When you’re trying to conceive (TTC), every shift in your body can feel magnified, and weight changes can be especially frustrating. If you’re taking progesterone or recently started noticing weight gain around ovulation or during the luteal phase, you might be wondering: Can progesterone cause weight gain?
The short answer is yes, but not in the way you might think. Progesterone doesn’t directly “make” you gain fat, but it can trigger temporary symptoms—like water retention, bloating, and increased appetite—that could lead to a higher number on the scale. These effects are often hormonal and can be reversible.
Let’s break down exactly how progesterone and weight gain are connected and what you can do about it.
Does Progesterone Cause You to Gain Weight?
While weight gain with progesterone is a common complaint, especially among those undergoing fertility treatments, it’s typically not due to fat gain. Rather, it’s driven by hormonal fluctuations that affect how your body retains fluid, digests food, and processes hunger cues.
This is especially relevant during the two-week wait or luteal phase, when progesterone levels are at their peak naturally, or artificially elevated if you’re taking medications or supplements. Understanding these symptoms can help ease anxiety and give you more control over how you support your body during this time.
Here are the top ways progesterone can contribute to temporary weight gain:
Water Retention and Hormonal Shifts
One of the most common reasons women experience weight gain with progesterone is fluid retention. Progesterone has a natural relaxing effect on blood vessels, which can lead to slight swelling or puffiness, especially in the hands, feet, or midsection.
This water retention isn’t harmful and typically resolves once hormone levels drop (e.g., at the start of your next cycle or after stopping progesterone). That said, the scale may reflect a 1–5 lb increase temporarily, which can understandably feel concerning.
Slower Digestion and Bloating
Progesterone also slows down smooth muscle contractions in the digestive tract. While this is important for supporting a potential pregnancy, it can also result in slower digestion, constipation, and bloating, making your abdomen feel heavy or distended.
This symptom is often mistaken for fat gain, but it’s really about how food moves through your system. Supporting digestion with hydration, probiotics, fiber, and light movement can go a long way.
Increased Appetite or Cravings
Some women also notice a spike in appetite or specific cravings (often for carbs or sweets) during their luteal phase or while on progesterone. This is due in part to the hormone’s role in preparing the body for pregnancy. Your body is naturally trying to stock up on energy reserves.
Increased hunger doesn’t automatically mean weight gain, but it can lead to extra calorie intake if not balanced mindfully. Tracking your eating patterns and hunger cues during this phase of the cycle can help you respond rather than react to hormonal shifts.
What Factors Affect Progesterone-Related Weight Gain?
Not everyone taking progesterone will experience noticeable weight gain, and the degree of change depends on several individual factors, including:
- The form of progesterone: Oral progesterone, vaginal suppositories, or injections can affect your body differently.
- Your dosage and duration: Higher doses or prolonged use may increase the chances of noticeable symptoms.
- Your body’s sensitivity: Some people are more sensitive to hormone fluctuations and may retain more water or feel bloated more easily.
- Lifestyle factors: Diet, exercise, stress, and sleep all influence how your body responds to hormonal shifts.
- Underlying conditions: If you have PCOS, thyroid issues, or insulin resistance, your body may already be primed for weight fluctuations during hormonal treatments.
It’s important to remember that everyone is different and may experience different things. Understanding your body and tracking your symptoms can help you feel more empowered and informed during this part of your TTC journey.
What Are Other Side Effects of Progesterone?
Aside from potential weight-related symptoms, progesterone can bring on a variety of other changes. While many of these are mild and manageable, they’re good to be aware of:
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Mood swings or emotional sensitivity
- Breast tenderness
- Headaches
- Mild cramping
- Vaginal discharge (especially with suppositories)
- Dizziness or foggy thinking
Again, most of these side effects are tied to how your body adjusts to changing hormone levels. If you are experiencing side effects from your progesterone, always consult your prescribing doctor to see what you can do to help with the symptoms.
How to Know If Progesterone Is Affecting You — and Why Tracking It Can Help
Because symptoms of progesterone fluctuations overlap with both PMS and early pregnancy signs, it can be tricky to know what’s actually happening in your body. That’s where tracking can be a game-changer.
What is PdG and How It Signals Progesterone Activity
Pregnanediol Glucuronide (PdG) is a urine marker that reflects your body’s progesterone production after ovulation. Tracking PdG at home can help reveal if progesterone levels are strong enough to reflect ovulation and support implantation and early pregnancy.
Why Ovulation Tracking Matters When TTC
If you’re trying to conceive, knowing when you ovulate and how your hormones react afterward is crucial. Tools like ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) help you detect your LH surge (which signals ovulation is about to occur), while PdG tests help you identify if ovulation happened and that your body is producing enough progesterone. When you pair these tests with symptom tracking in the Premom app, you get a much clearer picture of when you should be timing sex in order to optimize your chances of conceiving.
What You Can Do to Feel Better While Taking Progesterone
If you’re feeling puffy, sluggish, or uncomfortable on progesterone, the good news is that there are ways to ease your symptoms naturally and regain a sense of control.
Lifestyle Tips to Reduce Bloating and Support Hormone Balance
Here are some simple, supportive strategies that might help you feel better:
- Stay hydrated: Counteract water retention by drinking plenty of water. Dehydration can make bloating worse.
- Eat anti-inflammatory foods: Leafy greens, berries, and healthy fats like olive oil can help reduce inflammation.
- Cut back on processed carbs and sugar: These can worsen bloating and blood sugar spikes, especially if you’re already craving them.
- Add gentle movement: Walking, yoga, or stretching can stimulate digestion and reduce fluid retention.
- Prioritize sleep: Hormone regulation depends heavily on good-quality sleep. Aim for 7–9 hours per night.
When to Talk with a Doctor About Weight or Hormone Concerns
If you feel like your symptoms are extreme, lasting longer than expected, or interfering with your day-to-day life, it’s worth talking to your healthcare provider. You may need:
- A hormone panel to assess estrogen, progesterone, or thyroid levels
- A dosage adjustment or form change in your progesterone routine
- Nutritional or metabolic support, especially if you’re managing PCOS, insulin resistance, or Hashimoto’s
You deserve to feel supported, not frustrated, during this journey—and the right care team can make a huge difference.
Final Thoughts: Progesterone and Weight Gain
Yes, progesterone can cause temporary weight gain, but not in the way many fear. Most of the changes are due to water retention, digestive slowdown, and appetite shifts, not necessarily fat gain. These effects can be normal and reversible, especially during fertility treatments or the luteal phase of your cycle.
By understanding your body, using hormone-tracking tools like OPKs and PdG tests, tracking symptoms in the Premom app and supporting yourself with simple lifestyle changes, you can feel more in control and less anxious as you work toward your goal of conception.
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (n.d.). Hormonal treatment for gynecologic conditions: Side effects. https://www.acog.org/
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, March 22). Progesterone: Hormone, function, levels & imbalance. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22985-progesterone
FertilityIQ. (n.d.). Progesterone supplementation during the luteal phase. https://www.fertilityiq.com/
Mayo Clinic. (2023, April 12). Progesterone (oral route, vaginal route). https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/progesterone-oral-route-vaginal-route/description/drg-20067678
National Institutes of Health. (2012). The effect of progesterone on fluid retention and body weight. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
