If you are undergoing IVF, you would know that your doctor will be recommending several hormonal injections and tablets for your treatment. Progesterone is one of those medications.
During IVF, your doctor will administer progesterone to ensure your uterus is at its best when it receives the embryo during embryo transfer. Progesterone plays a major role in your successful IVF pregnancy.
In this article, we will look into the importance fo progesterone in IVF pregnancy and what factors can influence your progesterone levels. This can help you maintain adequate progesterone levels during embryo transfer and ensure a successful pregnancy.
Importance Of Progesterone Level For Embryo Transfer
Whether it is a pregnancy through natural intercourse or through fertility treatments, progesterone hormone is essential to ensure a successful implantation and healthy development of the baby throughout the pregnancy.
Below are some reasons why adequate progesterone levels are important for an embryo transfer.
Helps thicken the endometrium
During embryo transfer, your endometrium needs to be thick enough to cushion the incoming embryo and implant it successfully. Progesterone stimulates the endometrium to thicken and develop endometrial tissues for a successful implantation.
Increases blood flow to the uterus
Progesterone helps increase blood flow to the uterus. This ensures the incoming embryo will have sufficient blood supply and also get enough nutrients for its implantation and growth.
The required progesterone levels will differ for each woman. Your doctor will assess your hormonal and fertility condition and determine how much progesterone hormones you need for a successful pregnancy.
Factors That Can Influence Progesterone Levels
Every month, the progesterone levels in your body will naturally fluctuate and rise up and down. This is due to your menstrual cycles and ovulation. This is a natural phenomenon and does not affect your fertility or pregnancy.
However, here are some factors that can adversely affect your progesterone levels and affect fertility.
Certain health conditions
Certain health conditions like PCOS, tumors, ovarian dysfunction, etc., can affect your progesterone secretion and lower the levels, affecting fertility.
Certain medications
Certain medications like birth control pills, rings, patches, etc., have a hormone called progestin, a synthetic variety of progesterone. This can affect natural progesterone production.
Unhealthy lifestyle choices
Excess stress, unhealthy foods, and a sedentary lifestyle can affect your hormone balance and affect progesterone levels.
Need Of Consulting Your Doctor
A low progesterone level can impact your fertility and affect your chances of pregnancy. During your IVF treatment, it is necessary to routinely check your progesterone levels and see whether they are adequate.
If your doctor finds you have a lower progesterone level, they will suggest your certain medications. Take them on time. Remember, your fertility doctor knows your body condition best. Do, don’t refuse and follow the medications and safety measures they suggest.
Conclusion
Your hormones play a significant role in a successful IVF pregnancy. Not just progesterone, there are other hormones like estrogen, hCG, etc., who all work together to ensure a successful pregnancy.
So, talk with your doctor, learn about adequate hormone levels, and see what you can do if you have a lower progesterone level.
The optimal progesterone level for pregnancy can vary for each woman. On average, you need to have a progesterone hormone level of 22–31 ng/ml.
The average progesterone level required for implantation falls between 22–31 ng/ml. Your fertility doctor will assess your progesterone level and administer medications if you have insufficient progesterone levels.
During embryo transfer, your endometrium needs to be thick enough to cushion the incoming embryo and implant it successfully. Progesterone stimulates the endometrium to thicken and develop endometrial tissues for a successful implantation.
Certain health conditions like PCOS, tumors, ovarian dysfunction, etc., can affect your progesterone secretion and lower the levels, affecting fertility.
