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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

ovulation/progesterone levels obgyn question

38 replies

klou · 18/05/2006 00:00

I have been ttc for 6 months - with one m/c. i went to the dr. today and she said do the ovulation sticks, and come in again exactly 7 days after i get the surge line - to see if i have ovulated and test for Progesterone levels, this they can do buy blood work. has anyone had this done?

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 18/05/2006 12:27

Am verteran of many blood tests.

The problem with opk's is that these can be misleading in their own right. These kits measure the levels of luteinising hormone. If you are one of many women who are producing more than normal levels of LH then the kit will read this. It is not the case that a rise in LH is immediately followed by ovulation, also many women have more than one rise in LH every month.

There is a blood test to measure progesterone levels and its called a day 21 test. It can be done on or around about that 21st day. Levels of LH and FSH are usually tested earlier in the cycle; in this regard day 10 is a standard test. If these hormone levels are tested you must ensure that the level of LH is compared against that of FSH. If this is not done the test result can be misleading.

posyparker · 18/05/2006 12:48

I had a day 21 progesterone test last month to check whether I was ovulating. Got the results back and my prog level was 23. Told by nurse that "they like to see a level of at least 30 as that would indicate you have ovulated". Am currently 6 weeks pregnant, so their target levels are not completely accurate. Having said that, the blood tests are meant to be a lot more reliable than OPKs, as you can get an LH surge (hence +ve OPK result) but still not ovulate. Hope that helps.

Piffle · 18/05/2006 12:56

I'd temp take as well as ov stick to be quite sure.

Original poster
klou · 01/06/2006 17:57

thanks to all who replied. got my results - 13 was the number i was given - what does this mean? thanks again

OP posts:
hairycaterpillar · 01/06/2006 19:19

if thats a day 21 prog. a level of 13 is too low for ovulation...BUT never go by one test your GP should repeat the test in another cycle. Also if your cycle is not 28days then a day 21 prog. can be a bit misleading.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/06/2006 20:54

Klou

I would get your LH and FSH levels checked as well (these are tested earlier in the cycle around day 3) as these are probably awry also if your progesterone level is low. A level of 13 would indicate no ovulation occured that particular cycle.

My cycles were always irregular but I had the 21 day test done regardless (over a period of several months according to calendar days) and it also showed non ovulation.

Will doc refer you to a gynae?. GPs can only do so much and a gynae referral may stand you in better stead.

Original poster
klou · 01/06/2006 23:41

really 13 too low for ovulation? now i am gutted.

Day 1-14 >1 to 1.5 ng/ml

Day 15-28 2-28 ng/ml

this is something i found online. seems all the info is different and can be misleading.
i asked the nurse who called iwth the results and she said it mean i had ovulated!

poseparker - how long are your cycles? i read that would make a difference what the 21 day reading was if you had a 28 or say a 31 day cycle?

OP posts:
Original poster
klou · 01/06/2006 23:41

really 13 too low for ovulation? now i am gutted.

Day 1-14 >1 to 1.5 ng/ml

Day 15-28 2-28 ng/ml

this is something i found online. seems all the info is different and can be misleading.
i asked the nurse who called iwth the results and she said it mean i had ovulated!

poseparker - how long are your cycles? i read that would make a difference what the 21 day reading was if you had a 28 or say a 31 day cycle?

OP posts:
hairycaterpillar · 02/06/2006 08:29

in uk Dr's look for d21 prog of at least 25nmol/l but best if >30nmol/l. hth.

Original poster
klou · 02/06/2006 12:24

oh, i'm in the states - maybe it's different? thanks for the info

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 02/06/2006 13:12

Thought you were not UK based - your reference to an ob/gyn was indicative of this.

You would not have ovulated methinks on a level of 13 - you need to speak directly with the gynae on such matters rather than the nurse who seems woefully misinformed.

Do you have a diagnosis of the underlying problem?.

Original poster
klou · 02/06/2006 15:09

no , not at all, i have one son 3 and 1 m/c in december 05. been trying this time for 9 mths. this was the first step - the blood test - as i was getting a bit anxious. seems to me that info is different, depending on what you are reading and who you are talking to. you are right that i should talk to the dr not the nurse.

OP posts:
Original poster
klou · 11/06/2006 19:37

not only did i ovulate - i got a BFP!!!

