Normal Estrogen Level During Pregnancy

Estrogen is a family of hormones that triggers the production of other essential hormones in the body that are critical during pregnancy in maturing the lungs, liver and other tissues and vital organs of the fetus.

Function

Estrogen regulates a woman's menstrual cycle, promotes metabolism, increases uterine growth, promotes stronger bones, protects against heart disease, and is essential during pregnancy in the process of fetal development.

Size

Estrogen levels vary during the reproductive years but the normal range for a woman between the ages of 20 and 29 is 149 pg/ml (pictograms per milliliter); between 30 and 39 is 210 pg/ml; and between 40 and 44 is 152 pg/ml.

Features

Women with low estrogen levels typically complain of fatigue, night sweats, joint pain, and memory lapses while those with high estrogen levels may have mood swings, insomnia, headaches, weight gain, and breast tenderness.

Identification

Since symptoms of an estrogen imbalance are similar to those of pregnancy, a health care professional can determine a woman's estrogen level by taking a small sample of blood, urine, or saliva and conducting laboratory tests to determine if it falls within the recommended range for her age.

Theories/Speculation

Women who have low estrogen levels at the time of conception may have an increased chance of miscarriage since estrogen regulates the production of progesterone, which is responsible for successfully maintaining a pregnancy.

References

• American Pregnancy Association
• Natural Hormones
• Science Daily