Progesterone supplements for early pregnancy or to induce cycle??

Discussion in 'Fertility & Trying to Conceive' started by Twinkel, Dec 26, 2014.

  1. Twinkel

    Twinkel Platinum IL'ite

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    Hello all,
    I have a doubt regarding synthetic progesterone supplements. Ideally, I am given progesterone supplements like meprate or duphaston (2 tabs a day, for 5 days) to induce a cycle. When the same tablets were given after my iui, I asked my doc what if I conceived and I take tabs to induce a period? She explained that progesterone supplements act for both. If there is a pregnancy on its way, they still prescribe progesterone all through early pregnancy to let the pregnancy sustain. if there is no pregnancy, it induces a period. When I conceived in april, I was prescribed progesterone for whole month continuously to support pregnancy. Another story that I miscarried later on.


    Now my doubt is, if after waiting till day 35 and a negative hpt, I presume it to be bfn. I decide to start another cycle and take progesterone supplement for 5 days, but, may be I actually have ovulated and implanted a fertilized egg very late and basing on the fact that some times hpts detect as late as day 42 -44, what happens when the progesterone supplements are abruptly stopped just after 5 days? Will the sudden shortage of progesterone lead to miscarriage? Not that am still expecting or hopeful, I just got a doubt what if am unexpectedly pregnant and stopped progesterone in 5 days?


    I never got this doubt in my previous cycles because for iuis, there were constant sacns and control over when I ovulated. But, for this cycle, after taking Clomid for 5 days and injectables for the first time, (though I ovulate on heavy doses of clomid, my doc decided to try with normal doses of clomid and injectables which she was sure would work for me) I had to abruptly drop the treatment after I met with a minor accident and had knee ligament sprain. Now, I took all the tablets and injections for ovulating, but couldn't follow up with scans and iui, though we tried naturally on the days I presumed to ovulate. Doc said there is every chance I could have conceived, given that if we tried on days surrounding ovulation. I waited till day 35, and got a negative hpt, the very next day I started meprate (progesterone) and stopped after 5 days. (i.e yesterday). Now, it suddenly struck me, what happens if I ovulated and implanted late?
    Sorry if that was a dumb question :hide:
     
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  2. msms

    msms Gold IL'ite

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    Hi Twinkel,

    I was searching exactly for the same thing. Everywhere is is given that it is safe to take progesterone, even if you are pregnant. If you have conceived, you will not get your cycle, thats what I got to know from google. And I know this is true. It had happened with one of my friend. She was having thyroid and used to miss her cycles regularly. For 3 months continuously she was getting negative HPTs, then doctor prescribed her progesterone to get her periods but AF never showed Up. Then she was told to test again and it was positive. Right now I am sailing in the same boat...though I know there is nothing as test came out negative but hopes are alive.
     
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  3. Twinkel

    Twinkel Platinum IL'ite

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    yes msms, even I have this doubt now, but I didn't test again, as somehow am not that curious this cycle. I'll think about it if I didn't get my period within next 2 weeks, but I just got a doubt and wondered what happens in such a case....
     
  4. nikitaram

    nikitaram Silver IL'ite

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    Hi Twinkle,
    From wat my doc explained during an ovulation cycle once the follicle ruptures and releases the egg, the remnants of the follicle form wat is called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum then secretes progestrone in anticipation of a fertilized egg since progestrone is needed for thickening and maintaining the endometrium.


    If fertilisation does not occur, the corpus luteum stops secreting progestrone and this drop in progestrone level triggers the menstrual cycles. When we dont get our periods due to some hormonal imbalance, we are asked to take progestrone tabs for 5 days and stop to mimic this drop in progesterone level so that periods can be induced.
    If fertilisation occurs, the fertilised egg releases hcg (human chorionic gonadotropin) which will signal the corpus luteum to continue secreting progestrone. So there is a mechanism to keep the progestrone going even without the aid of tablets.
    If you think that you may have had a late implantation , get a beta hcg blood test done with which you can detect pregnancy even before your hpts pick it up.
    All the best!
     
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  5. Twinkel

    Twinkel Platinum IL'ite

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    Thank you for the detailed explanation, @nikitaram , I understood how taking progesterone induces withdrawal bleeding, but then again, why could be progesterone given all through the first trimester to support pregnancy? Is that because the corpus luteum fails to secrete enough progesterone in certain women suffering from pcos etc? If so, even in that case, stopping progesterone may prove fatal for them, isn't it?
    I haven't taken beta hcg test, as I don't think am pregnant this cycle, I have no hopes. But just curious to know what happens in such cases.
     
  6. nikitaram

    nikitaram Silver IL'ite

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    Hi Twinkle,
    Yes if due to hormonal imbalance or a poorly formed follicle if the progestrone secretion is insufficient then it can lead to miscarriage.
    If your going through IVF or IUI then you will be put on progestrone tablets anyway. If you have a history of miscarriage then too ur doc will put u on progestrone tablets. If this is weighing on ur mind take a beta hcg test.
     
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  7. Twinkel

    Twinkel Platinum IL'ite

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    took the test, its 0. am not preggy...
    Speaking of Corpus leutum and progesterone, I got another doubt. Do u have any idea on will follicles made to mature forcefully by clomiphne citrate or injectables have an effect on releasing progesterone? Without any additional tests or blood works, how is it that my obgyn directly prescribes progesterone presuming am running low on it?
     
  8. nikitaram

    nikitaram Silver IL'ite

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    Hi Twinkle, sorry abt the bfn. Im not sure abt the effect clomid has on the corpus luteum. Ideally it shudnt cause clomid doesn't work directly on the ovaries; it works on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Yes your doctor can do a blood test and decide if progestrone is needed but most of them prescribe it anyways to be on the safe side.
     
  9. msms

    msms Gold IL'ite

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    Sorry about your bfn Twinkel. My gynec also prescribed me clomiphne citrate, though I used to have a dominant follicle every month. I asked her the reason, she told me this is to increase the amount of dominant follicles. If more dominant follicles are there, more eggs will be there. But side effects of all these hormones or whatever is that my cycle has become more irregular now, which was not the case earlier..:(
     
  10. Twinkel

    Twinkel Platinum IL'ite

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    Yeah, logic.. Because PCOS typically is all about imbalanced hormones, may be doc might not want to take any risks... Waiting for my period so that I get go for iui this cycle.. fingerscrossed... [​IMG]
     

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