The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle spans from ovulation at midcycle until menstruation.

The luteal phase should last for at least 12 to 14 days.

A luteal phase which is less than 10 days will have difficulty producing an environment favorable for implantation.

The luteal phase derives its name from the fact the luteinized cells from the collapsed follicle undergo a structural transformation in response to increased vascularization, a process known as luteinization.

Thereafter these two cell types produce progesterone; one of which is dependent on the secretion of luteinizing hormone.

When a pregnancy occurs, and the developing blastocyst burrows into the uterine lining, the embryo will secrete hCG [Human chorionic gonadotropin], which stimulates the ovary to produce more progesterone.

This process is called luteal rescue.

If this process happens too late or if pregnancy does not occur, LH [Luteinizing Hormone] stimulation decreases, progesterone levels decrease and uterine prostaglandins are released.

This causes the corpus luteum to shrivel.

The uterine lining, because of lack of progesterone stimulation, is shed.

Read more: Luteal Phase Defect

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Hot Flashes Warm Bottles: First-Time Mothers Over Forty
by Nancy London

-- The first prescriptive and anecdotal guidebook for the multitudes of older moms, and distills the wisdom, insight, and practical advice gathered during her years as a therapist and support group leader.

With tips for renewing physical and sexual energy, parenting after infertility and adoption, balancing career and family, and caring for elderly parents, the personal stories from these older moms are often humorous, sometimes surprising, but always reassuring.

Without exception, the reader will be left with the comforting knowledge that she is not alone on her journey.

Hot Flashes fills a much-needed place in the parenting field, at a time when more and more women are embracing motherhood later in life.

Paperback: 192 pages
Click to order/for more info: Hot Flashes Warm Bottles

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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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Photo credit: Day 183/365 Doing nothing, by Daniel Oines

Many women live through painful periods and discomfort, totally oblivious of the possibility of enlarged fibroids until their reproductive system is affected. Ms. Ann Kyobe discovered she had fibroids at 30 after two pregnancy losses and she had a premature birth by caesarean section after that.

Before this, she had lived through painful and heavy menstrual periods that lasted two weeks each time. Occasionally, Ms. Kyobe felt pain in her lower back. According to Dr. Rhona Mijumbi of International Air Ambulance, Ms. Kyobe exhibited typical signs that one could be having enlarged fibroids.

Ms. Kyobe says that she had scanty knowledge of fibroids so there was no way she could suspect anything was wrong just because her periods were painful and heavy. There are many women who have heavy or painful periods so I thought it was normal, she says. Dr. Mijumbi describes fibroids as non-cancerous swellings that grow in, on or around the walls of the uterus.

They could grow to as many as 20 or just one in varying sizes: they can be as small as a pea or as large as a basketball. The size, number, and location determine the severity and what effects they will have on their victims.

The most severe of effects are reproductive-related. They include birth by cesarean section, pregnancy loss, or failure to conceive in the first place. Frequent urination, a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen, bleeding between periods and painful sexual intercourse could also indicate their presence. If they are growing on the outer lining of the uterine walls, the fibroids could cause the stomach to bulge.

In school, we were taught that fibroids affected women above the age of 35 but the reality in the field is that although it is prevalent (in that group), even women as young as 20 are diagnosed with them, says Dr. Mijumbi.

According to Dr. Charles Kiggundu, a gynecologist at Mulago Hospital, the prevalence rate for fibroids among Ugandan women is 30 percent. This accounts for three out of every 10 women in their 30s and four out of every 10 women in their 40s.

These are however based on the women that have been diagnosed, excluding those that have not gone for a medical check-up, he says.

Dr. Mijumbi says although over time, black women have been found to be more prone to developing fibroids than their white counterparts and 20 percent of sufferers worldwide are above 40 years of age. Kiggundu further explains that women who give birth late or have few children are more prone to fibroids.

This highlights the fact that the more affluent woman who takes a longer part of her life studying, making money and thus gives birth later in life to fewer children is at a higher risk of suffering from fibroids.

A hormone, estrogen favors the growth of fibroids while another called progesterone, which is produced in large amounts during pregnancy helps counter the possibility of developing fibroids. The earlier one bears children, therefore, the more progesterone they produce in their bodies which helps reduce their chances of developing fibroids, explains Dr. Kiggundu.

Having this in mind, many women have been driven to seek male companions in a rush to stop the hand of nature. Ms. Julia Nabunya says that when her 42-year-old aunt found out she had fibroids, she advised her to get a baby as soon as possible to avoid developing them as well.

