when do you take a progesterone test?

[Hulahoop]

i know i should be able to easily find the answer to this on Google, but I've tried and failed! I thought it was day 21 of your cycle?

[msjodi]

Yep, day 20 or 21 of your cycle, assuming that you ovulate regularly.

[Hulahoop]

thanks so much! would you be chance know what "average" levels are? or know of a web page that lists that information?

[msjodi]

Here ya go:

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hor...l#progesterone

[msjodi]

Basically a 10 or higher is good, though higher than 5 shows some ovulation activity. Are you having progesterone issues?

[Hulahoop]

i realized now that I am! mine is 5.9. all my other tests over the months have been great, and still no pregnancy, so the midwife suggested it. she thought it might be the problem cause i eat lots of soy products (well, i don't now!), whcih can increase estrogen and decrease progesterone. turns out she was right! makes me actually feel a little relieved and maybe explains why i was having spotting around 8dpos a few cycles. i also would "feel" pregnant (alhtough maybe it was it was in my head) early on, and then that feeling would just go away.

[msjodi]

I did progesterone suppositories after my IVF, and though somewhat annoying, they helped make sure any progesterone issues wouldn't be a problem. I would recommend them over the shots. Not sure about any more "natural" ways to boost progesterone, though I would assume there are some!

[Twylightdove]

Vitex, taken for 3+ months, can help with prog levels. However, with levels below 10 I'd go for the vag suppositories right off and maybe add vitex if your midwife says it is okay. (My midwife has me on vitex.)