Progesterone is one of the female sex hormones which performs important function during menstrual cycle, pregnancy and embryo development.
During follicular phase, it helps in the ovulation while during luteal phase it plays an important function of preparing the endometrium lining of the uterus. In addition, it also inhibits or decreases the production of FSH and LH during this phase with the help of negative feedback mechanism.
Progesterone gives negative feedback to hypothalamus and anterior pituitary which decreases or inhibits the secretion of FSH and LH. It is important as it prevents the ovulation of second egg prior to fertilization.
Progesterone's role or action in the feedback mechanism is described as negative feedback. Progesterone (together with estrogen) inhibits the release of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, causing the corpus luteum to deteriorate. It is called negative feedback because the increase of this hormone (progesterone), decreases the release of another.
