Diseases and disorders associated with progesterone, primarily related to deficiency, excess, or abnormal responses to the hormone. Progesterone plays a central role in reproductive health, so many of these conditions are gynecologic or endocrine in nature.
⚠️ Diseases Associated with Progesterone Imbalance
🔻 1. Progesterone Deficiency
Occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough progesterone, especially after ovulation.
📌 Associated Conditions:
🩸 Luteal Phase Defect (LPD)
- Inadequate progesterone secretion during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
- Endometrium fails to mature properly for embryo implantation.
Symptoms:
- Infertility
- Recurrent early miscarriages
- Short luteal phase
🤰 Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
- Low progesterone in early pregnancy can prevent proper implantation and support of the embryo.
- Often seen in women with LPD or poor corpus luteum function.
🩹 Endometriosis
- Linked to progesterone resistance (tissues don’t respond well to progesterone).
- Leads to chronic inflammation and abnormal growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus.
📉 Amenorrhea or Menstrual Irregularity
- Low progesterone levels can cause:
- Irregular or missed periods
- Anovulatory cycles (no ovulation)
🦴 Osteoporosis
- Progesterone deficiency (especially postmenopause) contributes to bone loss.
- Works with estrogen to maintain bone mass.
🔺 2. Progesterone Excess
Less common, but may result from:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Overuse of progesterone-based medications (e.g., in hormone replacement therapy or contraception)
- Progesterone-secreting tumors (rare)
Symptoms:
- Mood swings or depression
- Fatigue
- Bloating
- Breast tenderness
- Sleepiness
- Low libido
🧬 3. Progesterone Sensitivity Disorders
🌡️ Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) / PMDD
- May involve abnormal responses to normal progesterone levels.
- Fluctuating progesterone triggers changes in mood and brain chemistry.
Symptoms:
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Food cravings
👩⚕️ Other Related Conditions
| Condition | Progesterone Role |
| Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) | Often low progesterone due to anovulation |
| Hypothyroidism | Can cause low progesterone due to disrupted ovulation |
| Estrogen Dominance | Relative progesterone deficiency can amplify estrogen effects (e.g., fibroids, heavy bleeding) |
📊 Summary Table
| Condition | Progesterone Status | Key Features |
| Luteal phase defect | ↓ Low | Infertility, short cycle |
| PMS/PMDD | ↔ Normal (sensitivity) | Mood, fatigue, cravings |
| Recurrent miscarriage | ↓ Low | Pregnancy loss (1st trimester) |
| Endometriosis | ↔ Normal (resistance) | Pelvic pain, infertility |
| Osteoporosis | ↓ Low (postmenopause) | Bone density loss |