How to increase progesterone

What is progesterone?

Progesterone is a hormone found in both men and women. In women, progesterone is made by the ovaries after ovulation. Progesterone plays an important role in preparing the uterus for receiving, implanting and supporting a fertilised egg during pregnancy. 

The four stages of the menstrual cycle are the follicular phase, ovulation, the luteal phase and menstruation. During the first stage of the menstrual cycle, the follicular stage, progesterone levels tend to be low. During ovulation, the egg is released into the fallopian tube. Following ovulation, progesterone levels increase for approximately five days and then decrease again. 

If you fall pregnant, progesterone will increase starting in the ninth week of pregnancy up until the 32nd week. However, if pregnancy does not occur and the egg is not fertilised, progesterone levels decline, triggering the start of the menstrual cycle. 

After 3 months of pregnancy, the placenta will start to produce progesterone in order to maintain a healthy pregnancy. In women, progesterone levels vary according to the stages of the menstrual cycle and stages of pregnancy. 

How To Naturally Increase Progesterone

If you are a woman planning a pregnancy, you may be wondering how to naturally increase progesterone. The good news is that there are several methods to increase progesterone, from adding certain foods to your diet, managing stress and getting enough sleep.

In fact, if you are trying to conceive, your goal is to maintain your progesterone levels throughout the luteal phase and avoid the decrease in progesterone if your egg has been fertilised. This will help to support healthy implantation and sustain you and your embryo in the initial stages of pregnancy. 

If your progesterone levels are too low or not detectable, this can lead to complications. Symptoms of low or absent progesterone levels include miscarriage and premature labour, irregular or heavy cycles, failure to release an egg during ovulation. 

There is some research in its early stages which indicates that diet may be helpful to boost progesterone levels and balance high oestrogen levels. It’s important to note that foods do not actually contain progesterone, but they may be helpful to increase the levels of this hormone. During the second half of the menstrual cycle, high levels of oestrogen can disrupt the ratio of progesterone to oestrogen, thus making conception more difficult. The research in this field is still relatively new so there is a need for more solid evidence in this space. 

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