Ep. 34: Progesterone and pregnancy: a look at infertility and hormones

Progesterone, a hormone that helps prepare the uterus to receive a fertilized egg, plays a huge role in fertility. Pregnancy is made difficult by having low levels of the hormone progesterone, a fact many women are unaware of. After experiencing IVF for her first child, Amy Beckley, a scientific researcher with expertise in hormone signaling, wondered if there was an easier way to conceive. She began to track her progesterone at home, discovering she had low levels. After using supplements to level herself out, she delivered a second baby without IVF. Beckley wants to help other women trying to conceive – who may have low progesterone and not even know it – so she invented Proov, an at-home five-minute test to track progesterone.