Is progesterone 18 normal?

The status of progesterone levels is very important during women's pregnancy. Usually, we check progesterone levels many times at different stages, but we must master the scientific data of progesterone levels, which can effectively reduce our anxiety about progesterone levels. So, is it normal to have a progesterone level of 18 at 5 weeks of pregnancy?

Is it normal to have a progesterone level of 18 at 5 weeks of pregnancy?

A progesterone value of 18 at 5 weeks of pregnancy is relatively low, which can easily lead to miscarriage or embryonic arrest. It is recommended to actively treat the fetus and go to the hospital for a color Doppler ultrasound examination to check the size and location of the gestational sac. Theoretically, progesterone is required for the fusion of egg cells and sperm to produce test tube embryos, because during the fertilization process, progesterone helps stimulate uterine growth and can increase blood flow to the uterus and tissues, thereby promoting embryonic development. If the progesterone level drops sharply in the early pregnancy, it may easily cause the test tube embryo that fails to implant in the uterus to stop growing. In the case of abnormal test tube embryos (test tube embryos with Down syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities), the test tube embryos will not secrete enough growth hormone and the progesterone level will also be very low.

Luteal insufficiency may be a cause of miscarriage, but there are no good indicators to diagnose luteal insufficiency. A single measurement of blood progesterone levels cannot represent the level during the entire pregnancy, and the blood level may not be equivalent to the level in the uterus. In addition, the progesterone metabolized by the body is metabolized quickly. If it cannot be tested immediately after a blood test, the test results will be inaccurate. Therefore, clinical medicine uses the method of joint testing of progesterone levels and HCG. If only the progesterone level is low and the HCG level is normal, it is mostly a test error and you should return to the hospital for a follow-up visit or follow the HCG result.

Therefore, in the absence of vaginal bleeding and normal HCG levels, low progesterone during pregnancy does not necessarily lead to fetal arrest or miscarriage. However, if you have an abortion, your progesterone level will definitely be low, because the human body no longer uses growth hormone to support the development of the embryo.