Low progesterone levels in early pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, as the hormone is necessary for fetal development and maintaining proper blood circulation. Light vaginal bleeding or spotting is a common sign of low progesterone levels, but not all doctors recommend testing or supplementation as it may not prevent miscarriage caused by other factors.
Progesterone is a hormone released by the female body after ovulation and remains at high levels during a healthy pregnancy. When a woman’s progesterone levels are low in early pregnancy, supplements may be needed to prevent a miscarriage, because progesterone is needed to help the fetus develop. Light vaginal bleeding, often called spotting, is a common sign of low progesterone levels in pregnancy, and this symptom often precedes a miscarriage. Pregnant women who suspect problems with their progesterone levels can ask their doctor to test their levels and prescribe progesterone supplementation if needed.
The corpus luteum produces progesterone after ovulation to thicken the uterus in preparation for pregnancy. If there is no pregnancy, progesterone levels drop and the thick uterine lining is shed during menstruation. When pregnancy occurs, the levels rise, but the job of producing progesterone is taken over by the placenta around the 10th week of pregnancy. Healthy levels of progesterone in pregnancy allow the fetus to develop and also to maintain proper blood circulation through the uterus. Additionally, this hormone can prevent the body from treating the embryo as a foreign object and can stop uterine contractions, both of which are reasons why low levels can result in miscarriage.
Low progesterone is often considered one of the most common causes of an early miscarriage. The typical sign of an impending miscarriage is light bleeding, or spotting, where light pink or brown blood appears in your underwear or on toilet paper when you wipe after urinating. When spotting is accompanied by severe cramping and loss of typical pregnancy symptoms, women are encouraged to call their doctor to check on the feasibility of pregnancy. Spotting is often caused by part of the uterine lining shedding due to decreased progesterone levels, which can make it difficult for an embryo to implant and lead to a miscarriage. In some cases, spotting can occur without miscarriage, and the progesterone level may be just enough to continue the pregnancy normally.
Women concerned about low progesterone levels in pregnancy can request a test from their doctor. This usually involves a blood test and the results are usually available within a day. If the level is low, some doctors offer progesterone injections, pills, or suppositories to help prevent an early miscarriage. However, not all doctors recommend testing for or treating low progesterone levels in pregnancy, because many in the medical community say supplementation has little effect on the potential for miscarriage. Their theory is that a decreased level of this hormone is an indication that a miscarriage may occur for other reasons, such as a chromosomal abnormality, rather than the decrease being the cause.
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