Progesterone helped me

by Lisa
(Hawaii)

I am 33 years old and have had 2 live births and 6 losses that I believe are progesterone-deficiency related. The last pregnancy/loss I used progesterone suppositories and baby aspirin starting at week 7 because I started spotting and my OB said I would be a candidate for this therapy. I didn't have my usual contractions until about 18 weeks this time. I went off the suppositories for 48 hours at 18 weeks unintentionally and started having painful long contractions for about 6 hours until I was able to get my prescription refilled and got back on them. After that I would feel Braxton Hicks or short contractions once in a while that eased with rest or putting my feet up. I kept on the progesterone. At 28 weeks I had my cervix checked because I sensed something was amiss and found that my cervix was dilated to 1 cm and was very soft and short. I was put on bedrest. About 4 days later I started having regular light contractions every 10-15 minutes for 2 hours even when I laid down so I went in to the hospital to get checked out. They found no heartbeat.

My doctor showed up and said it sounded like a cord accident as I had seen him just 4 days earlier and everything was fine and I had been feeling regular strong movement up until the night before. I did not take my progesterone that evening, I went into full labor within 12 hours and gave birth to Isaac with his cord around his neck but otherwise in perfect shape. We did no autopsy and the placenta testing showed no infection or abnormalities.

My OB is convinced this was a freak accident because I had such a different pregnacy from my others. My first pregnancy I conceived immediately and had a lot of pre-term labor and gave birth at 33 weeks, placenta pathology showed some type of infection. I got pregnant a year later when my cycle returned and miscarried at 6 weeks. I was pregnant 2 months later and gave birth at 37 weeks. I was on Terbutaline for contractions starting at 21 weeks pregnancy for that one. As soon as I went off the Terbutaline at 37 weeks I went into labor. Placenta was normal. I got preganant a year later when my cycle returned and miscarried at 12 weeks although it had died at 7 weeks unbeknownst to me.

I was unable to get pregnant for 4 years after that. I used a pregesterone cream (not under practitioner care) for a month and got pregnant. I stopped the cream because I didn't know if I could continue using it. I miscarried an embryo at 6 weeks and continued to be pregnant with the twin having some spotting and cramping throughout the pregnancy and lost a baby boy at 19 weeks. His placenta came back showing acute amnioitis infection in the placenta, amniotic sac and cord. I immediately went on a regimen recommended by a Naturopath of Maca powder and a Chinese medicine and conceived 4 months later when we were not being "careful". I immediately got care from an OB and started on the progesterone at 7 weeks like I said at the beginning because I started spotting.

In my head and heart I believe that I have had a progesterone deficiency that comes and goes. I wonder if it may have been started when I went on Depo-Provera as a young woman for almost 4 years and it stopped my cycles. I think that progesterone therapy helped me carry my last baby as long as I did especially since the placenta pathology showed nothing abnormal.

It has been 4 months since we lost Isaac and we are trying again. My cycles are regular, I have been BBT and ovulation testing and all seems to be right on target. I have been taking the Maca powder. I had a progesterone blood test done on the 22 day of my last cycle and my OB said it was a good level to support a pregnancy.

My question...

Since I know exactly when I am ovulating and possible conceiving, should I start on the progesterone at mid-cycle (conception) to help support a possible pregnancy or should I wait until I have a positive pregnancy test?

Also, should I take a saliva test for progesterone and how do I convince my practitioner of that?

Thank you for any input. BTW, I am not a particular moody person (just a little the day before my period), I am in good health, never struggled with weight problems except when I tried Depo Provera 12 years ago, I have good energy, was diagnosed with endometriosis at 21 yrs old, eat a healthy diet, have no family history of pregnancy problems.