Progesterone is a hormone produced in the ovaries of women. It is also produced by men, but in small amounts. This is a fundamental hormone and is the forerunner for the production of additional, important hormones including estrogen and cortisone. Progesterone, in conjunction with estrogen, works to regulate a woman's reproductive cycle.
Progesterone is considered critically important to a woman's health. It is produced prior to ovulation to prepare a woman's uterus for accepting a fertilized egg. Each month, during a woman's childbearing years, it is secreted from within the ovaries signaling the body to thicken the lining of the uterus, so that a fertilized egg may attach and begin to develop. If a woman becomes pregnant, it is then produced by the placenta to maintain pregnancy and prevent rejection (spontaneous abortion) of the embryo. When pregnancy does not occur, the levels of progesterone decrease, and the thickened uterine lining along with the unfertilized egg is shed in the menstrual period.
Its most important role relative to a woman's general health, is to keep the level of estrogen in a woman's body in a balanced state. Unchecked estrogen can lead to very serious medical issues including increased risk for breast cancer or cancer of the reproductive organs.
In addition to the reproductive system, progesterone also stimulates thyroid activity, reduces inflammation, helps with immunity, blood-clotting abilities and other functions of the body. It is also used in synthetic (man-made) form to help with treatment of menstrual problems, prevent miscarriages and for birth control. The body requires this during all of the different phases of a woman's life. It is therefore important that a woman's body continues to generate progesterone even in the post-menopausal years, especially to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.
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