Low progesterone in pregnancy - any advice?

[Whysoserious]

Hi ladies

I'm after some information about low progesterone in pregnancy. I got my BFP after 6 months on Wednesday at 12dpo. DH and I are over the moon and shocked because we thought it would take a lot longer due to the fact that I have been spotting for 4 days before my period.

I had been to the docs about this and they discovered a cervical ectropion (an erosion that can cause bleeding outside of period, but nothing to worry about) but nothing else seemed wrong (I had a transvaginal ultrasound and an examination).

However, my bleeding was very cyclical and I started to become convicted that it was low progesterone but had not yet been tested for this. Anyway, I have now got my longed for BFP and I am terrified that if I do have low progesterone, the pregnancy won't continue for long anyway. I mentioned this when I went to see my GP and asked if I would be getting my progesterone levels checked and she said "I wouldn't know what to look for" and then asks me what happens if women are found to have low progesterone to which I to her that they are prescribed it by suppository . Seemed a little odd that she didn't know about this and I seemed to know more than her (and I really don't know a lot!)

In the end she gave me a note to take to the hospital to get a blood test (you can just turn up at the phlebotomy dept at any time and they send the results to GP). I am unsure whether to go today or if it's too soon and I should wait until after the weekend to check AF doesn't arrive and it's not chemical.

Anyway I have some questions, if anyone could answer I would be so grateful because I would like to book another apt with GP armed with more info on this.

If you have had low progesterone in pregnancy

1. were your progesterone levels tested when you found out you were pregnant?
2. at what stage were they tested?
3. what are the 'numbers' for low progesterone? (no idea how it's measured sorry)
4. what were you prescribed for this?

Thanks for reading this far! Basically any info/experience you have on this I will be eternally grateful for!

Just to clarify I usually spot for 4 days, no spotting at all this month so far!

I am not an expert, but I think that in a natural pregnancy it would be between 40 and 50. Some ivf clinics like it to be a lot higher, eg: over 100. I am currently six weeks pregnant naturally after failed ivfs but my clinic is monitoring my pregnancy and I am on one 400Mg Cyclogest pessary a day. My prog is hovering around 150. If I had been pregnant through IVF they would have me on hard core prog injections (Gestone / Prontogest) daily, and my prog would probably be over 200. That is just a matter of course for everyone at my clinic, although to be fair, my clinic has quite an aggressive approach. Similarly, I am on the pessaries not because my prog is v low, but just because they always give patients progesterone support. I'm not sure whether I am just on the pessaries (rather than injections) because I got preg naturally, or bc I am travelling and they can't fully monitor me.

I have waffled here, but just thought I'd give you all the info I know! Again, I'm not an expert. Maybe you should try to speak to an Obst or midwife when you get your results. Good luck!

Just realised I didn't properly answer your questions. My progesterone was first tested along with my hcg on the day I found out I was pregnant (a day or two after missed period). My clinic tests hcg and prog every other day for 2 or 3 weeks as prog constantly fluctuates. As I said though, this is quite an aggressive approach and when I have told GPs they are totally baffled!

Thanks for the info sweetpea - good luck with your pregnancy!

So if prog fluctuates how do the nhs test it?

I guess they just take a snapshot - good luck and let me know how you get on