Progesterone Progesterone levels are low in children and postmenopausal women. Adult males have levels similar to those in women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Blood test results should always be interpreted using the reference ranges provided by the laboratory that performed the results. Example reference ranges are listed below. Progesterone is produced in high amounts in the ovaries (by the corpus luteum) from the onset of puberty to menopause, and is also produced in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands after the onset of adrenarche in both males and females. To a lesser extent, progesterone is produced in
Menstrual cycle by women during the peak of their fertility in the menstrual cycle. Moreover, women may demonstrate preference for men with a scent that indicates developmental stability. With regard to women's smell across the cycle, some evidence indicates that men use olfactory cues in order to know if a woman is ovulating. Using a rating of women's odors, women who are ovulating have been rated as more attractive by men. Men demonstrate preferences for the scent of fertile women. Preferences for facial features in mates can also change across the cycle. There has been no difference found in preference for long-term