Every woman hopes for a healthy pregnancy that will result in labor and a birth free of medical problems. While there are a variety of things you can do to help promote your health as well as the health of your fetus, things can still go wrong, including your body not producing enough of certain hormones. The hormone progesterone plays a vital role in supporting a fertilized egg, and there are certain signs to look for that may indicate low progesterone early in your pregnancy.
Ectopic Pregnancy
While low progesterone doesn't cause an ectopic pregnancy - or a fertilized egg that attaches somewhere in your body other than your uterus - this type of pregnancy is usually a sign that you have lower than normal levels of progesterone early in the first weeks of your pregnancy. Lab Tests Online notes that testing for an ectopic pregnancy may rely on progesterone levels for diagnosis. You are more at risk of having an ectopic pregnancy if you have pelvic inflammatory disease, have had pelvic or abdominal surgery, have become pregnant after a tubal ligation or while you have an intrauterine device for contraception or are over the age of 35. Signs of an ectopic pregnancy other than low progesterone include sharp pain in the pelvis or abdomen, vaginal bleeding and gastrointestinal problems.
Miscarriage
Without the right levels of progesterone early in your pregnancy, you may be at risk of a miscarriage. Miscarriages may occur for any number of reasons, but if you experience a miscarriage of your fetus before ten weeks, this could indicate low progesterone, according to University of Pennsylvania Health System Pregnancy Health Center website. Your body gets the progesterone it needs to sustain a pregnancy before approximately week ten through the corpus luteum, a cyst in your ovary. After this, your placenta should generate enough progesterone to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Research published in the 2009 issue of "Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology" indicates that vaginal progesterone therapy can effectively thwart early miscarriage. The University of Pennsylvania Health System Pregnancy Health Center website notes that up to 30 percent of women will have a miscarriage early in their pregnancy.
Spotting
Low levels of progesterone early in your pregnancy can cause blood spotting. In some cases, this indicates the possibility of a miscarriage, according to the American Pregnancy Association. The website notes that 25 to 30 percent of women will experience some kind of bleeding early on in their pregnancies although at least half of these women have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. MayoClinic.com reveals that you may be experiencing light blood spotting from the fertilized egg implanting into your uterine wall, which has nothing to do with low levels of progesterone. However, if you are do notice blood spotting, consult your physician immediately to ensure low progesterone is not putting you at risk of a miscarriage.
References
- PubMed: Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology; A practical approach to the prevention of miscarriage: Part 1 -- Progesterone therapy.; 2009
- University of Pennsylvania Health System: Pregnancy Health Center: Early Miscarriage
- American Pregnancy Association: Pregnancy FAQ - Early Pregnancy
- MayoClinic.com: Symptoms of Pregnancy
- Lab Tests Online: Progesterone
- American Pregnancy Association: Ectopic Pregnancy
