Progesterone levels vary throughout a menstrual cycle. A progesterone test is useful in initial fertility investigations for the detection of ovulation and assessment of the luteal phase. Corrected day 21 progesterone can indicate if ovulation has occurred, and repeatedly low levels indicate anovulatory cycles.
Progesterone
Progesterone
Progesterone is a steroid hormone, the most important of all the progestogens. It is produced by corpus luteum in the ovaries of non-pregnant women and by the placenta in pregnancy.
Progesterone has a central role in the secretory stage of the menstrual cycle, preparing the endometrium in the uterus for implantation of an embryo. Progesterone levels are typically low in the early phase of the menstrual cycle and rise after ovulation. If fertilisation occurs, the placenta takes over the production of progesterone and becomes the principal source of progesterone in the second trimester. If fertilisation does not occur, the corpus luteum regresses, progesterone levels fall and a menstrual period follows.
Measurement of serum progesterone during pregnancy is useful in determining the success of ovarian response to hormonal therapy and in the detection of ectopic or non viable pregnancies. Serum progesterone monitoring is also helpful in the management of recurrent miscarriages – insufficient levels indicating the need for prescribed supplemental progesterone support especially in early pregnancy.
Please contact us for more information on the reference ranges used at Enfer Medical.
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Our Services
5mL venous serum
Enfer Medical
Tests/Assays
Enfer Medical offers the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) technology for the quantitative assay for Progesterone. This test is CE-IVD certified.
Patient
Request Form
For clients using the Enfer Medical Client Portal, the Enfer Medical Patient Request Form (PRF) will be generated when you have completed your “Test Request” within the portal linked below.
Please note that samples suspected of containing high risk pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis should be clearly identified on the form and packed separately from other samples.
Results are available next working day.
This assay is available seven days a week.
Packaging
The packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory are required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. HSE guidance can be reviewed HERE.
There are specific packaging instructions and labelling requirements requiring triple packaging including:
- Primary leak-proof container – tube or vial containing the sample.
- Secondary watertight container, with absorbent material, intended to protect the primary container.
- Outer container protects the secondary container.
- Patient Request forms must be placed between the secondary container and the outer shipping container.
Further information on the packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory is contained within the Enfer Medical Laboratory User Manual which clients are provided with.
Storage & Stability
Specimens must be tested within 7 days of collection and stored at 2-8°C.
Samples
In addition to the packaging of samples, the transport/delivery of clinical samples to the laboratory is required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. Enfer Medical provides a fully compliant logistics service, aligned with clients’ testing requirements.
Prompt transport of specimens:
To ensure prompt testing of samples and release of results within the published test turnaround times, samples should arrive to the laboratory by 18:00. Test turnaround time is measured from receipt of the sample at the laboratory until the time the authorised results are reported to users.
of Samples
In rare cases specimens may not be suitable for testing on arrival to the laboratory. In that case the sample will be rejected at the receipt stage and the service user will be notified immediately and an explanation as to why the sample could not be processed will be provided. Reasons why samples cannot be processed include but are not limited to:
- Samples received beyond the stability limits and/or not at the correct temperature indicated for each test.
- Incorrect sample type received.
- Leaking samples, sample not received or sample insufficient for analysis as stated below within sample requirements.
- Non-compliant samples or request forms i.e. those missing sample date information, missing sample test request and/or missing sample site/type information.
- Samples received without the necessary patient identifiers.
Our Services
Quantitative results for Progesterone are reported in numeric value in nmol/L. Please contact us for more information on the reference ranges used at Enfer Medical.
Accessing
Your Results
Following receipt at the Laboratory, results should be available on the next working day and will be reported to the referring clinician via the Enfer Medical Client Portal or in a format agreed with clients.
Established clients can login to the portal using the link above.