Progesterone supplement in first trimester

[Anonymous]

Has anyone been advised to take progesterone during their first trimester? I'm 6.5 weeks pregnant. OB office wanted me to come in for a confirmation appointment and ended up doing a vaginal ultrasound. I have a small subclorionic bleed but all else looked good so the OB wants me to take progesterone until 12 weeks. I miscarried once before becoming pregnant with my first child, and I'm 39 so those two factors factored into the decision. But I wasn't even tested for progesterone levels. I guess I just don't see the point- if I'm going to miscarry, I'd rather it just happen rather than try to delay the inevitable.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I had to take progesterone during my last pregnancy, which ended in a MMC at 9 weeks. Taking progesterone won't necessarily delay the inevitable from what I understand - it would just support a healthy pregnancy. You can and will still miscarry even if you're on it.

And, a SCH is not necessarily a big deal and can totally be a non-issue.

[Anonymous]

Yes it's standard with artificial reproduction. It's just messy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes it's standard with artificial reproduction. It's just messy.

This. Most women who do IVF are on it until end of first trimester, maybe a bit earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it's standard with artificial reproduction. It's just messy.

This. Most women who do IVF are on it until end of first trimester, maybe a bit earlier.

Is it common in non-IVF situations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it's standard with artificial reproduction. It's just messy.

This. Most women who do IVF are on it until end of first trimester, maybe a bit earlier.

Is it common in non-IVF situations?

We've never had a non-IVF pregnancy, but I'm sure it's fairly common. If the doctor is telling you to take it, there's a reason and could possibly prevent a miscarriage.

[Anonymous]

I was given progesterone when pregnant with my son after an IUI. I was 35.

[Anonymous]

Different story here - I've had different clinics approach this differently. After IVF it's standard protocol because it can be harder for your body to get into that natural rhythm. After IUI (and for non-ART) it just depends on the clinic. I just did an IUI and my clinic prefers to test your progesterone before offering supplementation. I do think it's odd that OP, who conceived via non-ART, would be given progesterone without testing her levels first. Has your OB ever tested your levels before? It could be that last time around your P4 was low? That being said, it really can't hurt and just adds some extra annoyance.

[Anonymous]

Slightly OT, but why are women routinely getting ultrasounds this early in pregnancy? There's really nothing that can be done at that point. I miscarried at 8 weeks and it wouldn't have been nearly as hard if I hadn't seen it on the screen two weeks earlier. It never really felt real until that point. Then with my next (successful) pregnancy, I had so many ultrasounds throughout. My FIL, who at that time was still a practicing OBGYN, was floored, but then he admitted that many other docitors in his practice order a lot too, and not necessarily because it's in the best interest of the patient. No wonder medical costs/insurance is so high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Slightly OT, but why are women routinely getting ultrasounds this early in pregnancy? There's really nothing that can be done at that point. I miscarried at 8 weeks and it wouldn't have been nearly as hard if I hadn't seen it on the screen two weeks earlier. It never really felt real until that point. Then with my next (successful) pregnancy, I had so many ultrasounds throughout. My FIL, who at that time was still a practicing OBGYN, was floored, but then he admitted that many other docitors in his practice order a lot too, and not necessarily because it's in the best interest of the patient. No wonder medical costs/insurance is so high.

I get an ultrasound at every visit, since 6 weeks (we found out super early and got transvaginal before abdominal). Each doctor has his/her own machine so it's not an issue at my doctor's office. I am not charged for it.

[Anonymous]

Yes, all three pregnancies.

[Anonymous]

I kiscarry unless I take progesterone. If I take it, I get a baby at the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I kiscarry unless I take progesterone. If I take it, I get a baby at the end.

Miscarry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Slightly OT, but why are women routinely getting ultrasounds this early in pregnancy? There's really nothing that can be done at that point. I miscarried at 8 weeks and it wouldn't have been nearly as hard if I hadn't seen it on the screen two weeks earlier. It never really felt real until that point. Then with my next (successful) pregnancy, I had so many ultrasounds throughout. My FIL, who at that time was still a practicing OBGYN, was floored, but then he admitted that many other docitors in his practice order a lot too, and not necessarily because it's in the best interest of the patient. No wonder medical costs/insurance is so high.

I get an ultrasound at every visit, since 6 weeks (we found out super early and got transvaginal before abdominal). Each doctor has his/her own machine so it's not an issue at my doctor's office. I am not charged for it.

Your insurance is probably charged for it.

[Anonymous]

In a non-IVF pregnancy, the corpus luteum hangs after ovulation and produces progesterone until the placenta is developed enough to take over. Since the corpus luteum is not present in an IVF pregnancy (since ovulation did not happen naturally), supplementation until that point is necessary.

In a non-IVF pregnancy, some doctors think progesterone can help sustain an at-risk pregnancy by relaxing the uterus. In your case, they are probably trying to create an environment that is most conducive to letting the hematoma heal. I took it for subchorionic hematoma with one of my pregnancies and everything turned out fine. He is a now a beautiful, perfectly healthy preschooler.