Thus, at 22, Ms. Nabunya got pregnant, not caring much about who she picked for her child's father. Although early birth may reduce the risk of getting fibroids, there is no definite way to prevent them.

At best, the doctors advise medical examinations if any of the symptoms are experienced so that if fibroids are found early, one can plan on how to manage pregnancy, for example.

There are cases where we advise women to give birth early, but not to prevent them as some women think, Dr. Mijumbi says. It is instead to ensure that one gives birth before the fibroids are too big to interfere with pregnancy.

In other cases, the fibroids are cut out if found severe and causing a lot of complications. At worst, the entire uterus is removed. According to doctors, fibroids are not known to have any direct effect on fertility but rather interfere with conception and pregnancy depending on their size and location.

If a fibroid is located at the entrance of the uterus or is blocking the fallopian tube(s) and is big enough to cause blockage, the sperm and ova might not get to meet and thus there is no fertilization, Dr. Paul Ssemugoma of International Medical Centre says.

Dr Mijumbi adds that in cases where a fibroid grows at the entrance to the womb, sex could be painful and delivery complicated resulting into birth by cesarean.

This is an example where we would need to operate and remove the fibroids but we can't operate when one is pregnant so we wait and see whether the foetus survives long enough to be delivered by caesarean then operate later before their next pregnancy, she explains.

The other instance where they are removed is when a swelling twists on its stalk. Fibroids have a stalk attached to the uterine wall. When one of the fibroid swellings begins to twist on its stalk, it causes unbearable pain. In that case, surgery to remove the fibroid has to be carried out.

Fibroid swellings thrive on estrogen - a female hormone produced by the ovaries which increases in the body during ovulation, menstruation, and pregnancy. They enlarge during heavy surges of the hormone in the body causing heavy and painful periods as they expand and contract.

Some patients are in fact injected with estrogen free hormones to hinder the development of the fibroids but this hormone impacts negatively on their fertility rates, says Dr. Mijumbi.

During pregnancy, they enlarge and if they are growing on the inner walls into the uterus, they compete for space with the fetus and usually win thus causing pregnancy losses or premature births. In most cases though, even when the doctors diagnose fibroids, the patients are left to live with them.

They are usually small and harmless save for the painful and heavy periods that most women can live with taking painkillers, says Dr Ssemugoma. Otherwise, the fibroids die out with menopause because the ovaries stop producing the estrogen they thrive on.

REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE:
It happened to me: Grace Areymo a 49-year-old mother of five shared her experiences with Winifred Agudo. When I was growing up, this complication was attributed to women who decided not to give birth. This was to change drastically in 1998 when my menstrual cycle became constantly heavier, more painful and would last two weeks.

I immediately sought medical help and fortunately, a female doctor attended to me. She recommended antibiotics for one week, thinking it was an infection. A week later, with no improvement, I was forced to see the doctor again, this time around however, it was a male doctor.

He prescribed pills for my pain for 30 days, thinking it was a hormonal imbalance. I was fooled into thinking the problem was gone when the bleeding stopped, but my next period was very painful so I was advised to see a gynecologist.

After several tests and sound scan in 2000, I was diagnosed with fibroids. My first reaction was shocked because society always had it that fibroids exist among Nuns and women who deliberately refuse to give birth, besides I am a mother. Since then my abdomen has gradually expanded so much, that it is uncomfortable.

People who knew me before keep wondering what happened and this has put pressure on me to look like did before. Thinking back now, remember this complication could have started when was in my 30s, though I ignored it then.

I have tried some preventive methods like herbal medicine, which has slightly reduced the size of my tummy. I am still hesitant to have an operation because of the side effects.

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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

Photo Credit: Dioscorea esculenta (Lour.) Burkill, by Ahmad Fuad Morad

QUESTION: I had a question about something you wrote:

Interestingly enough, if wild yam is taken in small doses (a cup of tea or 10-20 drops of the tincture daily from onset of menses until mid-period) it increases fertility!

In either case, the effect seems to be triggered by the large amount of hormone-like substances found in this root. 

When taken daily, these substances may be converted into progesterone, thus decreasing the possibility of conception.

It was my understanding that this was a common misconception about dioscorea, but that it actually does not affect the hormones in any way in its natural state.

My understanding was that there are components in Dioscorea (such as diosgenin) that can be made into synthetic progesterone, but that this conversion process does not naturally happen in the body, it must be done in a lab.

