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Can I take progesterone suppositories my entire pregnancy?

I am wondering about continuing progesterone throughout my entire pregnancy. Right now I am 16.5 weeks pregnant and have been taking 200mg per day of bio-identical progesterone.

I have had 3 consecutive miscarriages at 12 weeks, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks. After my first loss, I had a hunch that progesterone was the problem. So, for the next pregnancy, I found over-the-counter natural progesterone cream. That didn't work. In between pregnancies I began having symptoms that I had never experienced before. From ovulation to period I would have anxiety and cramping. Both of those would stop when my period started. For the next pregnancy, I asked a doctor to prescribe bio-identical progesterone suppositories. I was on 100mg per day. At 12 weeks, I was advised to wean myself off. By 14 weeks, I quit taking progesterone.

At 16 weeks I went in for an appointment, and they couldn't find the heartbeat. An ultrasound confirmed that the baby had passed away. Based on the baby's measurements, the doctor guessed that the baby died at about 14 weeks, which is when I stopped taking progesterone.

After that third loss, I went to an infertility clinic to figure out what kept going wrong. She tested me for everything she could think of. Her final thoughts were that I have diminished ovarian reserve based on an FSH of 10.5 when it shouldn't be over 10. She thought that maybe I'm putting out bad eggs, the bad eggs are getting fertilized, and the pregnancy doesn't last. However, she said that doesn't explain my second trimester loss. Her conclusion definitely doesn't resonate with me, and I don't think it's what was causing my problems.

After some time of tying to strengthen my body, we began trying again, 8 months after that last loss. We got pregnant in 3 months with the baby I am pregnant with now. The infertility dr. wanted to put me on a synthetic progesterone of 200mg per day. I asked for bioidentical instead, and she said they wouldn't be able to do that or even give me a prescription for an outside pharmacy. It's very important to me to get bioidentical, so I went to a naturopath. I told her my history, and she said that I should have never stopped the progesterone. She recommended that I take progesterone this entire pregnancy.

She gave me a bioidentical progesterone in oil to apply topically. I didn't that for about 3 weeks and then switched to a sublingual progesterone. With both, I was continuing to have my low-progesterone symptoms: mild cramping and anxiety. After maybe 2 weeks of the sublingual progesterone, I asked another doctor to prescribe bioidentical progesterone suppositories. He prescribed 200mg per day.

I have been taking that since maybe 8 or 9 weeks pregnant. The cramping went away. Every once in a while I will have a little bit of anxiety, but definitely not as often as before. Now, I'm 16.5 weeks pregnant, and all the health professionals around me aren't sure what to do about the progesterone. Everyone says the same thing: "the placenta should take over by now." I'm definitely not comfortable coming off the progesterone. I want to do what's best for the baby and this pregnancy, but I'm not sure what that is.

Can you give me advice about whether or not to stay on the progesterone for the whole pregnancy?

Comments for Can I take progesterone suppositories my entire pregnancy?

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Mar 08, 2014
 Interested in answer
by: Anonymous

I would like to hear the answer for this one also. I had similar problems like this during my pregnancies and suspected that progesterone would help. Unfortunately, I didn't have that available to me as my pregnancies were many years ago. Could you also comment on how taking the progesterone helps the baby. I thought I had read years ago that adding progesterone would help with the baby's intellect, but I could be mistaken.
Mar 15, 2014
 Don't quit at 14 weeks
by: Anonymous

Although the placenta should support progesterone at 14 weeks my fertility specialist kept me on heavy progesterone suppositories for 20 weeks to be safe. The pregnancy was successful and I gave birth to a darling baby girl.
Mar 18, 2014
 Me too wary of weaning progesterone
by: Anonymous

hi i am 37 preg with third child. did fet with no previous issues but to be on safe side i am on 2x400mg P4 pessary twice a day and one 50mg PIO daily . My doc said to stop all progesterone one week ago but i dont want to take any risk and did not stop.
May 21, 2014
 progesterone
by: Anonymous

am on progesterone too and will take it throughout the entire pregnancy
Oct 29, 2014
 Progesterone
by: Anonymous

