21 day Progesterone

[HRMC87]

So, TTC 11 months and just had my 21 day progesterone blood test which came back under 30 so I have ovulated but the level makes implantation unlikely. My question is as I have just got my period on day 35 does that mean that my progesterone should be tested on day 28 therefore possibly meaning the test I just had is inaccurate?

Or, if it was accurate, is this why my periods are so light? 2 days with hardly any bleeding every time! As there is little chance of implantation or a successful pregnancy with low progesterone I assume this is the case but I can't find anything on it and my GP appointment isn't for 2 weeks, I'm kind of driving myself crazy asking myself the same questions all the time!

Any help appreciated :) x

If your level was 30, it sounds like you have definitely ovulated. And in a textbook 28 day cycle where you ovulate at day 14, then yes your progesterone peaks at around day 21 and then slowly declines. So logic would dictate that you ovulated late and this would explain the progesterone being on the lower side. Are your periods regular at 35 days or are they all over the place? If they are regular, perhaps you could try doing an OPK test to determine when you ovulate and work out the middle of your luteal phase to know the best day to repeat the progesterone.

But if your periods are light, that does sound like an issue. Who knows if it is related or not? I did 11 IVF cycles and in that time I did much research. I read that a lining of between 9-11mm correlates with optimal success after an IVF embryo is transferred. My periods sound exactly like yours - two days of hardly any blood. I had 'the scratch' done on day 21 of the cycle prior to my successful IVF cycle, and I saw at the scans during my IVF cycle that my lining was thicker than IVF cycles without having done the scratch. But I was about to turn 38 when I did my final IVF and I know that periods get lighter with age. Yours sounds more related to things not being optimal withing your body if your cycles are long (and irregular?)

Maybe the best thing you can do to stop yourself going insane is to make a list of questions you want the doctor to answer... and then I hope you have a good doctor. Most don't really seem to know that much. I hope s/he refers you on to get some help! And feel free to rant on here in the meantime - I always found that really helpful too!

Hi hrmc I have just booked in for a day 21 blood test too. They really shouldn't call it that because it is a 7 days before af is due blood test. So yes you have had it done too early. Although with a level of 30 or more then you have definitely ovulated (according to my dr). If it was already 30 early on in your cycle then it will most likely have been higher if you had been tested on the optimal day. It may be quicker to get answers if you phone your GP and ask for a telephone appointment, they can often fit you in after morning surgery within a day or 2.

Thank you so much for replying. I think I will phone my surgery and ask if I can repeat the test. My cycles are 33-35 days. I am 28 and my periods have been this light ever since I stopped the pill a year ago, but I would feel better if I knew I had a reasonable level of progesterone. Thank you for your comments on IVF because I had wandered if that was an option one day then would it even be feasible with such light periods. If we didn't want to get pregnant then having such light periods would be quite nice!

Yes, exactly HRM! Now that I am FINALLY pregnant after 11 IVF cycles, I won't mind when my period eventually returns if it is light! But for trying to conceive, it's definitely an added worry. Have you heard of, or ever used OPK's to know exactly when you are ovulating? I did not personally get mine done at 7 days pre AF as vap0 suggests as my luteal phase was often as short as 8 days so for me, 7 days pre AF would be only 1 day after ovulation and definitely not my peak progesterone day. So if you can work out when ovulation is occuring, you can at least make sure you do your next test right in the middle of your luteal phase to put your mind at ease about your progesterone levels.

I had read that our periods become lighter as we head towards menopause and as I was 37 when doing our last IVF with such a light period, I worried that I was heading down that path. But at 28, you would hope that is not your cause! I did lots of obsessive research while I underwent IVF and I have read some things about the pill causing the uterus to atrophy and I wonder if the pill has caused this issue for you if you did not have light periods before? But of course, then you also hear stories of women getting pregnant 2 weeks after stopping the pill so there are always exceptions! But if that is the cause, I don't know the solution as it was not my issue so I did not search for a solution. But perhaps something to ask the Dr when you next visit. I wish you luck. It's very emotionally challenging when struggling to conceive.