Natural Progesterone Cream Unsafe?

[Gemini529]

Hi,

I have a question about using the natural progesterone cream to aid in keeping a pregnancy.  My good friend is TTC and is having repeat chemical pregnancies due to what she believes is lack of progesterone.  Her doctor tested her levels at 7 dpo and said everything seemed fine one month, but she ended up having spotting the next day which led to yet another chemical pregnancy.  Her doctor seems to be blowing her off month after month so she is thinking about getting one of the natural progesterone creams that they sell at the health stores.  

I urged her to call her doctor before doing it because the jar said it wasn't safe to use during pregnancy.  She called and they told her that it wasn't safe to take, but that they do prescribe a suppository that is somehow different.  When she asked what was different about it, they couldn't really answer but said "it is just different."  

They also refuse to prescribe it to her because they don't believe that she has an issue with progesterone.  My friend was on BCP for over 10 years (the prog only ones) and she believes that is what is throwing off her hormones.  But at this point she's been off the pill for a year and a half so would that still be causing issues at this point?   

FYI, she just turned 31 and is very thin and has borderline hypothyroidism.

I know it's weird to ask a question for someone else but she isn't comfortable with the internet and I promised her I'd ask for her.  Any advice?  Thanks so much in advance!

[Gemini529]

Anybody? Her doctor finally called back and said she should gain weight and that will solve all of her problems. Should she try the cream anyway since her doc wont prescribe the other one? If she uses it, how long should she continue for?

[treehugginhippie]

Couldn't read and not respond. Yes, progesterone cream is safe but it may not be strong enough dose to sustain pregnancy for some women. Thus, if she is truely low in progesterone, she may need progesterone suppositories. But it doesn't hurt to try using progesterone cream but you shouldn't stop taking it if you become pregnant.

Googling progesterone and infertility:

http://www.natural-progesterone-advisory-network.com/natural-progesterone-and-fertility-pregnancy/

http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/progesteroneinfertility.html

http://www.yourlifesource.com/progesterone-fertility.htm

Oh and it sounds like she needs a different doctor that actually listens to her!

[Gemini529]

Thanks so much for responding!  I will let her know that it wouldn't hurt for her to try it.  I told her she should get a new doctor who actually listens but she is sticking by this one for some reason.

[ceiba]

I agree that the OTC cream may not be strong enough to help in sustaining a pregnancy. I looked into the creams when I was on prescription progesterone because I wanted to avoid the suppositories, but the Rx suppositories were 200mg and the OTC cream was only 20mg. In pregnancy the body makes 10 times as much progesterone than usual, and the OTC creams are designed to mimic normal, non-pregnant hormones for perimenopausal women, not pregnant women.

I too wish they would make an OTC cream in pregnancy strength!!

[Gemini529]

Yeah I didn't realize that there was that big of a difference between the natural and prescription.  It would be nice if they had it over the counter.  Another thing she has mentioned doing was taking her old birth control pills because they are progesterone only.  I told her that seemed like a bad idea but she has mentioned it several times.  Would that have a similar affect or be really dangerous?  

[treehugginhippie]

Progon B sublingual over the counter progesterone is available

http://www.modernherbalist.com/products/progon-b.html

[Peo Meter]

Many People use tablets are good for this purpose but I think cream is better than that.

[Sourire]

The progesterone used in birth control pills is synthetic progesterone. I don't think that would help her stay pregnant and it may not be safe. The progesterone in progesterone cream and in the suppositories prescribed by fertility specialists is bio-identical therefore much safer during pregnancy. Though I agree with the previous posters who said that the dosage in progesterone cream is much too low. My period usually starts around 7-10 DPO. When I tried progesterone cream it didn't help at all, but now I'm on a suppository gel called Crinone and I have a normal 14-day luteal phase.

[wissa19]

Originally Posted by Sourire 

The progesterone used in birth control pills is synthetic progesterone. I don't think that would help her stay pregnant and it may not be safe. The progesterone in progesterone cream and in the suppositories prescribed by fertility specialists is bio-identical therefore much safer during pregnancy. Though I agree with the previous posters who said that the dosage in progesterone cream is much too low. My period usually starts around 7-10 DPO. When I tried progesterone cream it didn't help at all, but now I'm on a suppository gel called Crinone and I have a normal 14-day luteal phase.

Exactly right!  Taking progesterone BCP for pregnancy is not a great idea!  It's synthetic and not made for pregnancy.  I had the exact same experience with the cream.  It helped some of my pre-men cramping,but not the spotting.  The suppositories are much much stronger.  I used a compounded one from a pharmacy. 

My advice to her would be to 1. Gain Weight (being underweight is know to cause infertility)  2. Find a doctor that will do a complete thyroid panel and find out if that needs to be treated.  Thyroid problems can cause spotting and miscarriages.  3.  If she can't find an OB or regular Doctor to help her then go see a Reproductive endocrinologist.