Progesterone cream or gel - has this helped anyone conceive?

[KiwiKat]

Does it have to be prescribed by a doctor, and do you know what any side effects are? Can it be detrimental in any way to a pregnancy? Your advice and experience would be very welcome.

bump.

Hi kiwi,

Don?t know much, but this?ll bump it for you.

I?m pretty sure it has to be prescribed. I know its used for various things, to supplement in the luteal phase, and, once there is a pregnancy confirmed, where there?s a risk of miscarriage due to low prog levels. I think it helps to support the uterus lining and implantation.

tt x

Thanks Tetley. (waves) x

Hi there. No answers either, really, but I'm interested to watch this thread as I'm considering using prog cream as well. I have a short luteal phase (7-8 days) and I'm hoping that prog cream might help to extend it a bit (plus I've just had quite a low prog blood test, I think...). I'm definitely no expert, but I know you can buy the 'natural' prog creams online. I found this website about how to use it, but I must confess I don't know if the site has any credentials. I was intending to self-medicate with prog cream next cycle, but actually I saw a different GP today who seemed much more inclined than the last one to refer me to a specialist, so I might wait and talk to someone first. I don't think the 'natural' creams have too many side effects (there's a bit about it on that website), but the thing I was concerned about was whether you could stop taking the cream once you'd got a BFP, or whether you needed to take it throughout your pregnancy. Also, the trouble with just taking it, I suppose, is that you might not be addressing any underlying problems. Can I ask why you think you might need it??

Hello Elusive Moose, I temp very low, both before and during the luteal phase, my hair is falling out rather more than I think it should, I get absolutely demonic PMT, and we've been ttc for a long time with no success - although not greatly assisted by me being elderly, I'll admit. We're seeing a specialist who can't see any reason why it's not happening, as everything's in working order, and I have a gut feeling that this is what it is. I'll ring the specialist and have a chat to them about it, if I can get through - they're booked up a loooong way in advance.

Re your situation, I've heard that Agnus Castus can be helpful to lengthen the luteal phase.

Hello, what are you calling "elderly" btw?! I'm soon to be 35. A doctor won't see me yet - we've only been TTC for two months! I have a bit of premenstrual spotting (2-3 days) and I've always thought this was pretty normal. Now I'm being told on one hand that it's more or less a definite sign of endometriosis and it IS something to be concerned about, or on the other hand if I've always had it, nothing to worry about. I've started taking Agnus Castus anad a B complex to see if that does anything.

By the way, being new to all this, is there a page where I can get to the bottom of these bewildering abbreviations?

There's a link called acronyms at top of page that will help.

Hi, in answer to the question of do you need to keep taking progesterone through pregnancy, you need to take it from ovulation through to about the 12th week of pregnancy. If you stop it before the 12th week you are at risk of causing m/c, from about week 10 the placenta takes over progesterone production rather than the corpus luteum.

Remember not to take the progesterone before ovulation only after!

I had five early miscarriages in the last 18 months, this time I took progesterone suppositories from the day I got a positive test, and this time my pregnancy seems to be doing ok, could be co-incidence but I don't think so!