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WHAT IS PROGESTERONE?  

Progesterone is a hormone that is secreted by the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine gland that the female body produces after ovulation.

It prepares the body for the possibility of pregnancy after ovulation. 

It causes a thickening of the uterus lining to allow for an egg to embed into the wall. 

After a woman's cycle is completed and they are not pregnant the gland breaks down and the menstrual cycle begins. 

If a woman does become pregnant the chemical continues to be produced to maintain the layer and provide oxygen to the developing fetus.  

Said to be 'oestrogen's cousin' or the 'relaxing hormone', is thought to help to maintain pregnancy.

It is not typically prescribed on the NHS in the UK unless a woman has three or more miscarriages in a row.

If progesterone levels are too low with regard to estrogen levels, a woman will experience sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, breast swelling, breast tenderness, and itching, bloating, sweating, loss of memory, and loss of libido. 

Despite its widespread use in pregnancy the hormone has also been shown to promote nerve, blood vessel, and bone tissue repair. 

This has therefore brought around applications in tissue regeneration.  

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