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What Are the Levels of Estrogen & Progesterone in Pregancy?

Progesterone and estrogen are female sex hormones. Both increase during pregnancy to enable a healthy pregnancy as well as to prepare the woman’s body for childbirth.

  1. Progesterone

    • As a pregnancy progresses, levels of progesterone, which is produced primarily by the placenta, continue to increase. Progesterone prevents the uterus from contracting too early on. It also decreases prostaglandin formation. This allows the fetus to grow in your uterus, which is expanding daily, according to Expectantmothersguide.com.

    Progesterone Levels

    • Progesterone levels will rise by 10 to 15 times the normal amount by the third month of pregnancy, which means that progesterone levels can be as high as 300 mg to 400 mg per day, according to Safemenopausesolutions.com.

    Estrogen

    • Estrogen levels soar during pregnancy, and this increases the blood flow to the uterus. A woman may find that she’s very emotional--this is due to the increase in estrogen. After delivery, when hormone levels drop drastically, this can lead to postpartum depression.

    Estrogen Levels

    • When a woman is menstruating, her estrogen levels are approximately 45 pg/ml. When she ovulates, the level rises to 400 pg/ml. Estrogen then drops to around 250 pg/ml. However, if a pregnancy occurs, the level is about 100 times higher. Estrogen continues to increase throughout the pregnancy, according to Yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com.

    Purpose

    • Estrogen regulates progesterone throughout the pregnancy. It also maintains the endometrium, regulates bone density in the fetus, helps in the development of sexual characteristics and protects female fetuses from the androgens, which have masculizing effects, in the mother’s body, according to Paternityangel.com.

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