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Progesterone in the blood
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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Progesterone promotes proliferation of the uterine mucosa, facilitates implantation of the fertilized egg. Progesterone is synthesized by the corpus luteum, and during pregnancy its main source is the placenta. Measurement of progesterone concentration in the blood is carried out to confirm or exclude ovulation during the menstrual cycle.
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Normal serum progesterone concentration
Age |
Progesterone, nmol/l |
Women: |
|
Follicular phase |
0.5-2.2 |
Ovulation phase |
3.1-7.1 |
Luteal phase |
6.4-79.5 |
Menopause period |
0.06-1.3 |
Pregnancy: |
|
9-16 weeks |
32.6-139.9 |
16-18 weeks |
62.0-262.4 |
28-30 weeks |
206.7-728.2 |
Prenatal period |
485.8-1104 |
Men |
0.4-3.1 |
The main target organ of progesterone is the uterus. The hormone causes secretory transformation of the proliferatively thickened endometrium, thereby ensuring its readiness for implantation of the fertilized egg. Moreover, progesterone has an important control function in the gonadotropin-gonadal steroid system and causes stimulation of the thermal center. This causes an increase in body temperature by 0.5 °C in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle after ovulation.
Until the end of the LH peak, the progesterone concentration remains extremely low. However, simultaneously with the LH peak in the middle of the cycle, there is a small but significant increase in progesterone concentration, followed by a decrease. In parallel with estradiol, the progesterone level begins to rise again in the second half of the cycle. This means that luteinization is complete. By the end of the cycle, the progesterone concentration drops again and reaches the values of the first, follicular phase, in which the effect of the corpus luteum is practically absent. This sharp drop in progesterone concentration causes menstrual bleeding.