What is a normal progesterone level by cycle phase?

In the follicular phase progesterone is under 1 ng/mL. It rises after ovulation to a mid-luteal peak of roughly 2-25 ng/mL about a week later. First-trimester pregnancy runs about 11-44 ng/mL, and postmenopausal levels are below 0.5 ng/mL. Ranges vary by laboratory.

What progesterone level confirms ovulation?

A mid-luteal progesterone (drawn about 7 days after suspected ovulation) above roughly 3-5 ng/mL indicates that ovulation likely occurred, and a value above 10 ng/mL is a strong signal. Timing the draw correctly is the key to a meaningful result.

What is a normal progesterone level after menopause?

After menopause, without hormone therapy, progesterone is very low — typically below 0.5 ng/mL — because ovulation has stopped and the ovaries no longer form a progesterone-producing corpus luteum.

Why does progesterone need to be tested on a specific day?

Progesterone is only elevated during the luteal phase, after ovulation. Testing too early or too late in the cycle can show a low value even in a normal ovulatory cycle, which is why clinicians time the draw to about day 21 of a 28-day cycle.

What is a normal progesterone level by cycle phase?

In the follicular phase progesterone is under 1 ng/mL. It rises after ovulation to a mid-luteal peak of roughly 2-25 ng/mL about a week later. First-trimester pregnancy runs about 11-44 ng/mL, and postmenopausal levels are below 0.5 ng/mL. Ranges vary by laboratory.

A mid-luteal progesterone (drawn about 7 days after suspected ovulation) above roughly 3-5 ng/mL indicates that ovulation likely occurred, and a value above 10 ng/mL is a strong signal. Timing the draw correctly is the key to a meaningful result.

After menopause, without hormone therapy, progesterone is very low — typically below 0.5 ng/mL — because ovulation has stopped and the ovaries no longer form a progesterone-producing corpus luteum.

Progesterone is only elevated during the luteal phase, after ovulation. Testing too early or too late in the cycle can show a low value even in a normal ovulatory cycle, which is why clinicians time the draw to about day 21 of a 28-day cycle.

Reference-range chart

Normal progesterone levels by age (reference range chart)

Progesterone is low before ovulation (under 1 ng/mL), then rises in the luteal phase to a mid-cycle peak of roughly 2-25 ng/mL about a week after ovulation. In pregnancy it climbs into the tens of ng/mL and higher, and after menopause it falls below 0.5 ng/mL. Because it is so cycle-dependent, timing the blood draw is essential.

Progesterone reference ranges by age

Representative progesterone reference ranges by cycle phase and life stage. Representative intervals only — values vary by laboratory and assay.
Cycle phase / life stage	Progesterone (ng/mL)	Notes
Before puberty / follicular phase	< 1 (0.1-0.9)	Low until ovulation
Mid-luteal peak (about day 21)	2-25	Above ~3-5 suggests ovulation; a robust luteal value is > 10
Pregnancy — first trimester	11-44	Rises across pregnancy
Postmenopausal	< 0.5	Minimal without hormone therapy

How progesterone is measured

Progesterone is measured from a blood sample, best drawn about 7 days after ovulation (around day 21 of a 28-day cycle) when checking for ovulation. The intervals below are representative (Mayo Clinic Laboratories). To convert ng/mL to SI units (nmol/L), multiply by 3.18. A luteal value above roughly 3-5 ng/mL suggests ovulation occurred. Interpret results with the clinician who ordered them.

How to read your result

Progesterone only rises after ovulation, so a blood draw timed to the wrong part of the cycle can read "low" even when everything is normal.
A mid-luteal progesterone above about 3-5 ng/mL is the usual confirmation that ovulation occurred that cycle.
Low luteal progesterone is common in perimenopause and PCOS because of anovulatory cycles, and can contribute to heavy or irregular bleeding.
Persistently elevated progesterone outside pregnancy or the luteal phase is unusual and warrants clinician review.

Related symptom guides

Where to go next

Other by-age charts

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal progesterone level by cycle phase?: In the follicular phase progesterone is under 1 ng/mL. It rises after ovulation to a mid-luteal peak of roughly 2-25 ng/mL about a week later. First-trimester pregnancy runs about 11-44 ng/mL, and postmenopausal levels are below 0.5 ng/mL. Ranges vary by laboratory.
What progesterone level confirms ovulation?: A mid-luteal progesterone (drawn about 7 days after suspected ovulation) above roughly 3-5 ng/mL indicates that ovulation likely occurred, and a value above 10 ng/mL is a strong signal. Timing the draw correctly is the key to a meaningful result.
What is a normal progesterone level after menopause?: After menopause, without hormone therapy, progesterone is very low — typically below 0.5 ng/mL — because ovulation has stopped and the ovaries no longer form a progesterone-producing corpus luteum.
Why does progesterone need to be tested on a specific day?: Progesterone is only elevated during the luteal phase, after ovulation. Testing too early or too late in the cycle can show a low value even in a normal ovulatory cycle, which is why clinicians time the draw to about day 21 of a 28-day cycle.

Primary medical sources

ClearHormones publishes editorial reference material for education only. Reference ranges vary between laboratories — always interpret your result with the clinician who ordered the test.