Progesterone Levels After Ovulation

One of the most common pregnancy tests done today, done as a part of the blood-work, is checking progesterone levels after ovulation. This is done because Progesterone levels in blood after ovulation are indicative whether the female has ovulated or not. Please understand that ovulation refers to the release of a healthy female egg towards the end of the menstrual cycle. During this stage, low levels of progesterone are rather normal since progesterone volumes tend to dip once the egg has been release from the ovaries. At this stage, the progesterone levels should be within a basic range.

A reading higher or lower than this range is indicative of a hormonal problem that can disrupt the entire reproductive cycle. During ovulation, a part of the female ovary called the corpus luteum is responsible for synthesizing progesterone. If the progesterone readings are found below 10ng/ml, Ovulation is most likely to be a failure. However, progesterone levels after ovulation might need to be repeatedly checked since there is always the risk of having tested a bit too early or late. Ideally, the ovulation test should be done within a week after ovulation is indicated.

The importance of checking Progesterone Levels After Ovulation is undeniable since if ovulation is not established, conceiving through natural means is simply impossible-one the female egg or the ovum is not available, fertilization cannot happen irrespective of the potency of the sperm or overall health of the female. However, it should be noted that Pregnancy cannot be established merely by checking the progesterone levels-this means that Progesterone levels are merely indicative of the success or failure of pregnancy. Further, Progesterone Supplement aids like progesterone creams cannot be used after the ovulation has happened, i.e. once ovulation has taken place, the progesterone supplementation aids are rendered useless. This means that the entire regimen needs to be re-started in preparation for the next ovulation cycle since the results of a failed or transgressed ovulation cannot be reversed.

Progesterone Levels After Ovulation are actually indicative of the hormone readings during the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle or the middle of second half of menstrual cycle in non-pregnant women. Here, the readings should be at least in the range of 8-to-10 ng/ml-readings lower than this indicates that the woman has not ovulated. Repeatedly low readings attained as a part of such tests indicate a state of progesterone insufficiency or serious problems like estrogen insufficiency. This is a serious problem wherein the estrogen hormone is secreted in excessive amounts. It is usually found among menopausal women or those who are on the verge of entering menopause. During this state of estrogen's dominance, progesterone and other female reproductive hormones like LH are suppressed. Thus, such patients need to be treated with progesterone-enhancing and estrogen-suppressing medications.

Please note that in order to get a single, confirmed reading of progesterone levels after ovulation the test has to be conducted repeatedly.. This is because progesterone levels tend to vary a lot during various phases of the day. For instance, after consuming a heavy meal, progesterone levels might dip by nearly 50% and this is also why the Progesterone blood test are done during the morning on an empty stomach.