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Progesterone Level Ovulation Symptoms

In the middle of your menstrual cycle---approximately 14 days after the beginning of your last period and 14 days before the start of your next period--you may experience a sharp pain in either your lower right or lower left abdomen. This may be an indication that you are ovulating. This pain is called Mittelschmerz, which is the German word for mid-cycle pain. This pain is very common in some women, according to Fertilitynetwork.org. The pain is actually a good sign because it means you are ovulating. The pain also lets you know that this is your fertile time of the month. Ovulation is the time in your menstrual cycle when estrogen steps aside and progesterone steps up and does its job.

  1. The Process

    • Progesterone and estrogen prompt your body to develop tissue and endometrial (uterine) blood flow in preparation for a pregnancy. If a pregnancy doesn't occur, these hormone levels drop sharply as does the blood flow to your uterus. This causes the lining of the uterus to deteriorate and shed, which results in a menstrual period. When progesterone and estrogen decline, this triggers the cycle to start all over again and prompts the production of other fertility hormones including gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which instructs your ovaries to start the maturation process all over again.

    The Body Heats Up

    • When you ovulate and progesterone levels increase, this allows your body to create a suitable host environment in your uterus to house a pregnancy. Progesterone warms the body and increases your basal body temperature, although you may not notice that you feel hotter. However, those women who are tracking their ovulation in an attempt to get pregnant take their basal body temperature to find out when they are fertile.

    Good Levels

    • When the egg releases a follicle it becomes a corpus luteum and it produces progesterone. Although progesterone levels can vary depending on the individual, Fertilityplus.org notes that a progesterone level above 3-6ng/ml indicates ovulation. However, many doctors want to see a level of over 10 in a natural cycle and a level over 15 in women who are taking medication to induce ovulation. When a woman takes medication for this purpose, this may cause her to drop several eggs, which will make her progesterone level quite high.

    When Levels Are Low

    • If your progesterone levels are low, you may have difficulty getting pregnant, according to Fertilityplus.com. In fact, you can have a period without ovulating and this is called anovulation. No progesterone is produced so it is unlikely that you will feel mid-cycle pain because you are not ovulating. When ovulation doesn't occur and progesterone isn't produced, this can result in estrogen overload, which can cause severe PMS symptoms. When progesterone is doing its job, it keeps estrogen levels in check.

    Other Possibilities

    • Other symptoms of low progesterone include muscle and joint pain, urinary incontinence, bloating, extreme changes in mood, weight gain, irritability, inability to concentrate, dizziness and insomnia. You may also experience changes in your appetite, vaginal dryness, cold chills, night sweats, hot flashes, urinary tract infections and cystitis. In addition, if your progesterone level is inadequate, you may have heavy menstrual bleeding, tender breasts, fibroids and irregular menstrual cycles.

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