Hydroxyprogesterone is a progestin found in the female body and is necessary for adequate fetal development. The natural hormone is automatically generated or produced by women during pregnancy or gestation and is also known as 17 hydroxyprogesteron, or 17 OHP. Low levels of this hormone can be supplemented with synthetic or artificial progestins. These are called 17 hydroxyprogesterone caproate, or 17-OCP-C. The synthetic hormone has been used in artificial hormone replacement therapies but is known to produce side effects, according to a trial performed by the Writing Group for the Women's Health Initiative Investigators and reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002.
Signs and symptoms of low levels of hydroxyprogesterone are few and far between, but regular checkups and testing may prove effective in recognizing the condition.
Miscarriage
Low levels of hydroxyprogesterone fail to support fetal development and growth. However, synthetic forms of 17 hydroxyprogesterone-C may cause increased risk of miscarriage or still births, according to the Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs.
Preterm Delivery
Women with low levels of hydroxyprogesterone often deliver before their due date. As reported by Paul J. Meis et al. in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003, women engaged in a study of hydroxyprogesterone levels offered in synthetic forms (mainly 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate), and reduced numbers of women delivered infants preterm, or prior to 36 to 37 weeks gestation.
Low Birth Rate
Women lacking adequate levels of hydroxyprogesterone produce babies with lower birth weights than those with adequate amounts of the hormone.
