Progesterone

Progesterone is a hormone that is produced in the body, which helps in maintaining pregnancy. Read more about it here.
Progesterone is a hormone produced in the body, which regulates and stimulates various functions, such as playing a role in the maintenance of pregnancy. Progesterone is secreted in the ovaries, the adrenal glands, as well as the placenta, after the onset of pregnancy. It helps in regulating the menstrual cycle and preparing the body both for conception as well as pregnancy.

During a woman’s reproductive years, certain hormones like luteinizing hormone, or LH, and follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH, are generated by the pituitary gland located in the brain. This results in a new egg maturing and being released each month from its ovarian follicle. Along with this process, the ovarian follicles also produce progesterone and estrogen, which cause the uterus’ lining to thicken.

The level of progesterone increases during the latter part of the menstrual cycle. Also, after the egg is released from the ovary, which is known as ovulation, the corpus liteum, or the yellow colored endocrine tissue that forms in place of the ruptured follicle, continues producing progesterone and estrogen.

What are the Functions and Effects of Progesterone?

One of the main functions of progesterone is to induce the endometrium, or the mucus membrane that lines the uterus, to produce certain kinds of special proteins in the latter half of the menstrual cycle. This prepares the endometrium to receive as well as nourish a fertilized egg that gets implanted in it. In case of implantation not occurring, the levels of progesterone and estrogen reduce, and the endometrium starts breaking down, which results in menstruation occurring.

In case of pregnancy occurring, the placenta begins to produce progesterone, and hence the levels stay high all through the pregnancy. Due to the combination of high levels of progesterone and estrogen, further ovulation is suppressed during pregnancy.

High levels of progesterone are thought to be partially responsible for premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, symptoms, like tenderness and enlargement of the breasts, a bloated feeling, as well as mood swings.

The enlargement of the breasts occurs in preparation for milk production, although it is the hormone, prolactin, which actually stimulates lactation.

After the onset of ovulation during the menstrual cycle, the cervical mucus becomes stickier and thicker due to progesterone, which acts as a natural plug in the cervix. This helps in sealing the uterus as well as protecting the embryo, if fertilization takes place.

When a period is skipped, it could be due to the failure to ovulate and the ensuant low levels of progesterone.

There are other effects of progesterone such as an improvement in the metabolism of fat, an increase in bone density, improvement in the mood, and it also acts as a natural diuretic.

What are Progestins?

The synthetic form of progesterone is known as progestin. This form of progesterone, along with estrogen, is prescribed for women after menopause, who have not had their uterus removed surgically, as a part of HRT, or hormone replacement therapy. Estrogen is usually prescribed to treat the symptoms of menopause. But, estrogen also has the effect of causing the lining of the uterus to thicken abnormally and increasing the chances of uterine cancer developing.

The reason progesterone is also prescribed along with estrogen is because it helps in preventing the thickening and reduces the chances of uterine cancer from developing. Progesterone is also prescribed for women during their reproductive age, whose menstruation has suddenly stopped, which is usually due to low levels of natural progesterone.

By Rita Putatunda
Published: 2/29/2008

Source: www.buzzle.com