Progesterone or not?

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

So I can't get in to my OB until next Wed. Still fretting over my high hCG level back on 4/3 (19,344 at 5 weeks 2 days for those who don't know) but trying to just not think about it since there's nothing else I can do right now.

Got a call from OB's office today, my progesterone is in "zone 2" and she wants it higher than that so she wants to start me on vag suppository progesterone x 1 month and then recheck my levels.

My thinking is, if there is something wrong with this embryo, maybe I should just let nature take it's course (i.e. not take the progesterone). Of course it could be twins, or a molar pregnancy, the truth is no one has ANY idea what is actually in there right now. I just seem to have bad luck in general and in gestation especially, so I can't imagine a positive outcome like twins or perhaps being further along than previously thought.

Any thoughts or advice??

[Jane]

When do you get an ultrasound?
It's your ovary that's supposed to be supplying progesterone, so a lack of progesterone doesn't mean there's something wrong with the baby.
I think you are wise to consider all possibilities, but the most likely possibilities are being farther along than you though, or twins. Molar pregnancies are pretty rare. Although someone's gotta be the unlucky one, of course.

[speculaa]

I'm not a health professional, but I would let nature take it's course. Wait a little while longer and check it out on your first scan - I know it's hard waiting when everything's in limbo, but you should trust your body first and foremost.

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Originally Posted by Apricot

Although someone's gotta be the unlucky one, of course.

Yes, and it would be nice if having already suffered a stillbirth, I could pass on drawing the short straw this time, but the universe is not completely benign and unfortunately, things don't always go the way we'd wish. :

[Brisen]

I can understand your feelings. I had one miscarriage between kids #2 and #3; it was twins, and they had stopped developing a while before I miscarried, so I guessed that there had been a problem with their development. Between #3 and #4, I had miscarriages that I now assume were due to low progesterone, but at first, I thought that perhaps it was also just that the pregnancies weren't viable. After the second miscarriage, though, I wondered if it was something else. Once I suspected low progesterone, I worried that I would be taking something that would interfere with nature taking its course if there were a problem with the baby. In the end, I started taking vitex a few weeks after the fourth miscarriage, and conceived quickly and the pregnancy stuck, with no problems.

It is a difficult decision to make, especially knowing how many pregnancies end in early miscarriage due to just not being viable. But, it worked out for me.

Originally Posted by Apricot

It's your ovary that's supposed to be supplying progesterone, so a lack of progesterone doesn't mean there's something wrong with the baby.

I've only researched this using google, but I thought that if there were a problem with the baby, your body would respond by lowering progesterone to trigger a miscarriage? Or would that only show up in blood work as you were miscarrying?

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Brisen - I have only had these tests done with my last baby, Cohen, because Liam was stillborn only 10 months prior to his conception. As far as I can remember (he is 4 now, so I forget) my hCG with him was always within normal limits - however my progesterone WAS low and I had to take the vaginal suppository progesterone my whole first trimester. He is fine, not a thing wrong with him, so I don't know why my progesterone level was so low then. Maybe I just have low progesterone levels naturally, maybe I had low progesterone for ALL my pregnancies and was never aware because it had never been checked.

[oakparkveggie]

The embryo can be perfectly healthy and you can still have low progesterone. I have PCOS, and my progesterone was very low with my 2 previous pregnancies. I was on suppositories for the first 12 weeks and have two nutty boys now

This time, I miraculously conceived with no meds and go to the m/w on Tuesday. If my levels are low again, I'll def be doing the progesterone b/c it is nearly impossible for me to conceive, so I'll do anything to keep that bean in there.

Thta's just me though. If I would have let "nature take it's course", who knows if my 2 boys would have survived?

[Doberbrat]

there seem to be 2 school of thoughts on this - my former OB believed that low prog levels indicated an upcoming m/c.

my current one believes that low prog levels should be treated and then wait and see.

I do know several women who were supplemented and have perfectly normal healthy babies. personally, thats enough for me, but I know others feel differently.

:

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

My progesterone is in "mid-zone 2" which means nothing to me, but I don't believe it's dangerously low, just lower than my OB is happy with. It's the high hCG that worries me and that according to my OB's nurses, my OB has not commented on at all.