7 Ways to Increase Progesterone for a Healthier Pregnancy

Having sufficient levels of progesterone is one of the keys to a healthy pregnancy. Curious how to increase progesterone? Here are some natural ways to make sure you have the right hormonal balance.

pregnant woman in bed
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You're probably well aware that the placenta has a big job during pregnancy: supplying oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby. But what you might not realize is the placenta doesn't develop until sometime between week 12 and week 14 of pregnancy. So, what's responsible for supporting and nourishing your embryo until then? The answer is progesterone. This pregnancy hormone helps to support the growing fetus until the placenta takes over.

While most people don't need to do anything special to produce enough progesterone during pregnancy, those with a history of fertility issues may need to look into their progesterone levels. So, how much progesterone do you need for pregnancy, and how do you know if your body is producing enough? These questions don't have simple answers but read on to learn what the experts say and get tips on how to increase your progesterone levels naturally.

The Importance of Progesterone for Pregnancy

Increased levels of progesterone are needed to prime the uterus for pregnancy. After implantation, this ovarian hormone stimulates the growth of blood vessels in the lining of the uterus and glands that provide nutrients to your embryo, paving the way for a healthy placenta.

Even after the placenta takes over, progesterone is still hard at work maintaining a healthy uterus and helping to prevent preterm birth. That's why it's so essential that your progesterone levels stay high throughout your pregnancy, says Nanette Santoro, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado.

Risk Factors for Low Progesterone Levels

Doctors believe that some pregnant people are at higher risk for luteal phase insufficiency, which in the most basic terms means that their bodies produce an insufficient amount of progesterone after ovulation. Risk factors include having a low or high body weight, overexercising, a history of stress-induced loss of menstrual periods, and having a short luteal phase (their period comes 10 days or less after they ovulate).

Because people in these higher-risk groups often have difficulties getting pregnant, they are commonly treated prior to pregnancy with medications that stimulate the ovaries to make more hormones, including progesterone. Your doctor can test you to determine if your progesterone levels are lower than what is optimal for conception and pregnancy.

If you suspect you have luteal insufficiency, Dr. Santoro recommends speaking to your doctor about diagnosis and treatment right away. Other than a shorter-than-usual luteal phase (the time between ovulation and the start of your period), there aren't many clear-cut signs of low progesterone, and you won't know for sure without testing. Moreover, Dr. Santoro says that although medical professionals believe that a threshold amount of progesterone is needed for a healthy pregnancy, this threshold is not well understood.

How to Increase Low Progesterone Levels Naturally

The good news, according to Wendy Warner, MD, ABHIM, an OB-GYN in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, who also practices holistic medicine, is that most menstruating people's progesterone levels are fine. "But if you've had a history of irregular periods, very severe PMS, or early pregnancy losses in the past, you may have a problem with unbalanced progesterone/estrogen," explains Dr. Warner.

In these cases, it's key to ask your medical provider about potential treatments, such as medication as well as trying methods to maximize your progesterone levels naturally. Even if you don't have any of the above symptoms, Dr. Warner and Dr. Santoro agree that these methods can't hurt (as long as you get your doctor's approval)—especially if they are part of a healthy pregnancy lifestyle.

Maintain a healthy body weight for you

Being either underweight or overweight can negatively impact your fertility. Healthy body weight should be determined individually for each person, as many factors go into this calculation. However, extremes at either end of the weight spectrum are linked with infertility, and excess body fat, in particular, can lead to lower progesterone levels.

This is because estrogen and progesterone balance each other in the body. Increased body fat can lead to the production of excess estrogen in the fat cells (by converting other hormones to estrogen). Unfortunately, the ovaries don't know this is happening, so they don't make enough progesterone to compensate.

Losing weight doesn't directly increase progesterone. "But it does help keep estrogen levels normal, which in turn keeps the balance of progesterone reasonable," says Dr. Warner. So, reducing your body fat can help balance your estrogen and progesterone levels. However, check with your doctor to determine if weight loss goals may be beneficial in your case, and if so, which weight loss strategies may be most effective for you.

Avoid overexercising

Moderate exercise won't hurt either progesterone or estrogen levels; rather, it's good for you and your baby. "But excessive exercise—think 'competitive CrossFit'—may lead to unbalanced cortisol levels that will decrease progesterone overall," explains Dr. Warner.

Here's how this can happen: The stress of so much physical exertion leads to the elevated and prolonged production of cortisol (the main stress hormone). Because our bodies aren't designed to produce cortisol at such a high intensity, at some point the body looks for "help," which it finds by swiping progesterone from the ovaries and converting it to cortisol. This compensation ensures survival, but it leaves the ovarian hormones out of balance.

Reduce stress

Reducing stress to increase progesterone is easier said than done, right? But knowing what we do about the stress hormone cortisol, being mindful of your mental health makes a lot of sense. According to Dr. Warner, there's ample research showing that the practice of regularly shifting to positive emotions sends the message to the adrenal glands that they can resume normal function—and stop converting progesterone to cortisol.

Additionally, quieting the cognitive part of the mind can slow the overproduction of stress hormones, which as noted above also helps to balance progesterone. "Yoga, swimming laps, adult coloring books, knitting, tai chi, whatever works…just get quiet!" says Dr. Warner.

Eat foods that promote progesterone

A number of foods are known to increase progesterone levels, either directly or indirectly by impacting other hormones that affect progesterone balance. These include high-fiber foods such as beans, broccoli, sweet potato, avocados, and whole grains like quinoa and oats.

Foods containing zinc (beef, seafood, and nuts), vitamin B6 (fish, poultry, dried fruit, and sunflower seeds), and magnesium (spinach, whole grains, and nuts) also help to regulate hormones that will help progesterone levels. Fruits and veggies high in vitamin C, such as kale, kiwi, peppers, and oranges, have also been shown to raise progesterone levels.

Avoid foods that dysregulate fertility hormones

What you don't eat is as important as what you do when it comes to regulating hormones related to fertility. Research shows that diets high in processed foods, trans fats, refined sugars, and excess added sugars are linked with hormonal disruption and increased rates of infertility. Nutrient-dense diets like the Mediterranean diet, which includes lean proteins like fish, nuts, olive oil, and lots of veggies, are shown to be effective at promoting healthy progesterone levels.

Try chasteberry

Another food that may enhance progesterone production is chasteberry. It works by stimulating the pituitary gland to produce more luteinizing hormone (LH), which signals the ovaries to produce more progesterone. "Chasteberry is an herb known to improve progesterone production," says Dr. Warner. "It's also used for PMS, irregular menses, and support of early pregnancy when there is a history of potential progesterone imbalance."

Try acupuncture

Some people use acupuncture to help balance their hormone levels as well. "Progesterone and estrogen levels aren't specifically mentioned in Chinese medicine," says Dr. Warner, "but many studies have shown there is improved implantation after IVF, as well as decreased pregnancy loss, if acupuncture is done early and regularly in pregnancy."

Just be sure to get the OK from your doctor before adding acupuncture to your fertility regimen.

Key Takeaways

Most people don't need to worry about balancing their progesterone levels. However, if you know your fertility hormones are out of balance or you are experiencing fertility issues, it can help to take steps to increase your progesterone levels. Medications can help but you can also increase your progesterone naturally through a variety of methods, including by adjusting your diet, exercise routine, and stress level. Consult with your doctor to determine which approaches are best for you.

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