4 Natural Ways To Increase Progesterone To Get Pregnant

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Women can increase progesterone to get pregnant since this hormone enhances fertility and helps to sustain the pregnancy. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 19% of women aged between 15 and 49 struggle with infertility. Hormonal imbalances, such as lower hormone levels, can be a reason for infertility in many women. Progesterone is a pregnancy hormone; increasing its level can increase your chances of getting pregnant and having a successful pregnancy. Some doctors also prescribe progesterone in infertility treatments.

Read on to know the natural ways to increase progesterone to get pregnant and the importance of enhancing fertility.

Why Is Progesterone So Important For Fertility?

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Progesterone is a female sex hormone that controls menstruation and fertility. It plays a vital role in initiating and maintaining pregnancy too. The corpus luteum, a temporary hormone-secreting gland formed from an ovarian follicle, produces this hormone post ovulation and prepares the uterus lining (thickens it) after fertilization (conception) for implantation of the fertilized egg (1).

If you conceive, the hormone activates further and helps develop blood vessels in the lining to supply nutrients to the fetus. If you don’t get pregnant, the level of progesterone drops, and it initiates the menstrual cycle.

The levels of progesterone in the body go down when there is an increase in the levels of estrogen, the primary female sex hormone that develops female sexual characteristics, regulates progesterone, and protects the pregnancy (2).

While the exact cause for this is not known, there are some theories surrounding low levels of progesterone in women. Keep reading to know more.

What Are The Reasons For Low Progesterone?

There is not enough evidence to explain the causes of low progesterone levels in women. However, researchers believe it could be due to one of the following reasons (3):

1. Excessive exercise for prolonged periods could be responsible for a reduction in your progesterone levels.

2. Too much stress could result in hormonal imbalance. It increases the level of cortisol hormone (stress hormone) and lowers the progesterone levels in your body. This could be one of the reasons for miscarriage too (4).

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3. Exposure to xenoestrogensⁱXGroup of synthetic compounds (endocrine disruptors) that mimic the structure of native estrogens (female hormones) (found in plastics, herbicides, pesticides, hydrogenated oils, margarine, etc.) could decrease the progesterone levels in the body (5).

4. Excess body weight leads to increased estrogen levels, thereby bringing down progesterone. Therefore, being overweight often hampers your ability to conceive.

5. Older women or women around 50 years could produce decreased progesterone due to menopauseⁱXTermination of a woman’s menstrual cycle in a woman due to a decrease in reproductive hormones (6).

6. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance in women of reproductive age that causes a disrupted menstrual cycle and ovulatory phase. This condition also affects progesterone production, leading to its decreased levels in the body (7).

7. Hypothyroidism is a condition when women have underactive thyroid functioning, making it challenging for their bodies to produce progesterone hormones (7).

8. Estrogen dominance is characterized by the overproduction of estrogen, alterations to its metabolism and excretion, or an imbalance in the estrogen-to-progesterone ratio. Several disorders and conditions, including endometriosis, fibroids, and PCOS, can cause this condition, which ultimately leads to progesterone deficiency (8).

Low levels of this pregnancy hormone could affect your body in several ways. Find out how next.

How Does Low Progesterone Affect Pregnancy?

The primary function of progesterone in women is the thickening of the uterus. When your progesterone levels are low, the chances of implantation of the fertilized egg are low, thus reducing your chances of getting pregnant.

If you have not been conceiving in spite of taking all the measures, then watch out for these signs of low progesterone:

• MigrainesⁱXA severe intermittent headache often triggered by certain factors such as stress, or exposure to bright light or loud noises
• Headaches
• Depression
• Lack of sleep

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• Mood swings
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Breast tenderness

A few home care tips can help you keep your progesterone levels up and bring these symptoms down.

Quick fact

Pregnant women with low progesterone levels may experience spottingⁱXLight vaginal bleeding happening at any time other than during the typical menstrual cycles in females , abdominal pain, or miscarriages during pregnancy (26).

How To Increase Progesterone Naturally To Get Pregnant?

Instead of taking oral medications or treatments, you can try a few natural remedies to increase the progesterone levels in your body. Do check with your doctor before trying them.

1. Avoid excessive exercise: If you indulge in strenuous workouts for prolonged periods, your body will secrete more cortisol or stress hormone than progesterone. So, it is best to stick to a moderate exercise routine, ideally four days a week and for about 30 to 60 minutes a day.

2. Maintain a healthy weight: An increase in weight causes imbalance in hormones. It increases estrogen levels and decreases progesterone levels. So try to keep your weight in check if you’re planning to get pregnant (8).

3. Reduce stress levels: Prolonged psychological stress makes the body release cortisol or stress hormone to manage stress. As mentioned before, this results in a reduced amount of progesterone in the body. So try and manage stress the right way to maintain a balance in hormones (9).

4. Focus on the diet: Certain foods don’t contain progesterone, but they could help in regulating the levels of the hormone. These include:

a. Zinc: It plays a vital role in the reproduction cycle, prompting ovaries to release progesterone. Some foods rich in zinc are chickpeas, pumpkin, red meat, and almonds (10).

b. Omega 3: Food with omega 3 acids balances the hormone levels. Foods that enhance progesterone levels are eggs, walnuts, flaxseed, milk, and fish such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon (11).

c. Vitamins: Food rich in vitamin B6, C, and E have shown an increase in progesterone levels (12) (13) (14). Foods rich in these nutrients include chicken, egg, soybeans, oatmeal, brown rice, broccoli, potato, Brussels sprouts, wheat germ, and plant oils such as olive and soy oils (15).

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d. Cholesterol: It is required to make essential hormones such as progesterone. Nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), olive oil, fatty fish (sardines, salmon, mackerel), oats, and beans are good sources (16)(17).

e. Fiber: Consumption of fiber is good for the reproductive cycle, as it helps to improve the progesterone levels. Amaranth, flax seeds, and quinoa are some of the rich sources of fiber.

Quick fact

Consuming cooked banana flowers with a cup of curd might help increase progesterone levels in the body (27).

Infographic: How To Increase Progesterone Levels In Women?

If you’re trying to get pregnant, but failing to do so, low progesterone levels could be a possible cause. While there are several medications and treatments available to increase progesterone levels, the infographic below explains some simple home care and dietary tips. Take a look!

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Progesterone plays an essential role in conception and pregnancy. Watch this video to understand the importance of progesterone.

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Dr. Asmita KaundalMD

Dr. Kaundal has 10 years of experience as an obstetrician and gynecologist and is currently working as a consultant IVF at Matritava Advanced IVF and Training Centre, New Delhi. She has previously worked at Lady Hardinge Medical College, MKW and IMB IVF centre, Apollo Cradle Royale and AIIMS, New Delhi. She was a research officer at WHO Collabrating center at...more

Dr Bisny T. JosephMedical Doctor

Dr. Bisny T. Joseph is a Georgian Board-certified physician. She has completed her professional graduate degree as a medical doctor from Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia. She has around 5 years of experience in various sectors of medical affairs as a physician, medical reviewer, medical writer, health coach, and Q&A expert. Her interest in digital medical education and patient education...more

Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). She has been into health and...more

Reshmi DasMSc

Reshmi Das has over four years of experience as a clinical coordinator, medical content writer and medical conference coordinator. Her continuous interest in medical journals and writing makes her write well-researched articles for MomJunction. She writes health and wellness articles for children and pregnant and lactating women. Reshmi has completed her post graduation in Biotechnology from MITS School of Biotechnology,...more