Photo credit: Bundle of Joy - my baby boy Kian, by Bianca Venter

When progesterone supplementation is given to a mother, its half-life in the blood is very short.

In four minutes it begins to be excreted rapidly into the urine.

The most efficient route to take the progesterone to ensure the best blood levels and the longest survival of the progesterone in the blood is to use vaginal suppositories.

The next best route of administration is to take injections of progesterone.

The least effective is to take the progesterone by mouth.

Full article: Progesterone Levels During Pregnancy

More:
A prospective randomized comparison of intramuscular or intravaginal natural progesterone as a luteal phase and early pregnancy supplement
-- A luteal phase defect has been demonstrated in cycles stimulated using a protocol including a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). We have conducted a randomized prospective study of luteal and early pregnancy supplementation in 262 women selected for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intra-Fallopian transfer (GIFT) or zygote intra-Fallopian transfer (ZIFT). Either intramuscular progesterone in oil (50 mg/day) or intravaginal micronized progesterone (600 mg/day) was used as a luteal supplement. In association with oestradiol valerate, progesterone administration was initiated from the day before oocyte retrieval until the 12th week of pregnancy. The implantation rate just failed to reach statistical significance (P = 0.07) in favor of the group receiving intravaginal progesterone. In the latter group, we observed a higher clinical pregnancy rate (33.6 versus 26.7%, not significant). Despite lower plasma progesterone levels, a lower first-trimester abortion rate (P greater than 0.05) was found in the intravaginally treated group. Intravaginal micronized progesterone was well tolerated by all patients and appeared more effective than intramuscular progesterone in improving the implantation rate, and in decreasing the incidence of abortions in stimulated cycles including GnRHa.
A prospective randomized comparison of intramuscular or intravaginal natural progesterone as a luteal phase and early pregnancy supplement

Comparison between different routes of progesterone administration as luteal phase support in infertility treatments
-- Different routes of natural progesterone supplementation have been tried as luteal phase support in infertility treatments. Orally administered progesterone is rapidly metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract and its use has proved to be inferior to i.m. and vaginal routes. Progesterone i.m. achieves serum progesterone values that are within the range of luteal phase and results in sufficient secretory transformation of the endometrium and satisfactory pregnancy rates. The comparison between i.m. and vaginal progesterone has led to controversial results as regards the superiority of one or the other in inducing secretory endometrial transformation. However, there is increasing evidence in the literature to favor the use of vaginal progesterone. Vaginally administered progesterone achieves adequate endometrial secretory transformation but its pharmacokinetic properties are greatly dependent on the formulation used. After vaginal progesterone application, discrepancies have been detected between serum progesterone values and histological endometrial features. Vaginally administered progesterone results in adequate secretory endometrial transformation, despite serum progesterone values lower than those observed after i.m. administration, even if they are lower than those observed during the luteal phase of the natural cycle. This discrepancy is indicative of the first uterine pass effect and therefore of a better bioavailability of progesterone in the uterus, with minimal systematic undesirable effects.
Comparison between different routes of progesterone administration as luteal phase support in infertility treatments

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

You Can Get Pregnant Over 40, Naturally:
Overcoming infertility and recurrent loss in your late 30's and 40's naturally
by Sandy Robertson

-- Feeling physically, emotionally and financially drained after years of fertility treatments, Sandy Robertson started researching natural methods to enhance fertility.

This led to a specific pregnancy protocol which includes how she conceived multiple times over the age of 40 with only one fallopian tube, overcame recurrent pregnancy loss, balanced hormones, increased pelvic circulation, practiced visualization and meditation, reduced stress, and found support.

Paperback
Click to order/for more info: You Can Get Pregnant Over 40, Naturally

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Source Naturals Progesterone Cream

Progesterone has been used as therapy for PMS syndrome and for women with infertility or frequent pregnancy loss.
Is it better to take progesterone as a pill, a shot, a vaginal suppository or a cream?

All of the above forms of progesterone and progestogens have been used.

Absorption and duration of action will vary by the form of progesterone used:

Pills - peak absorption is about 1-4 hours and is cleared by 24 hours. Taking the pills with food enhances absorption.

Shots - usually given in the form of progesterone in oil, doses peak at about 12 hours after administration and take at least 48 hours or more to clear. There are depot forms of medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera®) that last at least 12 weeks which gives it its contraceptive effect.

Vaginal suppositories, cream - absorbed to peak in 4 hours and cleared by 24 hours. Sometimes mixed in cocoa butter or propylene glycol as the carrying agent. A cream is also commercially available (Crinone®).

Skin creams - creams tend not to absorb through the skin very well but alcohol-based gels are effective with a once a day application. A 10% alcohol and propylene glycol base also seems to be quite effective and clears by 24 hours.

Read the full article

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Pregnancy Over 40:
An In-depth Guide for a Safe and Healthy Pregnancy Over 40
by Kelley D Smith

-- There are a lot of reasons why women put off having children. In most cases, they prioritized their careers over their own personal life.

Others were just simply not ready for the commitment that motherhood demands. Becoming a mother is one of the most fulfilling jobs that everyone would be lucky enough to go through during their entire lifetime.

