Q: I am concerned about my low progesterone levels.
A: At 7 weeks of pregnancy your best indication that the fetus is doing well is to check the fetal heartbeat. Checking the progesterone level can be confusing because it's difficult to assess whether a low progesterone level means the pregnancy is already abnormal to begin with, or if the low progesterone is the cause of the bad outcome. Many doctors feel it's a failing pregnancy that triggers a low progesterone and that giving progesterone will not make a difference.
Progesterone supplementation should be reserved to the following women:
- IVF
- Injectable ovulation medications
- Those who have been shown to have immune reasons for miscarriages