Levels
In women, progesterone levels are relatively low during the preovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle, rise after ovulation, and are elevated during the luteal phase, as shown in diagram below. Progesterone levels tend to be < 2 ng/ml prior to ovulation, and > 5 ng/ml after ovulation. If pregnancy occurs, human chorionic gonadotropin is released maintaining the corpus leuteum allowing it to maintain levels of progesterone. At around 12 weeks the placenta begins to produce progesterone in place of the corpus leuteum, this process is named the luteal-placental shift. After the luteal-placental shift progesterone levels start to rise further and may reach 100-200 ng/ml at term. Whether a decrease in progesterone levels is critical for the initiation of labor has been argued and may be species-specific. After delivery of the placenta and during lactation, progesterone levels are very low.
Progesterone levels are relatively low in children and postmenopausal women. Adult males have levels similar to those in women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
| Person type | Reference range for blood test | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower limit | Upper limit | Unit | |
| Female - menstrual cycle | (see diagram below) | ||
| Female - postmenopausal | <0.2 | 1 | ng/mL |
| <0,6 | 3 | nmol/L | |
| Female on oral contraceptives | 0.34 | 0.92 | ng/mL |
| 1.1 | 2.9 | nmol/L | |
| Males ≥16 years | 0.27 | 0.9 | ng/mL |
| 0.86 | 2.9 | nmol/L | |
| Female or male 1–9 years | 0.1 | 4.1 or 4.5 | ng/mL |
| 0.3 | 13 | nmol/L | |
Read more about this topic: Progesterone
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