What was your progesterone level on day 21/ 7dpo?

This really is so helpful to me and has made me feel much much better, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with me. I have just read your message out to my husband to explain it to him. I think it is sometimes easy to think that because they are "experts" they know everything, whereas in reality we are all learning our entire lives in whatever field we chose to have our careers.

Was all o.k for you after you had the tests?

AF = Aunt Flo. Euphemism for period!

Progesterone is not produced in significant levels at all until after you ovulate. It is secreted by the corpus luteum (the retreating follicle after the egg has ruptured from it). The purpose of progesterone is to maintain a conception until after implantation when beta HCG takes over at the point of implantation and placenta formation. There's no point in your body producing it before ovulation, which is why it's a hormone produced locally by the ovaries (and not the pituitary gland in the brain) after ovulation.

Are you sure she asked a Dr who is a Gynae. Some GPs do a Diploma in Obs and Gynae, but their knowledge is still limited.

Put it this way, my DH is a GP. Until he did his DFRSH (Diploma in Family Planning and Reproductive Health) he thought ovulation occurs bang on 14 days after the start of the period. He was massively corrected when he did the extra qualification as he had to learn to teach natural family planning techniques etc, and understanding when ovulation occurs is fundamental to this.

Also, when I first went for my progesterone test, I was concerned it hadn't been ordered. I asked the nurse, who confirmed it had. When the results came through it hadn't. My GP didn't even realise it was required! Hence I phoned them and had a word. The nurse hadn't understood what I was asking!

Also it doesn't have to be on an exact day. If you think (based on pain) that you ovulate on about day 25, then day 32 for the test would be perfect. If they can't get you in on day 32, go for 33 or 34. You should still test positive if you are ovulating.

If all else fails lie be economical with the truth and simply tell them that you are on day 21 on day 32!

Thank you for that, I kept crying when I left earlier today. I was having the bloods taken by the nurse, I have discussed my cycle though they have that on file - because I asked a few questions the nurse went and asked a Dr who is a gyny so I thought he would definately know - he also insisted on day 21 - which is a Saturday and the Drs is closed and the hospital won't do it. So I cancelled my arrangements for the 20th and booked in.

Sorry what is AF?

I get pain when I ovulate - so generally know when that is and it was about 5 days after I gave bloods on the day 20. Does this still mean a problem. Many people on this thread have levels 30 - 50 :-O so I was even more shocked when I read it.

I thought if you have periods then you are ovulating o.k - that's what another nurse told me. :-/

Progesterone however, is only part of the story. They should also be checking your LH and FSH levels at the start of the cycle to see if there any any persistant abnormalities (these two levels should be about the same).

LH and FSH ought to be checked anyway as these two hormones kickstart the whole ovulation process. If these two levels are awry then ovulation will be affected.

You will need to be persistant in order to get answers and if the GP is clueless and or faffs about then seek referral to a gynae.

Annie They are testing you way too early.

The progesterone test should be done 7 days before your AF is due in an attempt to catch it at its peak (roughly 7 DPO). Ovulation in many women is 12 - 16 days before AF, with the rough average being 14. That is only an average.

If they are testing you on day 20 and you have a regular 39 day cycle, if you are ovulating regularly then you are unlikely to have ovulated at this point. If you do ovulate, you can expect ovulation at a rough estimate between day 23 and 27. It could be as late as day 29.

The blood test therefore should be performed roughly on day 32 for you.

If you still get a low result indicating anovulation, then I think the normal procedure is to start the test at day 21 the following cycle and take blood every 3 days to a week throughout your cycle until you get your period to see if you ovulate.

Are you trying to book your appointment through the receptionist to have your bloods done? I had this problem at first, being told they couldn't fit me in on the appropriate day. I phoned my GP and asked for a telephone consultation and explained when the test should be done (you'd be surprised but many GPs think it should be done on day 21, which is incorrect). As the nurse couldn't fit me in on the appropriate day, the GP was very understanding and booked me in just before surgery started so it could be done on the right day.

It's a waste of time, money and resources to repeatedly undertake an expensive test on the wrong day. You could always point this out to the GP if necessary....

Very sad, my level is 1, but they did the test on day 20? They can't fit me in on my next day 21 so I have to have another test on day 20.