I am also taking progesterone and watching my levels every two weeks. At 18 weeks my blood work showed that My placenta took over but then it dropped again. I am now back on progesterone. I am working with creighton model NFP. Im 19 weeks and 1 day and will be watching my levels via blood test every to weeks probably until birth. Read into Creighton Model Natural family planning. It will help you understand your fertility and infertility.
Nov 06, 2014
 Continual Progesterone Supplementation
by: Anonymous

I had two first-trimester miscarriages and my midwife suspected low progesterone. We started testing my blood every 3 days as soon as I had a positive pregnancy test this time. Sure enough, after sitting around a 20 for a while, it began to drop. I immediately began taking oral progesterone, and continued that for several weeks.

When my levels did not go above 25, we began adding shots 3x/week. The numbers rose, and we expected (hoped) to see my numbers pick up after Week 12 or so, when I stopped the shots (I continued the oral).

I experienced some spotting in Week 14, which we thought might be related to stopping the shots. We began with the shots again, and per (another) doctor's advice, we increased the dosage. We had a diagnostic ultrasound several days later, which showed a healthy, active fetus that measured several days ahead. :)

Per doctor's advice, I've stopped taking the oral medication but increased the shots. For weeks 14-15, I was on 150 mg 3x/week. At Week 16, we increased the dosage to 200 mg 2x/week so we would see a higher peak. I also started having blood drawn during the day, right before an injection that night, so the number we saw would represent the lowest level prior to a new injection.

Now, at Week 19, my level yesterday was 37.2, and it should be in the low 50s at this point. We are going to increase my dosage again to 200 mg every other day to see what happens. I have the option of daily vaginal suppositories, but for now I'm going to stick with the shots.

Check out the website for the Pope John Paul IV Institute in Omaha for more information, including information about progesterone support throughout pregnancy.

I'm glad I found this site -- thanks for sharing, everyone!
Nov 20, 2015
 Don't give up
by: Elena

I pray for all you girls that are trying to have your babies healthy, I only can say that I won a battle against low progesterone, my levels were very low for years now I supposed that is way all my babies were premature and very small. I'm 47 now and low level were always a constant and the only option was hysterectomy. However I refused to attack myself by cutting my parts and the only natural source of progesterone. I used everything, capsules, cream, suppositories all the time to avoid heavy hemorrhages that crippled me and let me in the tub for long periods of time along with anemia etc. Don't give up, I did what you are doing, reading and becoming an expert about the topic. calling doctors from another states and countries, reading journals etc. I live in Alaska, our alternative medicine is very limited here and although my OBG is the best in town and owns the biggest women clinic, seams to be unfamiliar to natural/bio-identical progesterone. The point is how well I feel when my levels are up.


Blessings
Jun 27, 2016
 How long progesterone supplement be given
by: Michelle

I had treatment for infertility 3months back which unfortunately pregnancy did not happen.I stopped consulting with my doctor and me and my decided to see natural process.so now its after 3months and when my period due wz over I did home test which came out positive and also for accurate confirmation we went to clinic to test again same report.on next we consulted our doctor,I noticed brown discharge ,so for this reason I took ultrasound but nothing was seen.further my doctor prescribed folistar and progesterone tablet 300mg to have for 10,days to visit again 1wk for other ultrasound .i m scared this is my first time I dont want any chance of losing .so anybody who went through pliz sort outmy problem.
Aug 17, 2018
 Yes!
by: Anonymous

After 2 second trimester miscarriages, I found a new doctor who put me on 200mg progesterone per day for the entire pregnancy. I ended up giving birth to a very healthy, very large baby (over 12lbs).
Jun 03, 2021
 Yes
by: Anonymous

Yes take it and don’t worry

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