Testosterone - Pregnancy

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Testosterone

Testosterone, like estrogen and progesterone, is an important fertility hormone and your testosterone levels can greatly influence your ability to conceive and maintain a pregnancy. Testosterone is produced in your ovaries and adrenal glands and increases in your body at low levels during your pregnancy, however it is important that these levels are neither too high or too low.

When you are trying to conceive high testosterone levels can make it quite challenging. This is because polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and a septate uterus are usually associated with high testosterone levels. Low levels of testosterone can also be a problem as testosterone plays an important role in your sex drive and we all know if you’re not having sex, you’re not going to conceive.

Little boy dressed as a cowboy

Testosterone levels impact your baby’s male personality characteristics

During pregnancy, testosterone plays an important role in not only helping your body to maintain the pregnancy, but also in the development of male sexual organs if you’re carrying a boy. Your fetus is also very sensitive to your testosterone levels when you’re pregnant, especially if it’s a girl. Testosterone levels during pregnancy have been found to play a role in the personality characteristics of your baby, so much so that if you are carrying a girl, but have elevated testosterone levels, it is very likely she will have tomboy-like traits. If you are carrying a boy, your testosterone levels will be higher than if you’re carrying a girl, however, you don’t want to have highly elevated levels of testosterone as this can cause complications including sexual abnormalities in girls and low birth size and weight.

What does testosterone do to your body?

  • Increased levels increase your sex drive
  • High levels will probably mean more bad moods during pregnancy

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