Progesterone is a critical hormone for pregnancy, and some people choose to take progesterone supplements to help ensure they can support a pregnancy. If you take progesterone supplements, you can still use Oova.
How does progesterone relate to pregnancy?
Progesterone helps prepare the uterine lining for an embryo to implant. When an egg is released from the ovary during ovulation, it forms a structure around the egg known as the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum begins to release progesterone. Progesterone is responsible for making the uterine lining thick and sticky. If an egg gets fertilized and forms an embryo, it will be able to nestle into the lining and continue to grow.
However, if insufficient progesterone is available, the lining will never get thick, and even if an egg does get fertilized, the embryo will not be able to find an excellent spot to grow. This is where progesterone supplementation comes in.
Why do women take progesterone supplements?
Progesterone supplements are typically suggested to patients struggling to get pregnant, having recurrent pregnancy loss or ovulatory disorders, or in conjunction with assisted reproductive treatment (i.e., in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, frozen embryo transfer, etc.). Sometimes women experience a deficiency in progesterone in the second half of the menstrual cycle, known as the luteal phase defect.
Many doctors supplement women attempting to achieve pregnancy with progesterone to limit the risk of pregnancy loss due to insufficient progesterone.
What is progesterone supplementation?
Progesterone supplementation is a prescription medication taken after ovulation. The uterine lining reacts to the progesterone medication and begins to thicken to prepare it for pregnancy. In IVF cycles, supplementation is even more critical because there may not be enough natural progesterone made by the ovary.
Progesterone may be prescribed in one of three forms:
- Vaginal gel
- Vaginal tablet
- Intramuscular injection
Will Oova still work if I'm taking progesterone supplements?
Yes, Oova will still work if you're taking progesterone supplements.
The impact of supplements on Oova’s results depends on whether you take oral progesterone or topical. If progesterone is in your body, it may appear on the Oova test as we measure the amount of PdG (a progesterone metabolite) your body excretes daily. Everyone metabolizes these hormones differently, which may or may not significantly impact your PdG readings.
It is still helpful to monitor your progesterone while on the supplements to ensure they are working correctly.