7 Weeks Pregnant with REALLY low progesterone!

I had an ultrasound at 6 weeks, 6 days and saw a hearbeat, which is great since I have had a blighted ovum miscarriage, another early miscarriage and a healthy pregnancy.  The doctor drew blood to check progesterone levels and it was only 6.4.  The office started me immediately on vaginal progesterone suppositories bid.  I am having light, brigh red spotting and no cramping.  I am scaring myself to death by reading all of the postings/literature.  Is it possible for a pregnancy to make it with that low of a level?  I no one is a fortune teller for me, but I want to know if that's unheard of.  I'd just like to prepare myself and my doctor's office wont' give me a straight answer.  Thanks!

[AnnieBrooke]

Your progesterone is not that low now, since you are on supplements.  If the pregnancy doesn't make it, it will be another reason than low progesterone because you don't have that problem now.  Are you asking because you think something about the low progesterone before caused a problem now?  I think if you had a baby with a heartbeat even though the progesterone was low, and now have fixed the progesterone levels, it won't have an effect.  Just keep taking your suppositories.

[newlywed05]

I posted to you this morning on Saturday's Open Forum post. Didn't know if you saw it.

[henrybsmom]

That's good to hear, Annie.  I had read that progesterone suppositories couldn't help if a pregnancy was going to fail.  Did you have a similar experience?  Thanks for the advice.

[AnnieBrooke]

Excuse me, I should have said, above, "if it was all about the progesterone, I would have lost both babies or neither."

[AnnieBrooke]

HBsmom -- I have a friend who lost all her pregnancies except the one where she took progesterone. (This was three pregnancies.)  That's not proof, just one person's experience, and it could be coincidental.  Progesterone use isn't harmful but is a bit controversial in pregnancy because it's not an automatic stopper of miscarriages -- it doesn't stop a miscarriage that is going to happen for other reasons.  I would guess it would stop you from shedding your uterine lining if that might otherwise happen because your progesterone is low, which shedding might knock out a healthy pregnancy.

My experience with the issue is because I'm an IVF patient and they put you on estrogen and progesterone anyway.  I had bleeding at 6 weeks when still taking progesterone shots, and one embryo out of two died at 8 weeks after seeing the heartbeat and all.  If it was all about progesterone, I would have lost both babies.  They started to taper me off the progesterone at about 10 weeks, because at some point the placenta starts to produce all you need, and got me down to no shots and one suppository a day. I then had some further bleeding, so they put me back onto a twice-a-day suppository dose.  Since it does no harm to a developing fetus, they had me take it, and I would rather take it than feel like I didn't bother and then lost a baby (even if the loss was for other reasons).  I don't think it is for anything but keeping the uterine lining connected to the uterus.

Newlywed -- I did go in and post the information about the Doppler on the Saturday open forum.  I love having one and would recommend it to anyone!  Annie

[VeryHopeful]

I was wondering...I am also on vaginal progesterone suppositories...do you get any discharge and what is it like?  Once in a while, I get a mushy discharge which is kind of tinged lightpink.  I'm just wondering if you've experienced this.  Thanks so much.

[AnnieBrooke]

The suppositories are made of gelatin (plus the contents of course) and it melts down and comes out, especially if you sneeze.  A little pink in it would be blood, possibly from a sensitive cervix.