Longitudinal studies of luteal function by salivary progesterone determinations

Area of Science:

• Reproductive endocrinology
• Biomarker analysis

Background:

• Salivary progesterone measurement offers a non-invasive method for assessing reproductive status.
• Establishing reference ranges is crucial for interpreting individual progesterone levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a normal range for salivary progesterone concentrations in regularly menstruating women.
• To validate salivary progesterone as a reliable indicator of fertility and ovarian activity.
• To assess the utility of salivary progesterone monitoring in subfertile women and during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• Collected daily salivary samples from regularly menstruating women.
• Established 'normal' progesterone concentration ranges.
• Correlated salivary progesterone levels with conception cycles and ultrasonographically confirmed ovulation.
• Monitored salivary progesterone in subfertile women over extended periods.

Main Results:

• A normal range for salivary progesterone was established, correlating with fertile cycles.
• Salivary progesterone accurately reflected baseline ovarian activity and response to ovulation induction.
• The method proved suitable for longitudinal studies and pregnancy monitoring.

Conclusions:

• Salivary progesterone provides a reliable, non-invasive index of fertility.
• Daily salivary sampling is effective for assessing ovarian function and guiding fertility treatments.
• This method is valuable for long-term reproductive health monitoring.