Question

Many hormonal birth control pills contain progesterone (or a very similar hormone). what role does progesterone play during the menstrual cycle and explain why taking progesterone during the whole menstrual cycle would prevent pregnancy.

Answer 1

A form of progesterone called progestin is used in combination with estrogen in hormonal contraception like birth control pills.

Progesterone plays a major role in the latter phase of the menstrual cycle that is the luteal phase. This is because progesterone keeps the uterus lining thick and if an egg cell is fertilised, this hormone levels saty steady and prevents uterine contraction and shedding.

Here, in the above paragraph, we can see that progesterone helps in uterus thickening. This is the exact uasge of progesteron which will also prevent pregnancy.

MECHANISM- when pregesteron is taken, the uterus lining thickens (mucus in the cervix thickens) so much that it makes the sperm to enter the uterus very difficult. So, if sperm will not enter the uterus, there will be no fertilisation and hence no pregnancy.

Also, progesterone prevents the muscle contraction of the uterus which leads to rejection of the egg. High levels of progesterone however prevent woman from ovulation aswell.

Progesteron prevents ovulation, but it does not do so consistently, so, there will be still chances of pregnancy even when the birth control pill of progesterone (called mini pill ) is used.

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