Spotting During Pregnancy while using Progesterone

[Julz]

I started using progesterone cream in Oct. 2001 for controlling PMS.  It was not very effective and was switched to 200mg progesteron tabs, twice daily, to begin in Dec.  However, because my husband and I were also trying to conceive, was told to wait to begin the progesterone after ovulation to avoid problems with the egg releasing.  Last period was 11-21-01.

About 1 week after ovulation, approximately 12-14-01, and before starting the progesterone tabs, I had streaky,pinkish spotting.  My doctor said it could either be due to egg implantaion or due to not using the progesterone yet which had been used in the cream form the 2 previous months.

After starting the progest. tabs twice a day as directed, the spotting tapered to nothing within 5 days.  Then over Christmas, twice, I forgot to take a tablet in the evening then resumed the regular dosage.  During this time, I also took a home pregnancy test and it was positive!

Two days later, 1-1-02, I had pink spotting again.  It has continued for 6 days, turning brown when my doctor suggested taking one tab, then turning pink again when doctor suggested taking two again.  I also had sharp shooting pains in my lower abdomen but have diminished to almost none now, 1-6-02.

I was on bed rest for 3 days then doctor said it was okay to get up and get back to normal routine.  The spotting seems to remain pretty consistent whether I'm on bed rest or up moving around.

The doctor did find a urinary tract infection and has put me on 500 mg of amoxicillin and thought the infection could be causing irritation to my uterus.

A sonongram was done 1-2-02, but it was too earlier to see anything but it did not appear there were any cysts or fibroids.  On 1-03-02, a blood test confirmed a pregnancy.

In conclusion, I'm taking 2, 200mg of progesterone while pregnant and having spotting.  Can see small pieces of pinkish tissue in toilet after using bathroom.

I've have one normal pregancy, 4 years ago, with no miscarriages to my knowledge.  Is the spotting due to the fluctuation in the progesterone, and am I possibly getting too much progesterone?  Or, am I working on a miscarriage?  The doctor did blood work on 1-4-02, but I have not heard the results as of yet.

I wished I would not have started taking this progesterone with all the problems I've had.  Your input would be greatly appreciated.  Also, should I be seeing a doctor specializing in high risk preganancy?

[hopefullywaiting]

Just wanted to correct my spelling so no one gets confused. The doc put me on Prometrium.
If anyone else has had a good experience with this drug please give me hope.

[hopefullywaiting]

Hi,
I am experiencing the exact same symptoms. I have a 10 yr old daughter born healthy when i was 17. I am now 27 and have had 6 early pregnancy losses. I have been working closly with a specialist and recently found out we are pregnant. He put me on Progestrim a natural tablet form of Progesterone. A few days after taking it I started noticing brown spotting and called my doctor right away, he assured me eveything was fine. The bleeding stopped, but a day or two later i woke up to bright red blood. It continued for a few minutes and I passed some tissue or a clot, I was sure I was loosing the baby. The bleeding stopped. I took myself to the hospital and was told by ultasound everything was fine. However my cervix is filled with brown blood that isnt really going anywhere or very slowly at that. I have no heartbeat to go by, I wish I was ferther along so I had that security, However being only three weeks along Im uncertain. Reading everything I have about this stuff and noticing all these thing after taking it i wonder. I am praying for a healthy baby. My daughter wants a sibling so bad, and my husband and I are ready for a new addition. This pregnancy came two weeks before our booked IVF appointment. Really cant handle anymore to my body mind or soul. Its frustrating wanting something so bad, and just being able to wait.
Sincerely Hopefully Waiting

[ChrisandVic2003]

Hello,
Wow I must say reading the different opinions on progesterone are quite scary. I am 39 and I started to notice a brown discharge at the time my period was due. It turned out I am pregnant. June 7 was my last period. At 6 weeks into my pregnancy I sat up in bed and felt a gush of liquid. Immediately I went to the bathroom and was bleeding bright red. I called my OBGYN and he immediately calmed me down and told me to get in bed and make sure I was not soaking a pad every hour. I wasn't soaking a pad at all after the initial gush the bleeding subsided. I then passed a large clot which I assumed was the miscarriage happening. I had no pain though. I continued to rest and stay off my feet. This was Saturday. Sunday my Dr. called to check on me and said he will see me Monday. He felt sure I had a miscarriage also. Well to my surprise on Monday during the sonogram there was the heartbeat of my baby. I could not believe it. It was like a miracle because I was sure I had a miscarriage. That day he prescribed progesterone suppositories 2x  a day. He also noticed some blood still in my uterus very close to the baby. On Thursday that same week I went back for another sonogram. The blood moved away from the sac and the baby grew a whole lot bigger than Monday it was so amazing to see this.Only 4 days went by and wow how big. He said continue the suppositories and I will see you in 1 week. I was also told COMPLETE BEDREST only get up to go to the bathroom from the day the suppositories were prescribed. I am interested in any others who have had these symptoms and what happened. I feel like celebrating the pregnancy but I just can't seem to be happy because of everything happening. Maybe Thursday my Dr will tell me it is ok to get out of bed then I will maybe feel more normal being pregnant this time. Any comments are very appreciated. Good luck to all
Sincerely Christina mom of a 4 year old and 1 on the way :  )

[threebabies]

The only slight risk of progesterone during pregnancy is a rare side effect of cleft palate - says so on every prescription I have ever had.  And I've had to have progesterone supplementation for every successful pregnancy I've had (3).  It does not increase the chances of miscarriage.  If you are going to miscarry, it can keep you from expelling the tissue naturally, or prolonging the process, but it will NOT cause you to miscarry.  You must have enough progesterone to carry a baby successfully.  My body does not create enough during pregnancy, so I have to supplement with Prometrium.  I would not go to a doctor that would not prescribe this medication, because I would then be childless.

[LiliABQ]

Dear Dr,
I am so shocked and worried after I read your comments. I am 14 weeks pregnant and have been taking progesterone (Prometrium)100 mg. The reason my doctor gave me this is because my temeprature dropped sharply (0.4 F) about a month into my pregnancy. Since I had one miscarriage a year ago, that send me into panic and I called the doctor and got the prescription.

I am going to stop the pill right now but I am really worried if I had hurt the baby in any way. You mentioned that it could cause miscarriage, but so far I am doing very well. I just had ultrasound a few days ago and everything looked good. But do you think there's any other risk associated with the pill besides causing miscarriage?

[ERM43]

I was reading about progesterone usage during pregnancy and would like to comment...starting in 1974 I began getting pregnant and miscarrying within the first 3 months.  Finally in 1982 I was diagnosed (after biopsy and other testing) to have inadequate corpus luteum, or, lack of progesterone.  Under the guidance of my doctor, and infertility and problem pregnancy specialist, I monitored my ovulation, became pregnant and immediately (within 2 weeks) was able to report this to the doctor.  I was given progesterone injections every other day until a pharmacist was able, with the help of Shands in Gainesville, Fl, to create progesterone suppositories for me.  I used the suppositories until the 4th month of my prenancy and carried, with no complications, to term.  I had a very healthy boy in 1983 and then following the same proceedures, had a second very healthy boy in 1985.  My boys are now 19 and 16 and perfectly normal and healthy.  In my case, progesterone was not the cause of miscarriage.  The lack of progesterone was the culprit and taking progesterone enabled me to carry my babies to term.  I had a total of 5 miscarriages until I was finally correctly diagnosed and helped.