For that reason, taking wild yam in hopes to alter or affect hormone levels is useless.

Susun's response:
Thanks for your note. The field of plants and hormones is expanding by leaps and bounds, but we are still far from understanding what happens in the body when we eat certain plants.

Of course, I mostly speak from experience, not only mine but those of thousands of women over thousands of years.

Many plants, especially large starchy roots, contain phytoestrogen and phytosterols.

These substances are most definitely converted into hormones in the human body and numerous studies attest to it.

They must, however, be fermented out of the plants by gut action and some people have too little gut flora to manage the job.

There is no progesterone, or any other hormone, in wild yam, but your body can make hormones out of it if it is taken internally.

Which hormones are up to your body, so I may be wrong when I say progesterone will be the result. But there will be a strong effect on hormones.

Check out my book New Menopausal Years: the Wise Woman Way for an article I did debunking wild yam creams. I certainly agree with you completely as far as external use is concerned.

Green Blessings, Susun Weed
From: SusunWeed.com

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Healthworks Raw Maca Powder

What is Maca?
Maca is a cruciferous root vegetable indigenous to the high Andean mountain plateaus of Peru. Also called Peruvian Ginseng Maca is an exceptionally hardy plant growing where no other crops can survive.

At altitudes of 14,000 ft., Maca must endure extreme conditions ranging from freezing cold, fierce winds, to intense sunlight, often all within a period of 24 hours.

Herbalists believe that resilient plants are especially valuable from a medicinal perspective and in this category, Maca knows no equal.

What is Maca for?
Maca promotes fertility, and helps to balance your hormones.

It increases sperm count, motility, and volume by 200%; increases follicle size, and helps your eggs to mature. It also helps with erectile dysfunction, increasing desire, and interest.

It is great for increasing your progesterone numbers, and helps to prevent miscarriage.

How much Maca should I take?
My research says you need to take at least 1,500 mg to be worthwhile. After that, you need to decide for yourself how much is right for you.

The Peruvians who discovered Maca take an average of 3,000-5,000 mg/day.

Some women have posted that 500 mg feels perfect for them. I have been increasing my dose month by month and find the real difference came at 2 tsp of powder/day for me.

Healthworks Raw Maca Powder

When in your cycle should you take Maca?
Quote: Because Maca is not replacing hormones, it is fine to start using this product at any time and to stop at any time without danger to the body.

It can be used on and off without fear of causing adrenal, ovarian or erectile dysfunction.

Quote: While some people notice marked improvement in energy and well-being quickly (within 7 to 10 days), others respond more slowly (after 4 weeks), as the endocrine system responds to the support and balancing Maca provides.

If there is not a significant improvement in the way you feel after one week on the initial dose, you may increase the amount taken by a small amount each week until an improvement is noticed.

The total daily amount taken should not exceed three teaspoons (15 grams), except on the advice of a health professional.

Is there anyone who should not take Maca?
QUOTE: Women with a hormonally related cancer, such as an estrogen receptive breast cancer, or those with endometriosis are discouraged from using Maca.

Women using estrogen blockers such as Tamoxifen should not use products that affect estrogen levels. Men with a hormonally related cancer, such as prostate cancer are discouraged from using Maca.

QUOTE: Women who have been on HRT for years may respond more slowly from ovarian atrophy. One physician tapers his patients off HRT over two weeks while having them ingest 6 capsules per day of Maca.

Organic Maca Root

Men with high PSA levels or prostate cancer, and women with breast or other hormonal related cancers should avoid Maca.

Anyone with liver disease should probably avoid it also.
Naturally, anyone with an allergy to Maca should not take it, either.

QUOTE: People who suffer of high pressure and everyone who has heart troubles.

QUOTE: Contraindications. Do not take Maca if you suffer any glandular cancers, except under the supervision of a herbal specialist.

Men should not take Maca if they are suffering from an enlarged prostate, or prostate or testicular cancer. Women suffering from any hormone-related cancers should avoid Maca.

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future
by David Wolfe

-- Superfoods are vibrant, nutritionally dense foods that have recently become widely available and which offer tremendous dietary and healing potential.

In this lively, illustrated overview, well-known raw-foods guru David Wolfe profiles delicious and incredibly nutritious plant products such as goji berries, hempseed, cacao beans (raw chocolate), maca, spirulina, bee products, and a host of others.