OP posts:
sottovoce · 12/06/2006 18:52

oh klou, congratulations!!

rusty123 · 07/11/2007 20:09

help! had 21 day blood results today but no analasys from doc as needed them for appt tom with specialist. They read 30nmol - consistent with ov. Did i ovulate? worried before tomorrows appt. thanks.

eeyore31 · 16/11/2007 10:30

hello peeps looking for some help!! l've just had a blood test that said l'm not ovulating got to have another test again on d21 but my periods are so up the wall l can go from a 30 something to a 41 day cycle so how correct is a d21 test been trying now for 2 years so l'm now really confused and not to say the least messed up at it being my fault that we can't get preg,glad to say hubby really understanding.
Please help me,xxx.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 16/11/2007 12:41

Hi Eeyore,

You should be referred to a gynae at a subfertility unit as a matter of course especially as you've been trying for 2 years now.

The irregular periods you are having are contributing to the subfertility; the day 21 result will be correct in this regard. I would unfortunately think that a second such test will show that ovulation has not occured. Irregular periods are often caused by hormonal imbalances which can be treated - a condition called polycystic ovaries is a common culprit in this regard. It can be treated with specialist help.

Insist to your GP that you are referred; you
need a diagnosis of the underlying problem.

Its not your fault - many people have subfertility problems. Please do not blame yourself.

Glad to read you have an understanding hubby. He will help you too.

HTH

Attila

eeyore31 · 28/11/2007 16:42

hi attila,
just wanted to say thaks for your advice and that l took you up on it and went back to see my GP who is now doing other tests and is refering us to hospital so fingers crossed we'll get some good news soon. thaks again Eeyore xxx

eeyore31 · 01/12/2007 15:13

HI Attila, Thanks again for all yor help and advice and we are very happy to say the blood test was wrong as we have just found out that we are expecting we are so please if not a little suprised getting booked in with the hospital and going under a specialist asap thakyou again you were a very big help
Eeyore xxx

stillwaitin · 05/07/2008 20:18

Last month at my 21day ovulation testing my level was at 5. This month my level was 37.1. I hate to admit but my hopes are sky high. I been given so much conflicting advice, what do you all think. My period is due in two days and im too scared to do a test.

scrambledeggs2go · 10/09/2008 23:53

Hello to all! I called myself scrammbled eggs as I thought the name was very appropiate. Around Christmas 2004 I had the 21 day test done and my result was 4!!! At the age of 25 my mother had more of a chance getting pregnant than I did! I then went for a scan which showed I had Polycystic Ovaries and my lack of eggs was one of the many side-effects. I was gutted!!! My doctor explained that my fertility level was very very low and that I would have a lot of bother getting pregnant. I was put on a drug called 'metformin'which is an insulin de-sensitizer usally used somehow for diabetes. It turns out that due to Pco's my body was producing too much insulin and had affected my egg count a great deal! I said I'd give it i try before I started chlomid or anything like that.I started the drug in Feb and guess what I was pregnant in April and had a beautiful baby girl born in Jan '06 whats more I then went on to have a wee boy in May '07 needing no help at all!Basically girls what Im trying to say, that I'd strongly advise any woman to have the 21 day test and get there ovaries checked, just to make sure that their wee factory inside is still in business! Hope this helped and good luck x

tarahen · 04/11/2008 20:28

I have a two year old son. In the past six months I have been trying to get pregnant. However, in these months my period has been irregular. The doctor asked me to do a 21 day progesteron test. My result was 0.45 ng/ml. Can you please help me understand what that means? I am so worried!

dannyb · 13/11/2008 22:31

I really have to put to bed this myth that you need a level of 30 to show ovulation. You need a level of around 30 to sustain a pregnancy but it's perfectly possible to have ovulated on levels in the teens. I have been pregnant on levels of 18. The fact that this myth is perpetuated means, in my opinion, that many women are being told that they are not ovulating and getting pregnant when infact they are ovulating but their progesterone levels are not reaching high enough levels for implantation to occur and infact they're often having multiple very early miscarriages.

I had 4 m/c when ttc #2 and my levels never went over 23. All pregnancies were confirmed by blood tests. My 5th pregnancy had a level of 7 and doppler ultrasound showed no progesterone activity at all yet I had a BFP and once on progesterone supplements went onto have a healthy 41 week baby.

juliet79 · 28/11/2008 04:08

my last period was on 25 sept,and its been almost 2 months ,that I ve not got the periods.
since Oct, m trying to concieve, first I thought that missed periods means pregnancy, but it gave me negative urine test.
doctor has asked me to wait, and without any blood test ,he has told me to take progesterone injection, if i dnt get my period for another week.i dnt know ,what to do, should i go for progesterone injection , ll it help me to concieve.please guide me

tigger1234 · 09/12/2008 16:24

hi all i had a bllod test for progesterone leel it came back at 23 is that normal as i am trying for a baby . The doc said was ok but has sent me for another test one 8days from cycle and one 7 days before but am now worried that something is wrong if she sent me for same tests again