Progesterone is essential for menstruation and pregnancy, working with estrogen to thicken the uterine lining. Imbalances can cause PMS, while low levels can lead to miscarriage. Progesterone can be used to prevent or improve pregnancy, and in birth control pills.
Progesterone and the menstrual cycle are closely related because menstruation could not occur without this hormone. Progesterone works with estrogen to thicken the uterine lining, and a sudden drop in progesterone causes it to leak during your menstrual period if pregnancy does not occur. This hormone is also important when pregnancy occurs, because high levels of progesterone ensure proper development of the fetus. Additionally, an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen can lead to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Some women take advantage of the relationship between progesterone and the menstrual cycle, because this hormone can both prevent and improve a pregnancy when different amounts are present.
During the follicular phase of menstruation, both progesterone and estrogen levels are quite low, but increase later, estrogen during the ovulatory phase and progesterone during the luteal phase. When a new egg matures in the follicle, progesterone and estrogen help thicken the lining of the uterus if you become pregnant, so an embryo can implant properly. Also, the progesterone level remains high to allow the fetus to develop properly and circulate blood within the uterus. Another job of this hormone during pregnancy is to create the mucus plug that protects the fetus from bacteria entering the uterus. A lack of this hormone can result in miscarriage, which is why progesterone and the menstrual cycle are both important for women wishing to carry a baby to term.
Progesterone levels rise after ovulation, and if pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels suddenly drop, causing the uterine lining to shed during menstruation. Just before the progesterone drop, though, many women suffer from PMS, which is the result of a hormonal imbalance. The progesterone level often rises at this point, which can make women feel hungrier than usual. Many women also complain of bloating just before menstruation due to progesterone’s tendency to cause the kidneys to store both water and salt. Additionally, women often notice larger, firmer breasts because the tissue enlarges due to this hormone, which is just another way progesterone works in conjunction with the menstrual cycle even after a pregnancy hasn’t occurred.
Some women take advantage of the relationship between progesterone and the menstrual cycle by adding more of this female hormone to their body to achieve various results. For example, some women can help prevent miscarriage resulting from low progesterone levels by taking pills, injections, or suppositories that contain this hormone. Other women trying to prevent pregnancy use progesterone-only birth control pills, which can thicken cervical mucus, so it’s difficult for sperm to reach the cervix. It can also thin the uterine lining, because an increase in this hormone followed by a sudden decrease prevents the lining from becoming too thick. Progesterone-only birth control pills have fewer side effects than combination pills that also contain estrogen, making them attractive to some women. Women should determine the best treatment based on the advice and supervision of their doctors.
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