Progesterone Testing

What is a Progesterone Test?

Progesterone tests are used to measure the amount of the progesterone hormone present in a patient’s blood. Progesterone is produced by a woman’s ovaries throughout the process of releasing a mature egg from their ovary during ovulation and helps prepare the endometrium (uterine lining) to receive the egg in the event it is fertilized by a man’s sperm. However, if the mature egg goes unfertilized, levels of progesterone decrease, causing a woman to begin menstruation. If the woman does become pregnant, her placenta then begins to produce high levels of the hormone, beginning around the end of the first trimester and increasing until birth.

Who May Need a Progesterone Test?

Progesterone tests are used for a number of reasons, most commonly to determine the cause of infertility in female patients, as well as for monitoring the success of medications given to women to treat their infertility and treatments involving progesterone supplementation. They can also be utilized to determine if ovulation is occurring, to assess the possibility of miscarriage, monitor ovary and placenta functioning, and sometimes diagnose issues relating to the adrenal glands and some forms of cancer.

What Should I Expect from My Progesterone Test?

A progesterone test begins with drawing a blood sample from a patient in order for it to be examined by a medical laboratory. Women who are having chronic issues with their menstrual cycle or difficulty achieving pregnancy may be asked to take this test regularly. While there is a normal reference range common to these tests among laboratories, some labs may have different ranges for you and your physician. Speak to your doctor regarding your results to get more information on how your results concern to you and your health specifically.