Lowengail, here's what Dr. Christiane Northrop says about the function of progesterone:
"Progesterone comes primarily from the ovaries both before and after menopause, but it is also produced in both the brain and the peripheral nerves. Its main job during the childbearing years is to prepare and maintain the uterus for its most important function: pregnancy. It also is a uterine muscle relaxant, preventing premature contractions. Progesterone levels rise in anticipation of pregnancy and stimulate the uterine lining to thicken with rich, well-vascularized tissue to support an embryo, then fall precipitously if pregnancy does not occur. This abrupt drop-off in progesterone is what signals the shedding of the "nest" (that thickened uterine lining) in the form of menstrual bleeding."
Progesterone deficiency can cause migraine headaches, PMS-like symptoms, irregular or excessively heavy periods, insomnia, mood swings, anxiety and nervousness, weight gain and increasing cholesterol, among other symptoms. And of course if you're trying to become pregnant, it's going to affect your cycle.
Here's a page that discusses progesterone and how it functions in fertility and pregnancy:
http://www.natural-hormones.net/progesterone.htm
Treatments differ based on what stage of life you're in. There are creams, oral medicines and natural treatments; if you can let us know a little more about your situation, we'll track down some more specific material for you.
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Lowengail, here's what Dr. Christiane Northrop says about the function of progesterone:
"Progesterone comes primarily from the ovaries both before and after menopause, but it is also produced in both the brain and the peripheral nerves. Its main job during the childbearing years is to prepare and maintain the uterus for its most important function: pregnancy. It also is a uterine muscle relaxant, preventing premature contractions. Progesterone levels rise in anticipation of pregnancy and stimulate the uterine lining to thicken with rich, well-vascularized tissue to support an embryo, then fall precipitously if pregnancy does not occur. This abrupt drop-off in progesterone is what signals the shedding of the "nest" (that thickened uterine lining) in the form of menstrual bleeding."
Progesterone deficiency can cause migraine headaches, PMS-like symptoms, irregular or excessively heavy periods, insomnia, mood swings, anxiety and nervousness, weight gain and increasing cholesterol, among other symptoms. And of course if you're trying to become pregnant, it's going to affect your cycle.
Here's a page that discusses progesterone and how it functions in fertility and pregnancy:
http://www.natural-hormones.net/progesterone.htm
Treatments differ based on what stage of life you're in. There are creams, oral medicines and natural treatments; if you can let us know a little more about your situation, we'll track down some more specific material for you.
January 16, 2009 - 11:28amThis Comment
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