Low progesterone/Anovulatory cycles?

[Dmmetler]

Apparently, my progesterone levels are low/off enough that my GYN believes I'm probably not ovulating, or at least not ovulating regularly. I'm doing Basal Body Temperature and daily Ovulation predictor tests this month to get more information.

 

I'm 39, and still have very regular menstrual cycles. I am, however, starting to have hot flashes. I go back and forth between wanting another baby and thinking that I'd be just as happy to let DD be an only.

 

Anyone have any experience with this?

[Shifra]

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome (which is probably not the reason why you don't ovulate, particularly since your do have regular periods), which means that I almost never ovulate or have regular periods. While I had my oldest without any infertility intervention, my two youngest were conceived via IVF. While I do not regret going through infertility treatments, I can tell you that they are painful, both physically and emotionally (and I am in general very stoic and not emotional :lol:). The fact is that in order to undergo any infertility treatments, you would have to be taking large doses of hormones, that will hit you like a truck and make you very weepy. Statistically speaking, your marriage will be at risk--many people who undergo infertility treatments divorce later, even if the treatments are successful! So while I would never discourage anyone who wanted to undergo infertility treatments (it not being my decision :lol:), buyer beware!

[sbgrace]

Your OB might be right but you also can be ovulating and have low progesterone independently. I ovulate but don't produce enough progesterone to sustain a pregnancy. This results in early miscarriages while lack of ovulation would result in no pregnancy at all. Early miscarriages can result in a anovulation or delayed ovulation which muddies things.

 

Your temperature charts will tell you a lot. If you ovulate (with the temp rise) but the luteal phase/second half of your cycle is short that would indicate low progesterone. If you have a long (ie pregnant) luteal phase and then temps drop and it's over that indicates a miscarriage and low progesterone might be to blame in that case.

Edited February 15, 2012 by sbgrace

[Geo]

Both my mother and sister were post-menses at 41. I was already skipping periods at 39 and had perimenopausal symptoms...but, surprisingly had two children in my 40's (40 & 43yo). We were not actively trying to conceive, nor avoiding it. I had our previous child at 34, and hadn't used any type of contraception before or after her. I was using natural progesterone cream for the peri-meno crazies though. I was breast feeding as I entered menopause. I read warnings that using progesterone cream can help a woman conceive- if she had not conceived because her progesterone low. That just may have been the case. I have kids 6, 7, & 9 years apart (see my siggy)...contraception was never in the picture, and my periods were very regular. Go figure.