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Progesterone Test

$59

Checking progesterone levels can help you track ovulation cycles.

Progesterone is produced primarily by the ovaries and is essential for regulating menstruation and supporting pregnancy. Progesterone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and in different life stages. Measuring your progesterone levels can help monitor and track ovulation. Low levels of progesterone may be associated with irregular menstrual periods, mood changes and difficulty in conceiving. Elevated progesterone levels are often a sign of recent ovulation.

Whether you’re planning for a family, managing your menstrual cycle or seeking to understand your reproductive health, our progesterone blood test can help deliver insights, enabling you to make informed decisions about your health.

Note: This test does not diagnose or determine the cause of infertility. It is recommended to consult with a healthcare provider if you have any questions about your result.

Progesterone Test

$59

Test Details

Sample Type: Blood

Collection Method: In person at a Labcorp location

Age: 18+

Results: 1 day from when your sample arrives at our lab

HSA/FSA: Accepted

Test must be taken by purchaser

Preparation: Test should be taken on day 21 into a 28-day cycle or 7 days before the start of your next menstrual period. The first day of your menstrual period is considered day 1 of your menstrual cycle.

If you’re taking a supplement containing biotin (also called vitamin B7 or B8, vitamin H or coenzyme R), commonly found in products promoting nail, skin and hair health, it is recommended that you wait at least 72 hours from your last dose before sample collection.

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Monitoring ovulation?

Progesterone levels typically rise after ovulation. Our progesterone blood test measures your progesterone level to help provide insight if ovulation occurred if you’re trying to conceive or if you are having irregular periods.

Have questions about reproductive health?

Low levels of progesterone may be linked to fertility challenges, while high progesterone levels may indicate recent ovulation.^1,2 Our progesterone lab test cannot diagnose or determine the cause of infertility, but it can be a first step in finding the answers you need.

Experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance?

Symptoms of progesterone imbalance can include irregular periods, mood changes, or sleep disturbances. Our progesterone blood test can assess your progesterone levels and provide insights to the symptoms you are experiencing.

Progesterone levels may be imbalanced in certain conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that causes irregular menstrual periods with symptoms of acne, excess hair growth, weight gain, and may lead to infertility.

1. Cleveland Clinic. Low Progesterone: Causes, Symptoms, Tests & Treatment. Reviewed January 16, 2023. Accessed October 4, 2023. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24613-low-progesterone

2. National Institutes of Health. Progesterone Test. MedlinePlus. Accessed October 6, 2023. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/progesterone-test/

3. Lindsay TJ, Vitrikas KR. Evaluation and treatment of infertility. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Mar 1;91(5):308-14. Erratum in: Am Fam Physician. 2015 Sep 15;92 (6):437.

What's Tested

Progesterone

A hormone produced by the ovaries, progesterone is essential for regulating menstruation and supporting pregnancy. During ovulation, when the ovary releases an egg, progesterone levels increase, causing the uterine lining (endometrium) to thicken in preparation for pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilized, progesterone levels drop, the endometrium sheds, and the menstrual period begins. Low levels of progesterone may cause symptoms like irregular periods and mood changes and may be associated with difficulty conceiving. Elevated progesterone levels may indicate recent ovulation. Progesterone levels decrease as you age and enter menopause.

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Purchase Your Test

Simply purchase this test online. A healthcare provider will review and approve your test requests; no healthcare provider visit is required.

Provide Your Sample

Visit a Labcorp location near you for sample collection. Visits may be scheduled online.

Get Your Results

View your easy-to-read results online in your Labcorp Patient™ account, including Linked Accounts. For certain results that require prompt attention, you will also be contacted by phone or mail.

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FAQ

The Labcorp OnDemand Progesterone Test measures the levels of progesterone, a type of reproductive hormone, in your blood.

Progesterone levels fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle and over your lifetime. Hormone levels can change over time, depending on when you test (the time of day and time during your cycle). This test provides a snapshot of your hormone level at the time of testing. Low levels of progesterone could suggest that you are not ovulating or having ovulation issues which makes it more difficult to conceive, while elevated levels may indicate recent ovulation.^1,2

Note: This test does not diagnose or determine the cause of infertility. A single low progesterone value may not necessarily indicate abnormal ovulation as progesterone levels fluctuate significantly during the luteal phase after ovulation. It is recommended to consult with a healthcare provider to determine the next steps if you have any questions about your result.