The problem is that despite the fact that this is seen by some as a gift, there are also others that see it as a tiring job – fulfilling but at some point, it can take a lot out of you.

The fact is that getting pregnant in your 40s is no easy task. The probability of conceiving alone is quite low in comparison to women who are in their 20s or early 30s.

But this does not mean that a woman in her 40s cannot bear a child. If you are in your 40s and have found out that you are pregnant, there are a lot of things that you should prepare for.

Although there are a lot of articles and other written works that say that getting pregnant in your 40s can lead to a lot of problems for both you and your child, there are still a couple of upsides to this situation.

We have an entire chapter dedicated to what you can look forward to when you are having a baby during this delicate age.

Paperback: 54 pages (Large Print)
Click to order/for more info: Pregnancy Over 40

Start reading Pregnancy Over 40 on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

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Low estrogen can give you constant headaches, little to no EWCM [egg-white cervical mucus] and long delayed ovulation and may prevent you from hanging onto a pregnancy.

The only time I don't have a headaches lately is as ovulation approaches and during the early part of my Luteal Phase (LP), before my estrogen starts to fall. During some natural monitor cycling, I had bloodwork that showed me when my estrogen was too low.

So I started a campaign to get my estrogen back up. I used Soy Isoflavones 200mg/day from day 3-10. I got some estrogen cream from my hormone doctor, 5mg Biest, and I use it every single day. This cycle, up till ovulation, I used it once/day, but once I got a +OPK, I started using it 2x/day.

I also have been drinking pomegranate juice, eating oatmeal, carrots, green beans, peas, beets, potatoes, rice and rye bread. Pre-ovulation, I took Garlic (500mg) and Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) (1,000mg). All these seemed to help to increase your estrogen.

The previous two cycles, it took me till day 29 to ovulate. But starting this campaign last cycle, I had no headaches during my LP, and my estrogen stayed over 125 as of 7 days past ovulation (dpo).

Now this cycle, I ovulated on day 19, I had plenty of EWCM (egg-white cervical mucus), and so far the headaches are better. So I know it's helping, though it may need to be tweaked more.

Other foods that raise estrogen are alfalfa, anise, apples, barley, cherries, clover, fennel, hops, licorice, parsley, red beans, sage, sesame seeds, soybeans, sprouts, wheat and yeast. Herbs are: Black Cohosh, Blessed Thistle, Red Clover, Boron and Ginseng.

What I don't know is, if some foods work better than others? I haven't been able to find any sort of break-down, just a list of foods and herbs. So I just eat what foods I like, and hope for the best!

BTW, if you are taking Vitex or False Unicorn Root, they lower estrogen.

But I hope that give you some ideas.

Now, of course, the problem with estrogen and headaches is that they can be caused by low estrogen, high estrogen or even surges of estrogen. It really depends on how your hormones affect you.

This is why some women get a migraine at ovulation, from the surge of estrogen. There is also a second surge around implantation.

You really can't know for sure without blood work, and I recommend it highly before starting to play around with herbs, etc. If your estrogen is already high, it can make your problems much worse if you work to increase it, thinking it is low...

In fact, most women have too high of estrogen at this point. It will all depend on how you process your hormones, what's normal for you. Some women sail thru peri-menopause without a problem, and some suffer terribly. Most are somewhere in between. As everything else, it's just the luck of the draw!

From the article Is Too Low of Estrogen a Problem? :

Symptoms of Low Estrogen – Hot flashes, Shortness of breath, Night sweats, Sleep disorders, insomnia, Vaginal dryness, Dry hair/skin, Hair loss, Anxiety, Mood swings, Headaches, Depression, Short term memory loss, Frequent urinary tract infections, Heart palpitations, Frequent yeast infections, Vaginal shrinking, Loss of pubic hair, Painful intercourse, Inability to reach orgasm

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Garden of Fertility: A Guide to Charting Your Fertility Signals to Prevent or Achieve Pregnancy--Naturally--and to Gauge Your Reproductive Health
by Katie Singer

-- A guide to using fertility awareness - that is, reading fertility signals in order to prevent or achieve pregnancy.

Certified fertility educator Katie Singer explains how to observe and chart fertility cycles to determine when a woman is most fertile to increase chances of conception, or to exercise birth control naturally - a method that, when followed precisely, is as effective as the Pill.

Unlike other books on fertility awareness, The Garden of Fertility also describes how to use the charts to gauge gynecological health and offers non-medical options for strengthening reproductive wellness.

This book provides all the information women never learned in sex education class, but should have.

Paperback: 320 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Garden of Fertility

What is progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone produced by the ovaries that helps prepare the uterus for pregnancy.

 It is first produced by the corpus luteum in the ovaries and later is maintained by the placenta.

What does progesterone do?
• Helps to regulate the menstrual cycle.
• Prepares the lining of the uterus for implantation.
• Keeps the lining of the uterus thick which is necessary for a successful pregnancy.
• Produces a rise in temperature after ovulation, which remains until menstruation occurs.
• Creates a nutrient rich environment for the baby by increasing glycogen and arterial blood to the lining of the uterus.
• Keeps the uterus from having contractions.
• Causes the cervix to thicken and create a mucous plug which prevents bacteria from entering the uterus.

