Measuring hormone levels during pregnancy is a way of monitoring the health and interactions of the mother and child. Variations in the hormone levels can signal a broad variety of disorders or genetic mutations, according to Medical News Today. Understanding some of the contributing factors for decreasing hormone levels during pregnancy can guide expectant mothers to the appropriate care response.
Thyroid Disorders
In a normal pregnancy, thyroid production levels and iodide in the blood are on the rise to provide for the baby. According to "The Thyroid and its Diseases," however, in women who have thyroid disorders, production levels go awry and iodide levels are reduced. This condition can lead to goiters until the end of the first trimester when the baby's own thyroid gland begins to work and can offset the mother's causes of low hormone levels.
Genetic Mutation
According to University of North Carolina researchers featured in Medical News Today, a genetic mutation has been linked to lowered levels of adrenomedullin during pregnancy. The mutation prevents the body from producing adequate amounts of adrenomedullin over the course of the pregnancy. This can lead to poor implantation of the embryo at the beginning of the pregnancy as well as preeclampsia in the third trimester.
Mother's Age
The University of Maryland Medical Center has linked the progressive loss of eggs and estrogen production power as women age to lower hormone levels during pregnancy. Older mother are thus more likely to have less estrogen to share with their children. This means that supplemental estrogen may need to be taken by women who test low for estrogen at the beginning of pregnancy.
Ectopic Pregnancy or Miscarriage
According to the American Pregnancy Association, human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, levels are designed to rise throughout a normal pregnancy. If there is an ectopic pregnancy or a possible miscarriage underway, hCG levels fall. The American Pregnancy Association notes that decreased hormone levels in this case should be closely monitored with updates every 48 to 72 hours to determine final causality, as an ectopic pregnancy may require a surgical response.
