Stopping progesterone at 16weeks

[emmaemma5]

Hi all, I think I'm hoping for some reassurance or advice on stopping progesterone at 16 weeks.

My history is a normal pregnancy with no bleeding resulting in my now 2 year old daughter. MMC in October last year at 8 weeks following continuous spotting from weeks 4.

I am currently 16 weeks pregnant and had spotting from 10 weeks, which got worse when I stopped progesterone at 12 weeks so I was told I could continue with cyclogest only (previously also on lubion injections) until 16 weeks. I am now at 16 weeks and very nervous to stop. I have not had any bleeding for 10 days.

Has anyone any experience stopping progesterone at 16 weeks following bleeding and everything been ok?

[DianeArnold Partner]

Hi emmaemma. I would slowly wean yourself off. If you are on lubion twice a day then reduce it to once a day for a week, then three times a week, twice a week and a final one off week. That way your body can slowly adjust. Don't forget from next week 17/40 wks your baby can hear you, so start reading him/her a story at bedtime so he/she knows your voice. Good luck! Diane

[emmaemma5 in reply to DianeArnold]

Thanks Diane, I am currently on 2 cyclogest a day but only have 4 left. Do you think this will this be long enough to wean off them if I take 1 a day from tomorrow? Or should I speak to my GP and get more?

[DianeArnold Partner in reply to emmaemma5]

Hi. Yes that would be fine. However, speak with your GP and see whether he/she would be willing to write you up for some more to complete the weaning process. Be warned that GP's are not always willing to prescribe progesterone, so if that is the case, use one every other day. Hopefully, you won't need any more anyway. Good luck! Diane

[MrsOrangejuice]

Sounds very similar to my experience. The spotting and bleeding started as soon as I tapered off progesterone pessaries and injections around 10/11 weeks and stopped when I went back on the pessaries. Spotting and bleeding can be completely normal and the midwives kept telling me it was just one of those things but because of prior early losses I insisted on having it investigated and stayed on the progesterone in the meantime. Turned out to be to do with my cervix and no risk to the pregnancy but I was then given extra monitoring and told I could stay on the progesterone as long as I wanted as it wouldn't do any harm and was stopping the spotting so was having some effect. I came off it probably around 20 weeks with the reassurance of extra scans and checks, and the spotting came and went throughout the rest of the pregnancy. So I think it really depends on the reason for the spotting - I think women with an incompetent cervix for example are advised to stay on it throughout, but that would need to be diagnosed. Are you under consultant care? It really helped me to understand why I was spotting so that I could be comfortable coming off.

[emmaemma5 in reply to MrsOrangejuice]

Thanks for your reply. So far they have not been able to find any cause for the spotting which is worrying. Can I ask what further investigations you had to help find a cause?

I'm also rhesus negative so every time I have a bleed I have to go to the hospital to have an anti d injection which is a pain. I think I'm midwife led even though I was consultant led for my last pregnancy. My GP have been good so far and just said it's my choice whether to continue the progesterone so hopefully they will still be happy to continue prescribing if the bleeding returns.

I think I'll try weaning off gradually and push for more investigations if the bleeding returns.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience.

[MrsOrangejuice in reply to emmaemma5]

They did say there could be lots of reasons for it; extra blood flow to the blood vessels, inflammation, pressure, irritation, hormones... none of which were a risk to the pregnancy and they wouldn't be able to diagnose those things, for me it was more to make sure there wasn't a risk and they'd checked everything, including incompetent cervix, but it just happens that they were able to find a cause with me. I had scans and blood tests, but the main extra investigation was a colposcopy, then a biopsy because they could see a growth but that isn't always necessary. It's really worrying, especially if you've had past losses but I carried on having light bleeding and spotting and everything went fine.

[MakingbabyN]

If in doubt, I’d carry on with the progesterone and ask for another prescription. It doesn’t do any harm. Im going to be on progesterone all the way through to 36 weeks this time around after a second trimester loss last year. I have gradually reduced from 2 x lubion and 1 cyclogest down to 1 cyclogest and will stay on this through to the end xxx

[emmaemma5 in reply to MakingbabyN]

Thank you for your reply. I think I may reduce to one a day but ask to continue for at least a few more weeks, it's good to hear it won't do any harm xx

[Hidden]

Hi there, I have just reached 18 weeks after having similar issues. Bleeding from 6 weeks onwards. I was really worried about stopping at 16 weeks but stopped gradually and 🤞so far so good. Clinic advised a complete stop at 16 weeks but I tapered for my own peace of mind. Hope all goes well for you.xx I have to say I feel a lot better since stopping them. It does worry me slightly that I’m rhesus negative too but have never been offered anti D yet. My midwife has forgotten to send out the anti D leaflet twice now. I’m guessing it’s too late now anyway.

[emmaemma5 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, thank you for this, it does make me feel a bit better. I am on day three on half dose of progesterone and so far so good.

I was not offered the anti d injection until I had a bleed after 12 weeks and I was told to have it within a couple of days of the bleed, so if you haven't been offered it and bleeding has stopped I don't think you need to worry.

Hope you have a straightforward rest of your pregnancy xx