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Last Updated:
Sep 10th, 2007 - 18:59:21
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Question
I have been charting for about a year, the Creighton Model of Natural Family Planning/NaProTechnology and from these charts, it would appear that I am low in progesterone. I have not yet been able to get pregnant. My luteal phase is short. I asked my usual OBGYN to give me a progesterone test on P+10 and found out that I am indeed low on progesterone. The doctor wants to start me on Clomid, but what I wonder is why not Clomid AND progesterone together, so if I do conceive, I would have a lesser chance of miscarrying? I am 39 years old. Does Clomid automatically have an effect on progesterone, and if so, is it sufficient to help the progesterone issue?
Thank you for considering this question.
Elena
Answer
Dear Elena,
Your concerns are reasonable, and if your progesterone levels are low, that needs to be addressed. Clomid alone would provide inadequate protection against an increased risk of miscarriage due to low progesterone. On our website, www.canfp.org you will find several responses by NaPro trained physicians which explain the recommended protocols for evaluating progesterone levels, and supplementing with a bio-identical progesterone. You can find these responses by looking under the appropriate category, or searching by a keyword, such as progesterone.
You mention you have short luteal phases, but I wonder how short, as you had the levels drawn on Peak plus 10. A normal range for the luteal phase is 9-17 days, and so yours is within the normal range, though if they are consistently only 9-10 days, for instance, they would be on the shorter end of normal, to be sure. You also only had the level checked on one day, and it was rather late in the luteal phase. One can get a more complete picture of the progesterone levels if several measurements are taken during the luteal phase, and Pope Paul VI Institute would check the levels on Peak plus 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. If you are only checking the level on one day, Peak plus 7 would be preferable to Peak plus 10.
If you have access to a physician who is trained to interpret your Creighton Model charts, you most certainly would benefit from a consultation. Another possibility is consulting directly with the Pope Paul VI Institute. You will find their contact information on our links page at www.canfp.org and your Fertility Care Practitioner can assist you in accessing this service. Or perhaps your physician will be open to consulting Dr. Hilger’s protocols for evaluating and treating inadequate luteal phases for enhancing fertility and reducing risk of miscarriage, as found in his book “The Medical and Surgical Applications of NaProTechnology”.
I wish you well!
Sheila St. John
Sheila St. John, CFCP, is a Certified Fertility Care Practitioner, actively teaching in hospital, parish, and private settings in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties since the early 1980’s.
She is the Executive Director of the California Association of Natural Family Planning.
© Copyright 2005 by CANFP
The information on this page and web site is for informational purposes only,
and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment by a physician.
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