As powerful sources of clean protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, good fats and oils, essential fatty and amino acids, and other nutrients, they represent a uniquely promising piece of the nutritional puzzle.

Each superfood is described in detail, accompanied by easy and delicious recipes.

This accessible guide presents persuasive arguments, based on sound science, for the pivotal role of superfoods in promoting nutritional excellence, health and well-being, beauty enhancement, sustainable agriculture, and the transformation of diet, lifestyle, and planet.

Paperback: 352 pages
Click to order/for more info: Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future

Start reading Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

---

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.

---

Photo credit: Traditional and Modern Medicine, by Spot US

When I couldn't find a doctor to give me progesterone, I looked for an alternative.

I spoke with a lady that works in our local health food store, and she suggested I look into a doctor who specializes in Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, (also known as BART or Bio-identical HART).

This is how I found one: I simply looked in the local Yellow Pages for a compounding pharmacy - it usually says so right in their ad.

This is just a regular main-stream pharmacy, but they are licensed to make up special prescriptions. They specially dose, flavor, and mix medications for patients as per a doctor's prescription - like bio-identical hormones.

Or you can check out the list of compounding pharmacies, Canadian Compounding Pharmacies or through Project Aware.

Then I called their pharmacist and asked for a list of local hormone doctors. These hormone doctors usually work with menopausal women, testing and prescribing hormones for them. But hormones are hormones, after all!

The hormone doctor I found was willing to help me anyhow. He tests my hormones regularly and prescribes me what I need.

Just an idea to try...

More:
Are Bio-Identical Hormones For You?
Often referred to as BART uses hormones natural to the human body to replace hormones that are out of balance. BART can relieve the symptoms of Menopause and PMS in women
What Does Bio-Identical Mean?
Bio-Identical hormones are natural to your body. They are non-synthetic, and have no animal byproducts to cause additional side effects. These hormones are not drugs but supplements derived from plant sources like soy beans and yams. We compound Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapies (BART) identical to the hormones produced in the human body. So you get a supplement easily recognized by the body and has no contaminants like the synthetic and commercially available products. This means lower doses and fewer side effects.

Read more: Human Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Inconceivable: A Woman's Triumph over Despair and Statistics
by Julia Indichova

-- A memoir of hope for the thousands of women struggling with infertility, from one who beat the odds by simply tuning in to her body and tapping her well of sheer determination.

At a time when more and more women are trying to get pregnant at increasingly advanced ages, fertility specialists and homeopathic researchers boast endless treatment options.

But when Julia Indichova made the rounds of medical doctors and nontraditional healers, she was still unable to conceive a child.

It was only when she forsook their financially and emotionally draining advice, turning inward instead, that she finally met with reproductive success. Inconceivable recounts this journey from hopeless diagnoses to elated motherhood.

Anyone who has faced infertility will relate to Julia's desperate measures: acupuncture, unidentifiable black-and-white pellets, herb soup, foul-smelling fruit, even making love on red sheets.

Five reproductive endocrinologists told her that there was no documented case of anyone in her hormonal condition getting pregnant, forcing her to finally embark on her own intuitive regimen.

After eight caffeine-free, nutrient-rich, yoga-laden months, complemented by visualization exercises, Julia received amazing news; incredibly, she was pregnant.

Nine months later she gave birth to a healthy girl.

Paperback: 208 pages
Click to order/for more info: Inconceivable

Start reading Inconceivable on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

---

Photo Credit: Concern, by mgaffney / Michael Gaffney

Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition affecting, to some degree at least, up to 75% of all women at some time in their menstruating years.

It usually occurs from 2 - 14 days prior to menstruation, and is thought to be primarily a problem of inappropriate hormone secretion or inappropriate bodily response to hormones (receptor site defects or enzyme defects at cell surfaces).

Symptoms are many and varied, often inconsistent from month to month and affected by many different factors.

They include tension and irritability, headaches, decreased or increased energy, insomnia, fatigue, breast swelling and pain, bloating, bowel disturbance, acne, sweet or salt cravings and depression. There is a wide spectrum of symptoms in PMS but some common underlying hormonal states include:

Unusually high estrogen and low progesterone levels 5-10 days before menses (common)
Low estrogen and high progesterone levels 5 - 10 days before menses (less common)

• Elevated Prolactin levels.

• Elevated FSH levels 6 - 9 days before the period.

• Elevated Aldosterone levels 2 - 8 days before the period.

