weeks until the placenta produces it.14,15
It’s not about getting pregnant, it’s about staying pregnant
As Beckley explained in an interview with Forbes magazine,16 Her test is not to get pregnant, but to stay pregnant. Progesterone not only prepares the uterus for an egg to implant; It also protects the endometrium from degeneration and menstruation. While the body is producing high levels of progesterone during pregnancy, the second egg will not mature.17
To maintain a pregnancy, the corpus luteum must continue to secrete progesterone. This maintains the blood vessels in the endometrium to feed the growing baby. It is during these early weeks that women with low progesterone levels may have difficulty both conceiving and creating the right environment for a fertilized egg to develop.
Some pregnant women are at increased risk of miscarriage.18 The test that Beckley developed comes with a stick that is used in the same way that ovulation and pregnancy tests are used. These rods measure the amount of the metabolite progesterone that is excreted in the urine. To date, this is the first over-the-counter at-home test used to assess a woman’s ability to produce progesterone.19 Beckley explains:20
“Low progesterone is the number one cause of unexplained infertility. Women going through IVF are given progesterone. If you’re not doing IVF, most doctors don’t talk about progesterone, they don’t give progesterone. , they don’t test for progesterone. When your progesterone declines too quickly, it’s called a luteal phase defect. “
Luteal phase defect increases the risk of miscarriage
The luteal phase of a woman’s cycle begins after ovulation and represents the second half of the menstrual cycle. The luteal phase is named after the corpus luteum. A luteal phase defect (LPD) that results in abnormal growth of the endometrium may not support pregnancy.21,22
While researchers try to identify the underlying dysfunctions and effectiveness of LPD in supporting fertility, experts report that women undergoing IVF consistently have LPD.23 LPD is marked by a luteal phase of less than 11 days. However, not all doctors believe this condition exists; lack of reliable tests.24
Beckley developed the Proov urine test to help women identify a drop in progesterone in their cycle. According to Beckley,25 Her exams give women more knowledge about how their bodies work and provide a foundation for better questioning their infertility doctors.
The test measures the presence of metabolites in the urine that increase and remain elevated after ovulation. It can be used to confirm ovulation and confirm progesterone levels afterwards. One negative test before ovulation, followed by one positive test confirms ovulation for women trying to get pregnant.26
For women who are trying to conceive, testing is recommended four days after peaking fertility and then continuing for 10 days after ovulation.27 When there’s a question about progesterone levels to sustain a pregnancy, they recommend getting tested six days after peak fertility and as needed throughout pregnancy as the test still gives results. positive.
Other functions of Progesterone
Although LPD has a significant impact on a woman’s ability to get pregnant, it is still the subject of debate.28 In some cases, the ovaries secrete enough progesterone but the lining of the uterus does not respond.29 LPD has been linked to other health conditions, including:30
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Anorexia |
Endometrial optimism |
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High fitness level |
Fat |
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Thyroid disorders |
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) |
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High levels of prolactinemia (the hormone responsible for breast milk) |
In some cases, when these conditions are treated, LPD resolves.thirty first Later, if progesterone levels decline, a woman’s periods may become more irregular, heavier, and longer.32 increased chance of anemia, depending on the number and length of menstrual cycles.33
Changes in hormone levels after menopause can also affect cognition and mood.34 In a study of 643 healthy postmenopausal women, researchers found that although estrogen had little effect on global cognitive or executive function tests, progesterone levels were associated related to verbal memory. The researchers who suggest this positive association deserve additional research.
Biologic progesterone, also known as microprogesterone in oral form, has been successful in helping to reduce hot flashes and night sweats during menopause. Dr. Jerilynn Prior from the University of British Columbia Vancouver presented her research at a meeting of the endocrine society in which she compared the use of progesterone with a placebo.35
The study assigned 114 postmenopausal women to one of two groups, one to a placebo and the other to take 300 mg of oral trace progesterone per day. To be eligible to participate in the study, the women had to stop hormone therapy for at least six months.36
At the end of the 12-week study, the researchers found that the microprogesterone group had a 56 percent reduction in scores reflecting the number and intensity of symptoms, while the women taking the placebo had a 28 percent reduction. %.37
Age affects hormone balance
Just like the number of women who struggle with hormonal imbalances as they age and who need assisted reproduction to get pregnant after age 40,38 Beckley speaks out about the difficulties women can face getting pregnant after she turns 40.39
Beckley said,40 “The closer a woman gets to menopause, the less her body can support a pregnancy.” Much of this has to do with an imbalance of the hormones needed to support a successful pregnancy as a woman ages.
Her research in the design of the progesterone urine test has led Beckley to believe that 30% to 40% of women undergoing IVF treatment become pregnant in the end without the need for IVF.41 Instead, they may require progesterone to develop a healthy endometrial lining and support an early pregnancy.
Overall fertility is falling
Couples are infertile for a number of reasons. In a study42 Released in 2017, researchers evaluated 38 years of information and found that sperm counts decreased significantly between 1973 and 2011. Sperm counts decreased by 52% to 59% in men in North America, Europe and Australia.
The Australian Department of Health reports that 1 in 6 Australian couples experience fertility problems, which they attribute to their decision to have children later in life as well as reduced sperm count. Quality and lifestyle factors such as smoking, unhealthy eating, drinking too much alcohol, and not having a healthy BMI also affect fertility.43
In May 2019, the Pew Research Center reported that for the fourth year in a row, key fertility indicators for couples in the US fell, to record lows.44 Two of the three indicators used to determine fertility reflect a decline in numbers.
The total fertility rate, or the estimate of the number of children a woman will have in her lifetime, was 1.73 children in 2018. This is lower than the estimate of 1.74 children from the mid-1970s.45
Research shows that male fertility is affected by environmental toxins and chemicals you may find in your home, which I discussed in a previous article, “50% reduction in fertility.” fertility due to these household chemicals”.
Also, as described in the previous article, “Birth rates hit a record low as premature births rise”, statistics from the CDC show that the number of new births decreased by 2% in 2018 compared to 2017, but The number of premature births is increasing. . Infertility and pregnancy are complex conditions that may require a holistic approach for a successful outcome.
