Let's learn more about the hormone progesterone, which is essential for women's health.

Many women often talk about irregular menstrual cycles and problems when expecting a baby. But do you know about the main character behind all this? Today we are talking about a hormone called progesterone, which is indispensable to a woman's body and acts like a secret keeper. You may have heard its name, but today we will talk about exactly, and simply, what it really does to our bodies.

What is progesterone, simply put?

Simply put, progesterone is a hormone in our body. Hormones are like messengers inside our bodies. They are the ones that carry messages to each part of the body saying, "Do this." So this hormone called progesterone is especially related to a woman's reproductive system, that is, the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

The main function of this is to prepare the inner wall of your uterus, the endometrium in medical terms, for the conception of a baby. Just like when a guest comes to the house, we tidy up the room nicely, make the bed and tidy it, the hormone progesterone also prepares the uterus like fertile soil so that the baby can grow well.

What is the relationship between the menstrual cycle and progesterone?

To understand this, you need to know about something that happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle. We call this ovulation . It is the release of a mature egg from one of your ovaries.

1. After ovulation: At the site of ovulation, that is, in the empty ovary, a temporary gland-like structure forms. This is called the Corpus Luteum .

2. Progesterone production: This corpus luteum begins to produce the hormone progesterone.

3. Preparing the uterus: The progesterone produced in this way thickens the inner wall of the uterus (endometrium), enriches it with blood vessels, and precisely, if a baby is conceived, creates an environment where that baby can attach and grow well.

4. If conception does not occur: Imagine that the egg did not join with a sperm that month, meaning that pregnancy did not occur. Then the corpus luteum gradually shrinks. At the same time, progesterone levels also drop rapidly.

5. Menstruation: When progesterone levels drop like this, the thickened uterine lining can no longer hold up. It breaks down and starts to come out of the vagina along with blood. That's what we call menstruation, or the menstrual period.

The role of progesterone during pregnancy

Imagine if your egg joined with a sperm and you got pregnant. Then something completely different would happen.

The corpus luteum does not shrink and continues to produce progesterone. This keeps the uterine wall thick and fertile. This is what provides the first embryo with the necessary nutrition. A few weeks later, when the placenta is fully formed, the placenta takes over the production of progesterone.

Progesterone levels continue to rise throughout pregnancy. This has several important implications:

• Protecting the uterus: Maintaining a thick, nutritious uterine wall necessary for the embryo, and later the fetus, to grow well.
• Stopping ovulation: You stop releasing another egg while you're pregnant.
• Preventing uterine contractions: It helps prevent premature labor by stopping the uterus from contracting unnecessarily.
• Preparing for lactation: This hormone also helps prepare the breasts for breastfeeding.

This is why progesterone is essential for maintaining the early stages of pregnancy. If levels of this hormone decrease, it can be difficult to maintain a pregnancy.

What happens if progesterone levels drop?

Low progesterone levels can affect both non-pregnant and pregnant women in different ways. Let's break it down to understand it clearly.

How to check progesterone levels?

This is very simple. Your doctor can measure your progesterone levels with a blood test . This is also called a ``Progesterone test''.

But remember, it's not a good idea to jump to conclusions based on the values ​​in this report. Because progesterone levels vary greatly depending on the day of your menstrual cycle, or if you're pregnant, the week you're in. So only your doctor can tell you for sure whether the value is normal, low, or high.

In what cases is progesterone given as a medicine?

In some cases, doctors recommend giving progesterone externally. This is the case in cases like:

• Perimenopause: As a woman approaches menopause, her hormone levels change dramatically. Progesterone is given as a hormone therapy to reduce symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.
• To control irregular menstrual cycles: If the menstrual cycle is irregular, progesterone helps to regularize it.
• To prevent miscarriages: Some pregnant women who have had previous miscarriages or are at risk of miscarriage are given progesterone to preserve the pregnancy.
• As a family planning method: Some birth control pills, especially the minipill, contain a synthetic hormone similar to progesterone.

Are progesterone and progestin the same thing?

Yes. This is something that confuses many people.

• Progesterone: is a hormone naturally produced in our body.
• Progestin: A chemical similar to progesterone that is made synthetically in a laboratory.

This synthetic progestin is often used in birth control pills, hormone therapy, and other medications. These are available as pills, gels, injections, and intrauterine devices (IUDs).

Progesterone and Estrogen - The Teamwork of These Two Hormones

The other major hormone in the female body is estrogen . Think of progesterone and estrogen as two opposite sides of a tug-of-war. The balance of these two is crucial for the healthy functioning of the body.

If progesterone levels decrease and estrogen levels increase (we call this ``Estrogen dominance''), it's like pulling on only one side of the rope. Then the following problems can occur:

• Irregular menstruation
• Breast pain and swelling (Breast tenderness)
• Mood swings
• Low libido
• Increased risk of gallstones (Gallbladder issues)

Therefore, it is very important to maintain a healthy balance of both of these hormones.

Can food and drink help maintain healthy progesterone levels?

There's still not enough scientific evidence to say that eating these foods will increase progesterone levels. However, there are some nutrients that can help with hormone production and balance. Eating a balanced diet can be good for your overall hormonal health.

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