Wallach's Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests: Pathways to Arriving at a Clinical Diagnosis (1162 page)

   Natural steroid hormone that induces secretory changes in endometrium, promotes mammary gland development, relaxes uterine smooth muscles, blocks follicular maturation, and maintains pregnancy. Hormone synthesized by the ovary; low in follicular phase but increases to 10–40 mg/day during luteal phase and ≤300 mg/day if pregnancy occurs.

   
Normal range:
see Table 16.68.

TABLE 16–68. Normal Ranges of Progesterone

   Use

   Detection of ovulation in the evaluation of the function of the corpus luteum

   Monitoring patients having ovulation during induction with hCG, human menopausal gonadotropin, FSH/LH-releasing hormone, or clomiphene

   To evaluate patients at risk for early abortion

   Interpretation

Increased In

   Luteal phase of menstrual cycle

   Luteal cysts of the ovary; ovarian tumors (e.g., arrhenoblastoma)

   Adrenal tumors

   CAH caused by 21-hydroxylase, 17-hydroxylase, and 11-beta hydroxylase

   Molar pregnancy