Progesterone is one of the two main hormones produced by the ovaries. More specifically, it is produced by the corpus leteum just after ovulation. Progesterone is responsible for preparing and maintaining the lining of the uterus in preparation for the fertilized egg. Progesterone secreted from the ovary is necessary for the survival of the ovum and the resulting embryo until the placenta takes over this production. The decline in progesterone and estrogen are closely interrelated and their actions in the body are in delicate balance.
Progesterone is the natural hormone produced by the ovaries.
Natural micronized progesterone is obtained from wild yams or soybeans as a precursor substance called diosgenin. This precursor is then converted in the laboratory to progesterone. It is exactly the same as the progesterone found in the body and produced by the ovaries. Progesterone is better absorbed when it is micronized and compounded in oil. There is a growing feeling among physicians that all women taking estrogen hormone therapy should be taking progesterone.