• Hypothyroidism

• Hormone Imbalances

The imbalance of estrogen and progesterone may be due to a disruption of the normal feedback systems that control the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis or to a dysfunction of any one of these glands (most commonly the ovaries).

This is commonly considered to indicate a deficiency or failure of the corpus luteum and points to the use of ovarian tonic herbs (Anemone pulsatilla, Chamaelirium luteum) for treatment.

It may also be that the ovaries are functioning fine, but hepatic metabolism and excretion of estrogens is impaired.

Dr Morton Biskind in the 1940s showed that B vitamin deficiencies caused liver impairment and accumulation of estrogens that contribute to PMS, fibro-cystic breast disease and menorrhagia.

B vitamins, in particular B6, are required for the hepatic metabolism of estrogens prior to excretion and it is reasonable to extrapolate that B vitamin deficiency contributes to estrogen loading and PMS in a significant way. Estrogen therapy and the birth control pill are known to contribute to cholestasis (the so-called sluggish liver) and so there may be a vicious cycle where B vitamin deficiency causes diminished estrogen clearance and elevated estrogen impairs liver function.

Bitter hepatic stimulants and cholagogues are called for here (Taraxacum off., Berberis vulgaris, Fumaria off., Arctium lappa, Curcuma longa), along with nutritional co-factors such as B vitamins, methionine, phosphatidyl choline, inositol, N-acetyl-cysteine and glutathione.

Source: Medherb.com

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Fertility Diet: Groundbreaking Research Reveals Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation and Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant
by Jorge Chavarro, Walter Willett, Patrick Skerrett

-- Reveals startling new research from the landmark Nurses' Health Study, which shows that the food you eat can boost your fertility.

The book prescribes ten simple changes in diet and activity that can increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Groundbreaking findings into changes you can put into practice today, setting the stage for a healthy pregnancy and forming the foundation for an eating strategy that will serve you well for the rest of your life.

The Fertility Diet also offers a week's worth of meal plans and delicious recipes that will make following the guidelines easy and tasty.

Paperback: 288 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Fertility Diet

Start reading The Fertility Diet on your Kindle in under a minute!

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

---

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

Can't find a doctor to order your hormone tests, beta, etc?

There is an online site that offers to help you out!

NOTE: Due to state billing laws, PrivateMD Labs cannot provide services in NY, NJ, MA, MD or RI.

Private MD Lab Services delivers state-of-the art lab procedures directly to the public - confidentially, conveniently, and affordably - complete with a physician's order and no hidden fees.

Questions on how to order? Click here to get started or call us toll-free at 1-877-283-7882. Our certified professionals are standing by to assist you.

Once your order has been processed, you will receive an email confirming your order has been processed and a secure email with your lab requisition papers. After printing your lab requisition papers, which is your physician's order, you may proceed to the Patient Service Center of your choice for specimen collection. No appointment is necessary.

Once your lab tests are complete (usually within 24 hours after collection), Private MD Lab Services will notify you via email that your lab results are ready to view and provide you with a secure link to view and/or download your results.

The page for Female Specific Tests offers a Qualitative Beta (yes/no) (HCG) at $49.00.

More tests:
• Estradiol (E2) at $47.99
• Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH) at $44.49
• Combined Follicle-stimulating Hormone/Luteinizing Hormone (FSH/LH) at $54.99
• Progesterone (P4) at $44.49
• Total Estrogens at (E1, E2, E3) at $49.99
(All prices quoted in US dollars)

They even offer a Lab Locator, so you can find a lab near you to go get your blood work done.
(Their service is only available in the US, sorry.)

Photo credit: datarec
Some rights reserved

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
A Few Good Eggs: Two Chicks Dish on Overcoming the Insanity of Infertility
by Julie Vargo and Maureen Regan

-- We are bombarded by images of blissful older mothers, such as Madonna and Celine Dion. But Hollywood articles about pregnancy and fertility at middle age gloss over the tremendous amount of financial, emotional, and physical effort faced by couples struggling to conceive.

Ranges from technical to humorous and everything in between. What are good, snappy comebacks to the question, Why aren't you pregnant? What is the difference between gonadotrophin releasing hormone and progesterone? Should you freeze your eggs?

These questions and many more are answered, and in the tone of a couple of good friends. Between them, the authors have gone through hormone treatments, pregnancy losses and multiple inseminations -- so they know firsthand the roller-coaster ride of trying to achieve pregnancy.

Paperback: 416 pages
Click to order/for more info: A Few Good Eggs

Start reading A Few Good Eggs 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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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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