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I have been reading the postings on this website for several months now and I thought I would share my experience(s) with pregnancy and progesterone. I am 34 now, having waited several years into a great marriage to call ourselves "ready" to become parents.
While pregnant last fall, I had problems with spotting. The nurse practitioner I'd first seen suggested I get my levels checked b/c the situation was similar to what she'd experienced with 2 m/c. I'd started receiving shots about 5 wks into my pregnancy and had blood checked every other wk. Although my levels dropped at 9 wks, I was told this is not uncommon when the placenta takes over production of prog. It was at our u/s at 11 wks that we learned the baby had not survived. We went through the D & C process after I made the decision the waiting would be too much and the natural process more traumatic.
At the follow-up appt, the doctor told us we could try immediately even though he's well aware a lot of dr's recommend waiting 3-6 mos. His belief is that you try again when ready and once your cycle is established. His only suggestion was that we look into charting my cycle (using a natural family planning method) due to the fact we knew I'd had the problem with low progesterone. (He stressed that prog problems aren't always automatic from pg to pg--each one can be different. And I have several friends and acquaintances who've had to take prog in different forms, and not for every pregnancy.)
We didn't do this rt away b/c it seemed like such an interference. But after my third cycle and much grief, we met with a nurse who got us going on the charting. The charting only lasted about 12 days. We determined when in my cycle I could start taking prog (an oral form-Prometrium) around the time of conception. And although we got started a few days late at that point, we learned we were pg a week or two after starting the oral. I was started on the twice weekly shots at what would have been 4 wks and continued until approx 22 wks. We had several scares including that major drop in readings (this was at about 12 wks) when the placenta takes over. I was sure we were in the same boat as last time, but at the next 2 wk check, it had shot up over 15 "points" which meant the placenta was doing it's job. I was kept on the shots for a few more wks and then the oral for a couple more to ensure the levels stayed up. Basically I was weaned off the dosages. (I do want to mention that we saw an OB/GYN early on in this 2nd pg. She said she does use prog, but the studies her clinic follows says there is no firm evidence using the supplement helps. Having heard this, I put more faith in my family dr to seems to believe in it wholeheartedly and uses it regularly from the accounts he and the nurses there were able to share with me.)
I have not had any more blood cks in the last month as the dr said it's not necessary with last month's u/s and this month's heartbeat check.
I know this is long, but I wanted to help out those with questions by relaying my history so far. Also, I think it's been mentioned in a past posting, but this is the chart my dr's office uses to determine proper levels--it's hard to read, but a range shown and a notation made about the high end. I was told as long as the readings are in the range of the "dotted" lines, the pg is still moving along. It's just hard to determine those readings from the chart! http://repro-med.net/papers/progest.php
I hope this helps someone out there. What I have learned is every woman is different and every pregnancy is different. Have faith, do your research, and ask LOTS of questions.

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