When a woman is preparing for in vitro fertilization, among the first tests she is prescribed to donate blood for progesterone. And then on the forums, she sees that the level of this hormone is causing a terrible stir among everyone who has already entered the protocol or is just about to. Now she needs to figure out why she needs progesterone.
The hormone progesterone in women
Progesterone is a hormone produced by a special endocrine gland that lives for only about 14 days in a non-pregnant woman, and another 12-16 weeks in a pregnant woman, and then dies. This gland is the corpus luteum. Its main function is the synthesis of progesterone, and, dying, it passes the "baton" on the synthesis of this hormone to the placenta. What does progesterone affect? Why is it so important?
This hormone prepares the body for pregnancy and tries to support it by acting on the tissues of the uterus and on the immune system (more in the next section). It promotes the development of glands inside the mammary glands, but if a woman is lactating, then her lactation is inhibited. The hormone stores subcutaneous fat, accumulates glycogen in the liver - a precursor of glucose, that is, prepares reserves in case conception "takes place".
How progesterone affects IVF infusion
The chance that an embryo will be able to implant depends on three main factors:
- embryo quality;
- endometrial condition;
- tone of the muscular layer of the uterus.
The quality of embryos at this stage cannot be changed, but the other two factors are influenced by progesterone. He:
- reduces the excitability of the uterus and fallopian tubes;
- causes such changes in the endometrium that will contribute to the implantation of the embryo: it stops the division of endometrial cells and causes the formation of a secret in it: it will increase the lumen of the uterine cavity;
- reduces the tone of the muscles of the uterus and maximally eliminates the possibility of individual contractions of its sections - so that the embryo can gain a foothold in the endometrium.
In addition, progesterone suppresses the immune system so that it does not reject the embryo as a foreign body, it suppresses the next ovulation. When its concentration decreases, the female body receives a signal that it is time to give birth.
Therefore, for the embryo to implant normally, the body must have a sufficient level of this important hormone. Therefore, before replanting, it is very important to determine exactly the concentration of progesterone and, if it is less than 8.7 nmol / L, do not go to the protocol, but freeze the embryos until the next cycle.
Progesterone levels after embryo transfer
Doctors recommend very scrupulously checking progesterone after embryo transfer, doing it on the day of transfer, then on days 3, 5, 7, 9 and 14. It is important to repeat the analysis many times, because even if the first 2-3 checks showed a good result, it does not mean that the implantation has already taken place (this can happen up to 10 days inclusive).
To get the most accurate results, you need to donate blood in the morning, after 8-10 hours of fasting.
Progesterone should be maintained within the normal range, that is, not lower than 38.15 nmol / L (or 12 ng / ml - in other units of measurement), but also not higher than 57.8 nmol / L (or 18.2 ng / ml ).
The most dangerous situations are when the level of the hormone is low: there is a high risk of miscarriage. This should be corrected immediately with progesterone medications - in the form of injections, pills, or vaginal gel.
Less dangerous, but not very good, when progesterone is elevated. It causes pathological changes in the endometrium, which also reduces the likelihood of implantation.
Symptoms of a lack of progesterone in women
How do you know if your progesterone is low? This is indicated by the following symptoms:
- discharge of blood from the genital tract;
- decrease in body temperature and basal temperature;
- irritability;
- swelling;
- headache;
- flatulence.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to diagnose oneself only by the presence of these symptoms: they can develop in other conditions. If such signs occur, you need to urgently call your doctor, and, possibly, take a blood test to determine progesterone.