Does this mean that I'm not ovulating, but I thought you don't have periods when you don't ovulate. I have a period regularly but long cycles about 39 days.

hi im new to all this!i've been reading peoples messages for a long time but too scared to write until now,nearly 18mths ago i had a misscarrage and eversince have been ttc, notthing (sad)finaly been refered to fertility clinic and just had ultra sound which seemed ok? had day 22 progesterone level and i asked what the results of day 18's was the nurese said 50 something and that it should be over 30 what does all this mean and when should we of done the bussiness as she reckons i ovulated at day18 feel really daft as i thought i was really cllued up on all of this but not!! please explain (grin)

I did wonder what "moopsog" was!
I've just had my first test and my result was 15 which I gather is quite low but my GP was quite blaze saying it was "ok". I was expecting AF a couple of days later though (had a 25 day cycle rather than the expected 27) so maybe it was a bit late. Will get bloods done sooner rather than later this month.

My prog I meant!!

I'm forty two, four weeks pregnant and moopsog was 48 on day 21

I'm going to get my results next week - will let you know!

Hiya every1 i seam to have landed in the same boat as yous :( very sad and very fustratin... i jus recently found out i had PCOS after years of longing for a baby.... and after 6 long months of tryin i finally got to my day 21 (took so long as my irregular periods kept coming so i had start over) just wundering what the next step will be once i get to my specerlist with my results and my husband sperm count...?? x

Hi girls, ive read through all the comments above and it looks as though anything above 30 is good, so 56 is great :)

I think the 21 day test varies depending on the lengh of your cycle, ive never had good progesterone results as my cycles can be anything from 35 days to 81 days!! i have pcos and have just started my 1st round of clomid my 21 day test is due on the 6th Dec, im hoping for my 1st good result, hope you get one too.

gempski, i think we all feel that way at times i know i do!! Do you know what the promblem is??? x

my progesterone level at day 22 of my cycle is 56 what do's that mean

Oh pants! this is a really old thread!!!!

Hi Girls just scanned through this thread! And will be reading with interest!

I'm due to go for lots of bloods post 2nd mc, on day 21 of my cycle, and progesterone is one of them...just a bit confused as I don't think I will ovulate this monnth as didn't after last mc...so surely my results will be wrong??

hi there to all :)

Im new to this site and i just didnt know who else to talk to about this kinda thing.

Ive had my 21 day test done twice now and both are down as negative due to low counts you know my 2nd test level was at 14 and tgoing off the normal levels im more than half off where i should be with my progesterone levels now me and my husband have been trying for a baby for 3 years now and its just not happened which petrifies me as all i want is a baby but now im beginning to think its not gonna happen for me :'(

Finding it really hard to conceive cycle 8! got blood results saying progesterone at 16.3 docs notes said 'everything fine no action.' am i normal, should i conceive?! DH going for tests also. help!

I've just come back from the GP who told me that 30 and above is high, below 10 is anovulatory and anything in between is normal.

Mine was 13.2 and I'm having another one done. My LSH and FSH levels were all ok.

My OB doc just did a progesterone test/blood draw on me yesterday, day 23 of my cycle and concluded that my levels are low and that I'm not ovulating; she wants to put me on. Clomid.

I'm trying to figure this out... So yesterday my temp drops indicating the end of my cycle and sure enough today I get my period, so would it not stand to reason that my progesterone levels would be low at the end of my cycle?

I saw in the thread that many of you spoke of the "day 21" test. Does this mean that it is best to measure progesterone on day 21 in your Luteal phase?

Oops, will have to put the test on hold. Against all expectations I got a BFP this morning .

Please let this one stick!

Funtimewincies - if you ovulate late, this will make a difference to when you should be tested. If you are sure of your cycle, you need to ask for the test to be done on the appropriate day if at all possible.

You should not take clomid without a doctor's supervision it for you as it can be a powerful drug that can lead to multiple pregnancy. Everybody reacts differently to it - I know people that have fallen pregnant with singletons and twins after just a couple of Clomid cycles. On the other hand, I was completely resistant to it over many cycles, even after having 2 lots of Ovarian Drilling (I have polycystic ovarian syndrome), and needed 2 rounds of IUI with ovulation induction using Menopur before I finally conceived.

I was also told that you need your levels to be at least 30 before you ovulate. My last day 21 test was just 3, which confirmed that I am anovulatory. With your levels, I would push for a referral to a Fertility specialist as soon as possible. Wishing you lots of luck!

Ideally over 34 according to my nurse. Having mine done this month. By the way (sorry to hijack) I'm having the blood done on day 22, but if I ovulate late (sometimes day 17 or 18) will this make a big difference?

Mine was 59.5.