Serum Progesterone Test: Know Everything About It

Progesterone is one of the key hormones that regulate the female reproductive system and stimulate the female body to perform crucial functions during pregnancy. An imbalance in your progesterone levels can be detrimental to your overall physical health and bring about unwanted changes in your body. This is why getting a progesterone test done once in a while is never a bad idea. Let us know more about the matter at hand!

What Is a Progesterone Test?

Before you know what a P4 test is, you should know a bit more about what exactly progesterone does for the human body. It helps to regulate the body’s functioning during pregnancy. Changes in progesterone levels in the female body invoke the changes that are required to sustain the pregnancy and help the foetus grow in the uterus.

The main functions of progesterone are as follows:

• Regulating the menstrual cycle every month
• Regulating the uterine wall that grows and sheds with menstruation
• Thickening the uterine lining so the foetus can be implanted
• Supporting the pregnancy once fertilisation occurs
• Helps to improve one’s mood and mindset
• Supports proper thyroid functioning
• Supports lactation post-birth

Now that you know what progesterone does, it logically follows that a progesterone test is a test to check and evaluate the hormone levels in your blood. The hormone is secreted primarily by the ovaries, and the uterine wall fluctuates in parallel with fluctuations in the hormone level. Most people may not know this, but even males secrete progesterone in small quantities through the testicles.

Every month, the progesterone levels in the female body rise, which causes the uterine wall to expand and swell up. It is performed in anticipation of pregnancy. However, if there is no pregnancy within the given period, the progesterone levels fall, which in turn causes the uterine wall to shed and lead to menstruation.

If an individual becomes pregnant, a progesterone test for pregnancy will show that the hormone level has risen by 10 times in the body, helping to sustain the pregnancy. A high level of progesterone is required to prevent the uterus from contracting, which would lead to a premature delivery. 

What Is Progesterone Test Used for?

Your specialist may prescribe a progesterone test for a number of reasons. For starters, a P4 blood test or a serum progesterone test is pretty generic if a person is pregnant. It helps to monitor the status of the pregnancy. Progesterone level fluctuations will cause disturbances in the pregnancy, so your gynaecologist will want to monitor your P4 blood test levels on every visit.

Furthermore, an imbalance in the progesterone test normal range, even without a pregnancy, can cause several abnormalities in female body functioning. Thus, these are some of the reasons why your specialist may prescribe a progesterone test:

• If someone has infertility, P4 levels will show the cause.
• If a female is taking fertility medications, a progesterone blood test will show if they are working.
• The test will show whether an individual is at risk of a miscarriage due to low P4 levels.
• If there is a high-risk pregnancy, P4 levels will show its degree.
• The test helps diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus and can be fatal.
• The test helps diagnose ovarian cancer or adrenal gland malfunction.

Why Do I Need a Progesterone Test? 

Even though a progesterone test is pretty normal if you are pregnant, there are certain special cases for when a specialist will want to check your P4 levels, which include:

• If you are having trouble getting pregnant, a fertility specialist will want your progesterone blood test results to see if your ovaries are functioning normally or not.
• If you are on a fertility treatment regime, a progesterone test will show whether the treatment is working and to what degree.
• If you are not pregnant and are spotting or having abnormal bleeding, a progesterone blood test will help to detect the cause. 

Apart from these, in case a patient is pregnant, a progesterone test may also be suggested for the following reasons:

• Suppose you are pregnant but are experiencing cramps and bleeding. A P4 test will show if your pregnancy has turned abnormal.
• You may be at a higher risk of a miscarriage than other patients. Your specialist will want a full progesterone levels chart to prevent any mishap.
• If you are on progesterone therapy to help sustain the pregnancy, the test will determine your required dosage.

What Happens During a Progesterone Test?

The procedure for a P4 blood test is like any other blood test that you may have to undergo. Since a blood sample is required, the technician will first sterilise the area to be injected with some alcohol. In most cases, it is the anterior side of your arm where the median cubital vein is located.

Once sterilised, you will be asked to hold your arm taut so the needle can go inside easily. When the needle goes in, you may feel a pinprick. When it has gone in, you will be asked to release the pressure so the blood can flow more easily. Once the required amount is withdrawn, the technician will draw out the needle and put on a small bandage over the area. The minute wound takes only a couple of days to heal.

Will I Need to Do Anything to Prepare for the Test?

Generally, there are no extraneous measures that you need to take for a routine progesterone test, such as fasting or being on a liquid diet. In certain cases, though, you may be asked to remember the first day after your menstrual cycle ended for reference purposes.

If there is a need to stop any medication you are having, your specialist will inform you of that. It is important that unless prescribed, you should never stop taking any medications for a progesterone test.

Are There Any Risks to the Test?

A P4 test is completely safe to undergo for any patient, regardless of age, ethnicity or any other discriminating factors. The actual test procedure only involves a syringe going in to draw the blood sample. Someone with a vitamin K deficiency may experience some additional blood from the wound area, but that will only be a few drops.

Other than that, if someone has a bruising condition, they may see some minor bruising, which too will go away in a couple of days. Thus, you have no reason to fear a progesterone test and should get it done immediately if advised.

What Do the Results Mean?

Your P4 blood test results will vary according to the time in your menstrual cycle when the sample was taken.

Thus, taking this into account, if your progesterone test shows a high progesterone level, you should get a pregnancy test done. You may just be pregnant!

If you are not pregnant, though, it may indicate either of these things:

• An ovarian cyst resulting in abnormal hormone secretions
• Ovarian cancer
• An adrenal gland malfunction since the adrenal glands secrete a small amount of progesterone, both in males and females. Additionally, it may also be an indicator of a condition known as CAH or congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

In addition, having a higher P4 level than the normal progesterone level during pregnancy may indicate more than one baby in the uterus.

If you are not pregnant and you have low P4 levels, it may indicate an abnormal menstrual cycle. One should consult with a specialist immediately to know the underlying cause and any medication if necessary.

If you are pregnant, and the progesterone test shows you have a low hormone count, it could result from either of these:

• An ectopic pregnancy is when the foetus forms outside of the uterus, most times in the fallopian tubes. If the foetus is allowed to grow, it can result in a haemorrhage and be fatal to the mother
• A high chance of an impending miscarriage
• Pre-eclampsia, a hypertensive disorder that occurs in pregnant females

Conclusion

So, that was a detailed description of everything related to progesterone and progesterone tests. If you have been prescribed a P4 blood test by your fertility specialist or gynaecologist, do not let the matter wait. There has to be a reason behind it, so get it done fast and let your doctor know the results. It is completely safe and virtually painless, so there is nothing to be scared of.

If you wish to get your progesterone test done by the best medical diagnostic specialists, contact Metropolis today. With Metropolis, there is no need even to leave your home for the test. Their specialist technicians will draw the sample from your residence and have your reports delivered to you online. Stay safe and ever-smiling, only with Metropolis!