Progesterone

You need to provide

Blood

This test is for

Male, Female

Test Preparation

No special preparation is required.
Specify age, sex and menopausal status on test request form for sample collection.

Understanding Progesterone

What is Progesterone?

A progesterone test is a blood test that measures its level in the blood. Progesterone plays an important role in pregnancy and fertility. Men also make progesterone but in much smaller amounts.
A progesterone test is used to find the cause of infertility in both men & women, monitor a high-risk pregnancy, find out the days of ovulation, and diagnose an ectopic pregnancy. The levels greater than normal can be indicative of ovarian cancer and cysts apart from pregnancy. If progesterone levels do not rise and fall on a monthly basis, a woman may not be ovulating nor having regular menstrual periods. This may be a cause of infertility.
The progesterone levels keep on fluctuating throughout your pregnancy and menstrual cycle, you may need to be retested several times.

What is Progesterone used for?

To identify the cause of female infertility by helping track ovulation (release of egg from ovary)
To help diagnose an ectopic pregnancy (a condition where the fertilized egg is implanted somewhere other than the uterus)
To monitor the treatment with progesterone hormone
To monitor the health of the fetus and placenta, especially in high risk pregnancy
To determine the cause of abnormal bleeding from the uterus

Interpreting Progesterone results

Interpretations

If the result of a single progesterone test falls outside the normal range, it cannot be considered an abnormal result since progesterone levels change continuously. Abnormal results appear if the patient’s blood progesterone levels fall outside the normal range in multiple subsequent tests.

Apart from pregnancy, higher than normal progesterone levels can be seen in cases of:

· Ovarian cysts

· Ovarian cancer

· Molar pregnancy or non-viable pregnancy

· Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)

· Adrenal cancer

Lower than normal progesterone levels can be seen in cases of:

· Amenorrhea or no menstruation

· Anovulation

· Ectopic pregnancy

· Miscarriage or death of fetus

Answers to Patient Concerns & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Progesterone

Frequently Asked Questions about Progesterone

Q. Is there any risk associated with this test?

There is no risk associated with the test. However, since this test involves a needle prick to withdraw the blood sample, in very rare cases, a patient may experience increased bleeding, hematoma formation (blood collection under the skin), bruising or infection at the site of needle prick.

Q. What factors can affect the progesterone test results?

The factors which can affect the progesterone test results are: · Certain medications like steroids, birth control pills, ampicillin, clomiphene etc. · Recent exposure to radioactive substances, as in the case of undergoing imaging scans like Thyroid Scan or Bone scan · Time of day as progesterone levels fluctuate during day · Phase of menstrual cycle

Q. What other tests can be prescribed by your doctor in case of abnormal progesterone result?

Additional tests that may be prescribed in case of abnormal progesterone test result are: · Estrogen Test · hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) Test · Luteinising Hormone (LH) Test · Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Test · Uterine Ultrasound