A number of hormones in a woman's body will play a part in her fertility. In fact, without specific hormones functioning in a certain way, it is extremely unlikely, if not impossible, for a woman to become pregnant. Many fertility problems are caused when one or more of these hormones does not work the way that they are supposed to, and many fertility treatments rely on injections of hormones. One of the most important of these hormones is progesterone.
Progesterone plays a significant part in your fertility. Progesterone helps the uterus to maintain its lining so that a fertilized egg can implant. Progesterone also raises your Basal Body Temperature. Many women who are trying to conceive also test their Basal Body Temperature as well, so that they can tell when she has ovulated.
If a fertilized egg successfully implants, the placenta will take over the role of maintaining the uterine lining and your progesterone levels will drop back down to normal. This does not happen instantly, however; if progesterone levels drop too significantly within the first ten to twelve weeks of pregnancy, it can cause a miscarriage.
Another hormone to play an important role in fertility is called Follicle Stimulating Hormone, or FSH for short. FSH is a hormone that works on the ovaries. It causes the ovaries to produce mature eggs to be released. Each egg is part of a follicle. Each follicle then works to produce the hormone estrogen.
The flow of estrogen through the body just before ovulation plays a role in fertility as well. Estrogen causes cervical mucus to become more hospitable to sperm, making it what is known as "egg-white cervical mucus.” When you are ovulating, you will have the most cervical mucus. The cervical mucus should be about the same texture and have a similar appearance to an egg white. This is the time, during ovulation, when you are most likely to become pregnant. By tracking changes in cervical mucus, many women are able to know exactly when they are ovulating, thus increasing their chances of becoming pregnant when trying to conceive.
The higher levels of the hormone estrogen prompt the release of another hormone. This hormone, known as luteinizing hormone or LH, prompts the egg to come out of its follicle, where it can be fertilized. The shed follicle becomes a "corpeus luteum." In fact, the time from when you ovulate to when you start your next period is referred to as the “luteal phase.” The corpeus luteum then starts to produce progesterone.
There are a variety of ways to increase your levels of progesterone. Fertility medications, such as Clomid, will help your progesterone levels. Natural progesterone creams may also help. However, these creams should not be used until after ovulation. If you are concerned about your progesterone levels, you should speak with your health care provider.
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