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Progesterone

Test Codes

Antrim #17016, EPIC: LAB5103, PROG

Department

Chemistry

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One Gold-top SST tube. (Minimum Whole Blood: 4.0 mL)

Contact the Laboratory for acceptability of other tube types.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let SST specimen clot 30-60 minutes then immediately centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F) the centrifuged SST tube within two hours of collection.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Centrifuged SST tube, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 1.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

Red-top tubes with serum not separated from cells within two hours of collection.

In-Lab Processing

Let SST specimens clot 30-60 minutes. Centrifuge SST tubes or Microtainers^® to separate serum from cells. Deliver immediately to the appropriate testing station.

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Centrifuged SST Tubes and Microtainers^® with Separator Gel
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2-4 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 48 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Red-top Tubes and Microtainers^® without Separator Gel
Room Temperature (20-25°C or 68-77°F): 2-4 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): Unacceptable
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Serum Specimens (Pour-Overs)
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 2-4 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 48 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 7 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days

Laboratory

Dearborn Chemistry Laboratory

Royal Oak Automated Chemistry Laboratory

Performed

Sunday – Saturday, 24 hours a day.
STAT results available within 1 hour of receipt to the Royal Oak Laboratory. (Outreach Only)
Results available within 24 hours of receipt in the Laboratory.

Reference Range

Females
Follicular phase:	0.1-0.3 ng/mL.
Luteal phase:	1.2-15.9 ng/mL.
Post-Menopausal:	<0.2 ng/mL.
Pregnancy
1st Trimester:	2.8-147.3 ng/mL.
2nd Trimester:	22.5-95.3 ng/mL.
3rd Trimester:	27.9-242.5 ng/mL.
Males	<2.0 ng/mL.

Test Methodology

Chemilumininescence Immunoassay.

Interpretation

• High Progesterone serum values are seen with: Luteal phase of menstrual cycle, ovarian tumor, pregnancy, adrenal tumor, and selected steroid hormone biosynthetic defects.
• Low Progesterone serum values are seen with: Amenorrhoea, fetal death, threatened abortion, and gonadal agenesis.
• DHEA-S, a metabolite of DHEA that may be used as part of in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols to improve ovarian response and IVF treatment outcomes, causes falsely elevated progesterone results on the platform currently used by the Chemistry Lab. If progesterone testing is required on such a patient, please indicate on the order Progesterone Quantitative by HPLC-MS/MS, serum-miscellaneous send out to ARUP. The sample will then be sent to ARUP Laboratories for testing by a different method that is not subject to this interference.

Clinical Utility

The determination of progesterone is utilized in fertility diagnosis for the detection of ovulation, assessment of the luteal phase, and to monitor progesterone replacement therapy. After ovulation, there is dramatic rise in progesterone levels (1-21 ng/mL) that persists for about two weeks. If pregnancy occurs, corpus luteum survival is prolonged until progesterone is secreted by the placenta. In in-vitro fertilization (IVF) patients progesterone levels are maintained at concentrations (greater than 40 ng/mL) with additional progesterone replacement. Decreased levels of progesterone are seen in the short and inadequate luteal phase, and in the first trimester of abnormal pregnancies. Progesterone is secreted by the adrenal gland in adult males and in children. In addition, high levels of progesterone can indicate tumors of the adrenals or ovaries.

CPT Codes

84144
LOINC: 2839-9, 83109-9

Contacts

Last Updated

11/4/2022