Progesterone facts for kids

Progesterone is a special kind of steroid hormone found in animals and some plants. Think of hormones as chemical messengers in your body. They travel through your blood and tell different parts of your body what to do.

Progesterone is super important for many things, especially for reproduction in females. It helps prepare the body for pregnancy and keeps a pregnancy healthy.

What is Progesterone?

Progesterone is made from cholesterol, which is a type of fat found in your body. It's also a building block for other important hormones, like some estrogens (female hormones) and androgens (male hormones).

In females, the body makes a lot of progesterone during the second half of their menstrual cycle. If a female becomes pregnant, the body makes even more progesterone to support the growing baby.

Who Discovered Progesterone?

Progesterone was first discovered in 1933 by Willard Myron Allen and his professor, George Washington Corner. They were working at the University of Rochester Medical School.

Allen was able to figure out how much heat was needed to melt progesterone and how much it weighed. He also gave it its name, "Progesterone." The name comes from "progestational steroidal ketone," which describes its chemical structure and its role in supporting pregnancy.

Where Else is Progesterone Found?

While progesterone is mainly known for its role in animals, it has also been found in at least one plant: the common walnut tree (Juglans regia).

Other plants, like Dioscorea mexicana (a type of yam), contain substances that are very similar to progesterone. These plant compounds can sometimes be used to make medicines.

Progesterone Levels in the Body

The amount of progesterone in a person's body can change. For example, children usually have very low levels of progesterone.

Also, women who have gone through menopause (when their menstrual cycles stop) will have much lower levels of progesterone compared to women who are still having their periods.

Images for kids

• 

  A close-up view of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) changing because of progesterone.

• 

  This chart shows how progesterone levels change during a woman's menstrual cycle.

• 

  A small sample of progesterone.

• 

  How progesterone can be made from a plant substance called diosgenin.

• 

  How progesterone can be made from Stigmasterol.

• 

  Another way progesterone can be made in a lab.

See also

In Spanish: Progesterona para niños