Two Main Fertility Players: Estrogen and Progesterone

Welcome back!

By now, you should understand the basics of “trying.” However, when you experience issues, there could be something more underlying and out of whack with a whole slew of other hormones. 

So we’ll start with the basics of Estrogen and Progesterone.

Estrogen

Oh, Estrogen. Commonly blamed for our “mood swings,” this hormone gets such a bad rap, 

But Estrogen does much more than simply make you emotional. It helps our eggs grow. It lubricates our lady parts and it’s especially useful at keeping our knockers cute and perky. (What woman doesn’t want that?)       

Estrogen decreases naturally as we age. (Fact of life, ladies. Sorry.) But sometimes Estrogen just needs a bit of help to stay on track and balanced. 

Estrogen imbalance can be caused by: 

• Extreme weight fluctuations (both overweight and underweight)
• High amounts of exercise
• Chronic stress
• Toxins we’re exposed to each and every day (both food and environmental) 

And if Estrogen levels stay low for an extended time, it can even result in menopause or at least similar symptoms, such as:

• Inability to grow eggs
• Burning hot flashes
• Raging mood swings
• Saggier boobs

But when it comes to fertility, low Estrogen levels can especially inhibit egg growth, so it’s crucial to have your Estrogen levels checked. Meanwhile, take a beat and remember some basic self-care like getting enough sleep and eating nutrient-rich meals. 

On the flipside, high Estrogen levels can create:

• Painful periods 
• Crazy mood swings
• Uncontrollable weight gain
• Splitting migraines

High Estrogen is also a major culprit of more serious issues such as Fibroids and Endometriosis, which make the baby-making process tedious. If you find these levels are high, rule out severe issues. 

If you have a clean bill of health, but levels are still high, remember that Estrogen excess can be a result of your diet and even environmental toxins. So we encourage you to reach out to Naturna to allow us to create a nutrient-rich diet regimen. It could be all you need to stabilize your Estrogen.

Progesterone

This hormone helps us remain calm and collected. It also helps us sleep through the night, without waking up at the slightest sound. And, while you need Estrogen to get preggers, Progesterone is quite necessary to hold a pregnancy through to full term.

Progesterone has many fertility benefits, such as:

• Creating a thick uterus lining
• Increases your body temp above 98

Abnormal Progesterone levels can result in:

• Early miscarriage
• PMS 
• Water retention
• Insomnia

So when these two essential fertility hormones become disrupted, there’s a whole lotta havoc goin’ on! So we recommend requesting specific lab tests from your doctor.  

Next up, we’ll dive deep into AMH, FSH, LH, and TSH. Stay tuned to discover what these complex acronyms are all about!