What is PROG?

Progesterone (PROG), also known as luteinising hormone, belongs to the class of steroid hormones and is an important progestogen, synthesised mainly by luteal cells and the placenta during pregnancy, and is a precursor to testosterone, oestrogen and adrenocorticotropic hormone.

The level of progesterone produced by normal men and non-pregnant women is very low. After secreted into the blood, it mainly binds to albumin and sex hormone binding protein and circulates in the body. It has been proven by clinical studies that progesterone promotes ovulation and maintains the normal function of the corpus luteum in non-pregnant women.

Progesterone's physiological effects are overwhelmingly based on the role of estrogen. Progesterone can play a regulatory role for certain hormones secreted by the pituitary gland, can affect the growth and development of reproductive organs and functional activities, promote the growth and development of the mammary glands and have the effect of making the basal body temperature rise.

Clinical application of PROG

In non-pregnant women, progesterone is mainly synthesised and secreted by the follicular membrane cells of the ovary and the luteal cells after ovulation, and there are cyclical variations in the level of progesterone during the normal menstrual cycle; after luteal atrophy the concentration of progesterone in the blood decreases abruptly, dropping to follicular phase levels four days before the menstrual period.

In pregnancy, plasma progesterone concentration rises steadily with time. Before 6 weeks of pregnancy, progesterone is mainly produced by the corpus luteum, and at 7-10 weeks of pregnancy, progesterone produced by the corpus luteum gradually transitions to that produced by the placenta; progesterone is mainly derived from the placenta after 10 weeks of pregnancy, and in the late stage of pregnancy, the production of progesterone can be up to 10 times that of the non-pregnant period. Progesterone decreases rapidly to trace amounts within 24 hours after the end of labour.

Specific clinical applications of PROG are shown below:

① Serum progesterone can be tested to see if it corresponds to the physiological stage of the menstrual cycle and to determine the function of the corpus luteum and placenta.

② The progesterone test can tell whether the woman is in the period of ovulation, generally in the three days before and after ovulation, progesterone content can be doubled.

③ Women who are pregnant and have lowered progesterone levels are likely to be experiencing pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, etc.

④ Decreased progesterone levels in women who are not pregnant can be caused by luteal insufficiency, amenorrhoea, infertility, and adrenal and thyroid dysfunction.

⑤ Progesterone levels can determine the appropriate timing for IVF embryo transfer and provide some indication of the quality of the embryos after a successful transfer.

⑥ Clinically, progesterone levels are often measured by blood sampling in the mid-luteal phase to predict ovulation: if progesterone levels are persistently lower than those in the luteal phase, this may assist in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome amenorrhoea and anovulatory menstruation.

⑦ Progesterone levels can determine odour pregnancies, pre-miscarriages and monitor placental function.

Factors affecting PROG

1. Increased PROG levels may be due to:

Normal physiological response

(In the luteal phase, the corpus luteum secretes progesterone)

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

(Formed by the development of an abnormally fertilised egg, with predisposing factors related to diet and oral contraceptive use)

Choriocarcinoma

(Excessive production of oestrogen in the body)

Premature pregnancy

Abnormalities in ovarian function

Adrenal Disease

(Adrenal cortical hyperplasia)

Primary hypertension

2. Decreased PROG levels may be due to(pathological):

Pituitary failure, ovarian failure

Luteal insufficiency, placental dysplasia

Toxaemia of pregnancy

Foetal retardation or death, pre-eclampsia

Anovulatory menstruation

Summary

Progesterone is the progesterone hormone secreted by the ovaries. Through the level of progesterone, we can know whether a woman is pregnant or not, whether she is in the period of ovulation, whether there is a pre-eclampsia or ectopic pregnancy, and also assist in the diagnosis of some diseases, such as essential hypertension, toxaemia of pregnancy, etc.; it plays a very important role in the whole process of pregnancy. Whether in the stage of planning pregnancy or already pregnant, the measurement of progesterone is very important, so the progesterone test is of great significance to women.

The ReLIA PROG Immunoassay is CE-marked cleared. For more details on ReLIA PROG Immunoassay products and prices please contact us at  marketing@ReLIAchina.com

References

[1] SHANG Hong, WANG Yusan, SHEN Ziyu. National clinical testing operation procedures (4th edition) [M]. Beijing: People's Health Publishing House, 2019.

[2] Yin Yibing, Ni Peihua. Clinical biochemistry testing technology (1st ed.) [M]. Beijing: People's Health Press, 2015.

[3] Di Renao CC. Progesterone and pregnancy [J]. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2005,17(6):598-600.

[4] Kalinka J, Radwan M. The impact of dydrogesterone supplementation on serum cytokine profile in women with threatened abortion[J]. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. 2006,55(2):115-121.

[5] AC Wyse Jackson, SL Roche, AM Byrne, AM Ruiz-Lopez, TG Cotter.Progesterone receptor signalling in retinal photoreceptor neuroprotection[J]. Journal of Neurochemistry. 2016,136 (1):63.