Progesterone is a key factor in miscarriages

Almost 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, often in the first trimester. The reasons can be multiple, ranging from infection to the chromosomal abnormality. However, recurrent miscarriages indicate deeper underlying problems. Numerous clinical studies have already been conducted on the subject, and have shown that women with a history of miscarriages can benefit from taking progesterone during the early stages of pregnancy in order to increase their chances of carrying their pregnancy. term. The results of a new study, published in the Journal of Lipid Research, suggest a link between progesterone and recurrent miscarriages.

According to one study produced by Italian researchers on the influence of progesterone published in 2013, more than 80% of miscarriages occur before the 12th week, after which the rate drops rapidly. According to their findings, the actual incidence of early spontaneous miscarriages may be higher.

Progesterone, an important hormone

Progesterone is a crucial hormone for pregnancy; it plays a key role in the insertion of the placenta into the endometrium or the wall of the uterus. Thanks to it, the endometrium thickens, the blood circulation is reorganized to supply oxygen and nutrients to the uterus and the maternal immune system is reduced.

Progesterone is made in the ovary as part of a normal menstrual cycle, which continues after fertilization. The placenta, which produces another hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, also begins to produce progesterone six weeks after the onset of pregnancy. Placental progesterone usually comes from the surface tissue and integrates with the endometrium and to absorb nutrients. Some cells then move into the endometrium, where they help regulate blood flow by reorganizing the arteries.

A team of Austrian researchers, led by Sigrid Vondra and supervised by Jurgen Pollheimer and Clemens Rohrl, compared the cells that stay in place on the surface of the placenta with those that move in the endometrium. They found that the enzymes responsible for producing progesterone in the two types of cells in early pregnancy are different from each other.

Difference in progesterone levels

Progesterone, a steroid hormone, comes from cholesterol. Although the progesterone production levels of surface cells and migrating cells are roughly similar, the researchers found that migrating cells accumulate more cholesterol and more express the enzyme that converts cholesterol to progesterone.

Researchers have found that enzyme levels in migratory placental cells are lower in women who have had repeated miscarriages than in those who have had full-term pregnancies. However, the enzyme levels in the placenta surface did not show large differences between healthy pregnancies and miscarriages.

According to the study, the production of progesterone in migratory cells is vital for a healthy pregnancy, and disruption of this process could lead to miscarriage.