| Subject | Contents |
| Definition | A test that measures the amount of progesterone in the blood. |
| Alternative Names | Progesterone - serum |
| How the test is performed | Adult or child: Blood is drawn from a vein ( venipuncture ), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The puncture site is cleaned with antiseptic, and a tourniquet (an elastic band) is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and restrict blood flow through the vein. This causes veins below the tourniquet to distend (fill with blood). A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. During the procedure, the tourniquet is removed to restore circulation. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding . Infant or young child: The area is cleansed with antiseptic and punctured with a sharp needle or a lancet. The blood may be collected in a pipette (small glass tube), on a slide, onto a test strip, or into a small container. Cotton or a bandage may be applied to the puncture site if there is any continued bleeding. |
| How to prepare for the test | The health care provider may advise you to withhold drugs that may affect the test (see "special considerations"). Infants and children: The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experiences, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year) toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years) preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years) schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years) adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years) |
| How the test will feel | When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing. |
| Why the test is performed | This test is performed to evaluate disorders associated with abnormal progesterone levels. Progesterone is a steroid hormone that is synthesized in, and released from, the corpus luteum, placenta, and adrenal gland. In men, progesterone probably has no normal function except as an intermediate in the synthesis of other steroid hormones. In women, progesterone prepares the uterus for pregnancy and the lobules of the breast for lactation. After ovulation, progesterone blocks estrogen-induced proliferation of the endometrium and stimulates the glands of the uterus to prepare for implantation. Progesterone levels continue to rise in early pregnancy. Plasma progesterone levels start to rise with the LH surge midway through the menstrual cycle, continue to rise for about 6 to 10 days, and then fall in the absence of fertilization. Urinary pregnanediol levels are an indirect measure of progesterone production. Progesterone is converted to pregnanediol by the liver before being secreted in the urine. |
| Normal Values | female (preovulation): less than 1 ng/mL female (midcycle): 5 to 20 ng/mL male: less than 1 ng/mL Note: ng/mL = nanograms per milliliter |
| What abnormal results mean | Greater-than-normal levels may indicate:pregnancy adrenal cancerovarian cancer Lower-than-normal levels may indicate: amenorrheafetal deaththreatened abortiontoxemia of pregnancy Additional conditions under which the test may be performed: ectopic pregnancyinfertility |
| What the risks are | excessive bleedingfainting or feeling lightheaded hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken) multiple punctures to locate veins |
| Special considerations | Drugs that can interfere with the test include progesterone and oral contraceptives. Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others. |
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