Can breastfeeding cause low progesterone during pregnancy?

treehugginhippie · 03-20-2007, 10:16 PM

This question just popped into my mind and I couldn't find any info on it. I'm still nursing my 3 yr old. I'm 5w3d pregnant. My progesterone was extremely low 17 DPO at 2.9. My hcg was fine though. I had low progesterone with dd...but not that low. I'm desperate to try and figure out why mine is so low other than the fact that I could miscarry

I had really messed up hormones even before dd. I'm taking Prometrium now but wondered if the nursing could've caused the decreased progesterone? Has anyone experienced this?

Brisen · 03-21-2007, 08:51 AM

Yes, I believe it does. My understanding is that nursing supresses progesterone, which is needed for a long enough luteal phase for implantation. For me, my body kind of seemed stuck in a place where it had enough progesterone to get pg, but not enough to sustain a pg after that. After 4 m/c, I started taking vitex. It is a natural herb that stimulates the production of progesterone. So far, I'm 11 weeks pg, about 2 weeks further along than I've been with the pg that went the furthest before ending in m/c.

You might want to try the preg and birth loss forum, and do a search for progesterone there. Many women who have had losses in the past due to low prog go on prog supplements to help sustain a pregnancy.

treehugginhippie · 03-21-2007, 09:16 AM

Thanks for sharing your experience Brisen. May you have an uneventful pregnancy and healthy baby

AugustLia23 · 03-21-2007, 09:50 AM

I too agree, my first PP bleed occured at 10DPO, I was keeping track and I never usually have this short of a LP. My next cycle, the one that I got pregnant, I used a wild yam cream to increase my progesterone levels. I wasn't absolutely sure that my levels were low as I never tested, but I didn't want to have a miscarriage to find out. I used it until about 6 weeks, then slowly weaned off. Now I am 15 weeks along and no longer nursing.

I don't remember exactly why, but I think that nursing itself prevents your body from producing much progesterone.

seekingtruth · 03-21-2007, 07:28 PM

FWIW, I went to my dr. today to see him about depression I'm having with this pregnancy and he recommended progesterone cream through the 16th week. I'm wondering if that's why I've been so depressed- it's my first dealing with this and I feel like something is chemically off. I am still nursing 2.5 yo ds. Until reading this post I had no idea low pregesterone had anything to do with miscarriage. I'm really glad I got it when I did.