Reliability of a single serum progesterone determination as an indicator of ovulation.
Nine normal cycling subjects were monitored for mid-cycle LH surge and a subsequent rise in serum progesterone levels. Frequent samples were then taken for progesterone measurement during 8 h sessions in the early, mid and late luteal phases. These data showed: that progesterone secretion is pulsatile throughout the human luteal phase, with maximum frequency in the mid-luteal phase; that during the mid-luteal phase most subjects had progesterone levels both above and below currently accepted ovulatory thresholds; the use of a single measurement of progesterone in the mid-luteal phase is not always a reliable indicator of ovulation; a threshold greater than 20 nmol/l may yield an unacceptable number of false negative results.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010060:Ovulation; D010061:Ovulation Detection; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*
D011374:Progesterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone