| Background | Progesterone is produced after ovulation in the corpus luteum and during pregnancy in the placenta. It is also produced in the adrenal glands. In women, progesterone levels are relatively low during the preovulatory phase, rise after ovulation, and are elevated during the luteal phase. Progesterone levels tend to be < 2 ng/ml prior to ovulation, and > 5 ng/ml after ovulation. If pregnancy occurs, progesterone levels are initially maintained at luteal levels. With the onset of the luteal-placental shift in progesterone support of the pregnancy, levels start to rise further and may reach 100–200 ng/ml at term. After delivery and during lactation, progesterone levels are very low. Progesterone levels are relatively low in children and postmenopausal women. Adult males have levels similar to those in women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. |
Information sourced from Uniprot.org
