Is it possible to be pg with very low progesterone levels?

[Chloe55]

To cut a long story short, already have one 4yr old but having problems TTC since. Started seeing a specialist in Dec and after multiple tests went back to specialist for results yesterday. Apparantly I have PCOS and had a level of 2.1 progesterone on CD22 according to the blood tests. The doc said it should be nearer 25 if I had ovulated.

Problem is I have been nauseaous for over a week, am approx a week late for my period (although they are not exactly like clockwork) and have the most horrendous mood swings.

We had to wait for the nurse to return with my progesterone level result and before she did the doc suggested we do a pg test as I was showing strong signs of pregnancy, however, when she saw the levels she didn't mention the test again and said I hadn't ovulated this month.

Since googling about PCOS and Clomid etc I have come across women who have found out they were 5 wks pg with levels of progesterone under 5 and that they have needed supplements to ensure they don't miscarriage.

Does anyone know whether there is still a chance I may be pg because if so I must need to go back to doc asap, don't want to question the specialist though. Thanks

Still no period but lower back ache last night.....

no idea sorry - have never heard of this happening. could you take a test?

Hi Chloe

I also have PCOS. You could test to be sure but it's only likely to be +ve if your blood test was wrong (not unheard of). A level of 2.1 is very low indeed and does I believe mean that ovulation had not taken place when the test was done (but I'm not a dr, just someone who has got quite obsessed with researching PCOS-related stuff in the past! My progesterone used to come back at 1 or 2 as well).

As for your googling, were those women in the US? In the US they measure progesterone in ng/ml, whereas your measurement would have been in nmol/L. The conversion is something like, ng/ml x 3.18= nmol/L (I think) so a woman with a progesterone level of 5ng/ml would actually have a level of over 15nmol/L.

You could of course still have ovulated and conceived after the blood test, but I'm not sure if that accords with the timing of your symptoms. Lack of ovulation would explain the lack of period although maybe not the other symptoms.

Your body may still be getting ready to ovulate. To give you a bit of hope, you can ovulate late in your cycle and still conceive. My cycle disappeared and then came back totally haywire after my miscarriage last year, but I then conceived on cycle day 50 of a super long cycle, and am now 17wks.

Did the dr give you good information about PCOS? There is lots you can do. Are you under the care of a good Gynae / fertility Consultant?

Wishing you lots of luck with TTC going forward.

Thanks for your replies. Interesting you should ask if the sites were american, they very well could be which would explain things for me.

Well, I did do a test 2 dys ago to put my mind at ease, it was negative which I expected to be honest. Have finally come on today which I am quite thankful for as not sure how much more bloat and PMS I could take before it happened!