It can be tempting to jump straight to fixing “a problem”, especially when we are so motivated to achieve our goal. Such is the case when trying to get pregnant. There are lots of fertility teas, supplements, drink powders, etc all which claim to support your fertility. And many of them do - which is great! However, they do so by helping to balance hormone levels. This is also great if hormone imbalance is what’s making it hard to successfully conceive. But it’s not so great if that’s not your issue. In fact, supplementing before knowing what is really going on can not only put you at risk for wasting time and money, but also can actually throw off an otherwise balanced cycle - if supplements are taken when things are already in balance, that is.
Knowing where your hormone levels stand before supplementing is a good first step. It can help you understand your “baseline” levels which is important both for selecting the right path forward as well as for tracking progress if initial hormone levels seem to be out of balance. One of the key hormones that can be out of balance when it comes to trying to conceive is progesterone. Progesterone is the hormone released after ovulation and is important for making sure the uterus is ready for pregnancy. Presence of progesterone for a sustained period of time is important for indicating overall ovulation success - a key part to getting pregnant!
Proov tests PdG, a metabolite of progesterone, using first morning urine. Proov helps to confirm successful ovulation by tracking PdG days 7, 8, 9, and 10 after suspected ovulation. If you have positive results during the testing window, congrats - you had a successful ovulation that cycle. If results are negative, however, it could be a sign you’re not ovulating properly. Lack of proper ovulation can lead to hormone imbalance, specifically low progesterone. Because Proov can help you understand if you are ovulating successfully, the information is a good indicator to know if your PdG levels are good to go or if you may need a little boost.
Think you may have an ovulation issue? We’ve put together an article we think you should read before considering any type of treatment. The article dives into the hormone progesterone, why PdG is worth testing, cost of testing, and natural and medical treatments for low progesterone.
