Low progesterone... can I still have a chance to get pregnant?

[Blossom37]

Hi all bit of a downer news today that my level at 21days cycle was barely 3 (where GP said 20 was the sufficient level they used as baseline) and at 37 I'm really worried that's just it for me :(

I'm having more tests done but wondered if anyone had similar issues and was able to increase levels and get pregnant?

Hi Blossom, sorry to hear about your results - can understand that must leave you feeling deflated.
I think there is quite straight forward treatment for low progesterone though? Someone will come along and explain I’m sure.
I’ve recently had my 4 day bloods done, was told they were normal but I’m not sure if the ranges?? Got to wait another month for my day 21 bloods due to bank hol.
🤞 for you x

Was it the right day? 21 day is based on a 28 day cycle so it really needs to be 7 days after ovulation if you have a 14 day luteal phase.

I had mine done recently and it was only 11.8 but randomly my cycle was short that month and so the timing was probably completely wrong. Timing is everything for progesterone.

@SlothMamaToBe I hope so I don't know much about how it can be treated. I have found a few things online with how to increase it naturally but it seems I already been eating lots from the Lolita of progesterone friendly foods and had quite a low result so fingers crossed 🤞🏻

@bitheby I double checked about shorter cycle but she said it's 21 days from the 1st day of your period so definitely right date... I'm having another done this month to compare...

@Blossom37 lots of people are prescribed clomid for this purpose

@SlothMamaToBe oh I didn't realise... for some reason I thought it was only used when going through IVF...

@Blossom37 I might have this wrong but I think clomid is something they try before IVF?

@SlothMamaToBe hmmmm could be! If I'm totally honest I never researched it properly as in my head it was to do with IVF so never looked at it properly but may have a little research 🧐

Prior poster is right about the dates- it isn't always day 21, it depends when you ovulate (21 days is the average assuming you ovulate on CD14). E.g. If you ovulate on CD 16, you would get the bloods on CD23.
3 is pretty low and it could be because of timing of the test, or that you did not ovulate this month - did your doctor give you any explanation to the results? Mine said anything under 5 indicates that ovulation might not have happened and anything over 30 is desired. Mine was 27 and I was given cyclogest suppositories so support my luteal phase. Try not to worry too much as if it is just a progesterone problem, it is easily treated.

[quote Blossom37]@bitheby I double checked about shorter cycle but she said it's 21 days from the 1st day of your period so definitely right date... I'm having another done this month to compare...[/quote]
I have shorter cycles, so I went on cd19 and this confirmed that I ovulated. Ideally you need to go 7 days before your period.

Do you track your cycle at all? Are you fairly regular?

We were referred to a fertility clinic once I'd had my bloods and a scan and my partner had a sperm analysis. They did further tests and then we were referred straight for ivf. It's possible they might give you something like clomid, but I was 36 when they referred us for ivf. I know someone who's just 30 and she was prescribed clomid to try, but I think when you're older, they just skip that.

Hopefully you can get your bloods redone at the right time and this will confirm ovulation x

[quote Blossom37]@bitheby I double checked about shorter cycle but she said it's 21 days from the 1st day of your period so definitely right date... I'm having another done this month to compare...[/quote]

That's not right. I'm having fertility tests done at the moment and the day you have the test done depends on the length of your cycle.

@Blossom37 How long are your cycles, on average?
Low progesterone is not necessarily your issue here, it could be that you are not ovulating and that's why your body doesn't produce pruogesterone -not because it can't.
So, as tempting as it is, don't try to do your own research, you need to discuss what your results mean with your doctor.
Most fertility issues are treatable one way or another so try to stay calm.
Best of luck! ❤️

How long are your cycles? Mine are slightly short so my 'day 21' test would fall on day 19 or 20. But if you have a 40 day cycle then you won't have even ovulated by day 21. The test needs to be done 7 days before your period comes. So you can work out if it was (hour long after your blood test did AF come?).

A level of 3 (assuming the day was correct) would mean you aren't ovulating. So trying to just increase progesterone will not work. They need to get your body ovulating.

@LondonladyTTC thank you for more details on this. That's quite interesting as the GP seemed adamant it's 21 days from first day of my period but she didn't sound convincing to be honest... if that's untrue then for goodness sake why is she a doctor 🤦🏼‍♀️

I hope it's something small and they can do it easily like just boosting progesterone and that's that but we shall see 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@VenusStarr hmmmm I'm fairly regular and tracking cycle but I seem to ovulate quite early 10/11 day of my cycle which I mentioned to the GP but she said it doesn't matter... 🤷🏼‍♀️ would be quite annoying if she's wrong 🙈

Let's hope they can sort it out for me. I won't get ivf referral as I already have one child and she said I won't get that help from nhs having one child already...

@eloiseislost yes I'm trying to be sensible and not google much or put too much faith in what I read but I have been tracking ovulation with opk and BBT and seems like I get the lh spike then temp drop and then raise around the same time soo would seem I do ovulate but the veeeery light and short periods could indicate that progesterone definitely is low... I would think but hopefully will know more with more tests...

My cycles are around 24-28 days...

@paintfairy thank you! Well I hope they can test for that or there is a way they can help if the non ovulation is the cause here so fingers crossed I guess... my GP wasn't very detailed in what tests she will do for what issues so not sure what is happening just yet as have not spoken to any specialist...

The doctor is wrong, please challenge them on this. The same happened to be (now pregnant). I had irregular periods and went to the doctors about fertility. they were adamant about testing day 21 and the result was low - this is because I wasn't ovulating due to not having a 28 day cycle. I refused to do the second 21 day test until they were able to calculate what my version of 21 days was. I found that GP's don't really know about fertility and they follow a check list without really understand each individual person. If you're not already I recommend tracking your menstrual cycle via an app like clue, and using ovulation tests so you can provide doctors with as much info as possible.

Can you post your bbt chart @Blossom37? I have 25 day cycles and ovulate on cd10/11. Agree with the others, the nurse / doctor are misinformed and they're taking the bloods on the wrong day.

It's also worth getting your cd1-5 blood tested too, so lh and fsh levels.

I used to have light, short periods but acupuncture seemed to help the flow. I still am only bleeding for 3 days though.

@sgmil that's frustrating then... I wonder if I could call and just move the test myself and see if that helps... so is that 7 days after ovulation?

@VenusStarr I'm attaching the month the blood tests were done...

I've just come off the phone with the NHS fertility centre that are doing my tests. They want my day 21 bloods done on day 19 as I usually have a 26 day cycle, so that's 7 days before predicted AF.

Happens to be tomorrow for me so I've just managed to book in.

@bitheby I think that makes more sense. I'll double check my last few cycles and try to establish closest to 7 days before AF and then change my blood test 😂