This test is not intended for individuals on hormone therapy or hormonal contraception, as these may interfere with the test results. Hormone levels may fluctuate widely throughout the menstrual cycle, especially during pregnancy and the menopause transition.
For those assigned female at birth: The timing of sample collection is important. After ovulation, progesterone levels are typically higher during the luteal phase (the second half of your menstrual cycle). This is why it is recommended that your progesterone test be taken on day 21 of a 28-day menstrual cycle or 7 days before start of your next period.³
High progesterone levels don’t typically have a negative impact on your health. Progesterone levels are high during pregnancy. In some cases, high progesterone levels are caused by presence of an ovarian cyst. In rare cases, it can be a sign of ovarian cancer or adrenal gland disorder.²

Low progesterone can affect your body in several ways, sometimes causing noticeable symptoms. Symptoms of low progesterone include:

Irregular menstrual periods
Difficulty conceiving
Mood changes, anxiety or depression
Trouble sleeping
Hot flashes
Hormone changes in the body trigger each of the four phases of the menstrual cycle: menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation and luteal phase.

Menstruation is the first phase of the menstrual cycle and is the shedding of the lining of the uterus. During menstruation, the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone drop, which causes the endometrium to detach from the walls of the uterus and bleed.

Proliferative (follicular) phase is the phase of the menstrual cycle that starts after menstruation and ends with ovulation. During this phase, the ovaries produce follicles which develop into a mature egg. The level of estrogen increases, and this helps to thicken the lining of the uterus so that it can support a pregnancy. The follicles grow and mature under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

Ovulation phase is when an egg is released from a follicle in the ovary. Ovulation is triggered by a surge in the hormone luteinizing hormone (LH). The egg travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus, where it can be fertilized by a sperm.

Luteal phase begins after ovulation where the follicle that released the egg becomes a corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. Progesterone helps to maintain the thick lining of the uterus to prepare for a fertilized egg. If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum breaks down and the level of progesterone decreases. This causes the lining of the uterus to shed, and the menstrual cycle begins again.
Progesterone levels change throughout your life and typically begin to decline with age as you enter menopause. If you’re experiencing menopause symptoms, our Menopause Test can help you find answers by measuring key hormones, including progesterone, related to reproductive functioning and menopause.
Our progesterone test accurately measures the level of progesterone in your blood. On the other hand, a PdG test is a test that detects pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG), the major urine metabolite of progesterone in your urine. While PdG urine tests are qualitative, just identifying if any level is detectable in your urine, a progesterone blood test is quantitative and provides a numeric result that can be a helpful tool in discussing conditions related to hormone imbalances and reproductive issues with your healthcare provider.
Want to learn more about hormone health and the menstrual cycle? Here are some additional resources to help you stay informed about your health:

Labcorp OnDemand: Guide on Hormone Health for Women
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: The Menstrual Cycle (Infographic)
Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.
Your results will be provided to you through our secure online portal to view or print. Results are also made available through a secure portal to the independent healthcare provider who placed your test order. If you are accessing your results through your Labcorp Patient™ account, all users linked to the account will have access to all OnDemand test results. Results may also be provided to a local, state, and/or federal health authority; for example, many states require the testing laboratory and physician to report test results for certain communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, to local or state health departments.

If you have questions or comments regarding the Labcorp Notice of Privacy Practices, or have a complaint about our use or disclosure of your PHI or our privacy practices, please contact: privacyofficer@labcorp.com, call us at (877) 234-4722 (877-23-HIPAA) and ask for the Labcorp HIPAA Privacy Officer, or send a written request to: HIPAA Privacy Officer, Labcorp, 531 South Spring Street, Burlington, NC 27215. You also may file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Visit the Labcorp OnDemand® website to browse and purchase laboratory tests and create your Labcorp Patient™ account to view your results. All Labcorp OnDemand testing requires an order from an authorized healthcare professional. For your convenience, Labcorp OnDemand has contracted with independent professional entities (collectively, Providers) to deliver healthcare provider services. Visit a Labcorp location for sample collection; or, if using an at-home collection kit, collect your sample yourself. We’ll let you know when your results are ready and can be accessed through your Labcorp Patient™ account.