---
title: "What happens to progesterone during menopause"
description: "Learn how progesterone changes during perimenopause and menopause, why low levels affect bleeding, and when treatment may help protect the uterus."
url: "https://www.myalloy.com/knowledge-base/what-happens-to-progesterone-during-menopause"
---

# What happens to progesterone during menopause

> Learn how progesterone changes during perimenopause and menopause, why low levels affect bleeding, and when treatment may help protect the uterus.

## What happens to progesterone during menopause?

Progesterone usually gets more erratic first, then drops. During perimenopause, ovulation becomes less consistent, and progesterone is mainly made after ovulation. So when you have cycles where you don’t ovulate, your body makes less progesterone. That’s one reason periods can become irregular, skipped, heavier, or unpredictable.

Once you’ve reached menopause, both estrogen and progesterone settle into a lower baseline. Lower progesterone also matters for the uterine lining, because estrogen helps that lining grow, while progesterone helps keep that growth in check and signals it to shed. When there isn’t enough progesterone, the lining can build up more than it should, which can contribute to abnormal bleeding. If bleeding is very heavy, lasts much longer than usual, comes back after months without a period, or happens after menopause, it should be evaluated.

Here at Alloy, we also use progesterone as part of menopause treatment when it’s appropriate, especially for people who still have a uterus and are taking estrogen, because it helps protect the uterine lining. If you’ve had a hysterectomy, progesterone usually isn’t needed. For more detail, these pages are useful: [Understanding endometrial hyperplasia in menopause](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/understanding-endometrial-hyperplasia-in-menopause-what-is-normal), [The 34 symptoms of menopause](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/the-34-symptoms-of-menopause), and [Does Alloy offer progesterone?](https://myalloy.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/30013148243219-Does-Alloy-offer-Progesterone).

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This answer was created using the following resources:

- [Low-Dose Birth Control Pill](https://www.myalloy.com/solutions/low-dose-birth-control-pill)
- [Endometrial Hyperplasia in Menopause: What Is Normal? Alloy Health](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/understanding-endometrial-hyperplasia-in-menopause-what-is-normal)
- [The 34 Symptoms of Menopause & Perimenopause: The Full List](https://www.myalloy.com/blog/the-34-symptoms-of-menopause)

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