What are normal progesterone levels?
Progesterone during menstrual cycle
Day 1-14 - greater than 1.0 to 1.5 ng/ml (US), outside the US - 3.18 - 4.77 nmol/L
Day 15-28 - 2.0 - 28 ng/ml (US), outside the US - 6.36 - 89.04 nmol/L

Progesterone during pregnancy
First Trimester: 9.0 - 47 ng/ml (US), outside the US - 28.62 - 149.46 nmol/L
Second Trimester: 17 - 147 ng/ml (US), outside the US - 54.06 - 467.46 nmol/L
Third Trimester: 55 - 200 ng/ml (US), outside the US - 174.9 - 636.0 nmol/L

Sometimes doctors will check a woman's progesterone level during pregnancy. Most doctors like to see a minimum level of 10 ng/ml (31.8 nmol/L) during the first few weeks of pregnancy. If a woman has low progesterone levels this can be an indication of a threatened miscarriage. If you are concerned about your progesterone level talk to your doctor for more information.

Source: Justmommies.com

Progesterone-like steroid medication has a variety of effects on the immune system. This type of medication:
• Blocks inflammation that can lead to scarring and damage to the placenta
• Blocks the T cells and the B cells (lymphocytes) that can cause rejection of the placenta
• Blocks the natural killer cells from releasing factors such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) that can damage the placenta and the lining of the uterus
• Prevents lymphocytes from wandering into the placenta, sticking there and doing damage
• Causes an increase in HCG production by the placenta, and HCG and progesterone block the killing power of NK cells
• Prevents prostaglandin production by the uterus and stops contractions from occurring
• Causes the cervix to produce a cervical plug that is rich in antibodies, which prevent germs and viruses from gaining access to the baby and the placenta

Source: PregnancyCharts.org

NOTE: US measurements differ from the rest of the world.
~ The conversion factor is 3.18 ~
Online Calculator: Progesterone Unit Conversion

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Pregnancy Miracle
by Lisa Olsen

-- A 279-page, instantly downloadable e-book presenting a 5-step, sure-fire, 100% guaranteed, clinically proven holistic and ancient Chinese system for permanently reversing your infertility and your partner's infertility disorders and getting pregnant quickly, naturally and safely within 2-4 months without drugs, dangerous surgeries, side effects, or expensive infertility treatments.

It's probably the most powerful infertility reversal system ever developed, and currently the best-selling e-book of its kind on the entire Web!

Here's what the author Lisa Olson had to say about her incredible program:
After 14 years of trial, error, and experimentation, I finally discovered the answer to infertility and developed a fool-proof system to getting pregnant the natural way - no drugs, or surgery necessary.

It took a lot of research to get to where I am today, to know exactly what works and what doesn't. Yes, after desperate trial and error, countless of useless treatments, disappointments, and agony, a simple holistic system opened the door to my new and much brighter life of motherhood.

I was also excited to see that my other infertility related symptoms had diminished. After years of waiting, I was finally free from Infertility! I have become a proud mother of two.

And now I'm finally revealing my secrets in this new 'encyclopedia' of pregnancy called, Pregnancy Miracle.

I will be your own personal coach, take you by the hand, and lead you through the lousy advice, hype and gimmicks... and directly to the sort of inner balance perfection that will end your battle with infertility forever and help you become a proud mother of your healthy children.


Click to order/for more info on this helpful program:
Pregnancy Miracle

For those who already checked out the Can't Get Your Dr to Prescribe Progesterone? article, and still can't find a local doctor, here's another great option!

I've found an online pharmacy that will help you figure out what you need, via saliva testing, and submit it to your current doctor.

If your doctor still refuses to help, they will find you a local doctor that will help you.


Photo credit: Traditional and Modern Medicine by spotreporting, on Flickr
Some rights reserved

They say...

The Patient Empowerment Program is a full in-depth consultation with a consultant pharmacist whereby we evaluate your symptoms, lab work of your hormones (if performed), and any other pertinent laboratory results via phone consult.

We then make an assessment and write a clinical consult note that includes recommendations for natural bioidentical hormones that you can provide to your doctor.

If you have already discussed bioidentical hormones with your doctor or if your doctor refuses to prescribe them after reviewing our recommendations, we will provide you with a referral to a physician in your area that will prescribe bio-identical hormones.

Source: Bellevuerx.com

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Infertility Journeys: Finding Your Happy Ending
by Lesley Vance

-- Tells the family-building journeys of eighteen couples who struggle with infertility and how they find their happy endings.

Written with honesty, humor, and compassion, Infertility Journeys weaves the stories of women and men together with a wealth of information about fertility treatments, and the emotional struggles couples experience.

The book offers hope, encouragement, and inspiration, helping women and men to process unmet expectations and to navigate their family-building options. Overflowing with ideas and suggestions.

Paperback: 186 pages
Click to order/for more info: Infertility Journeys

Start reading Infertility Journeys on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

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