17-OH Progesterone details

17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands as an intermediate step in the pathway that makes cortisol and other adrenal hormones. It's the primary blood marker used to screen newborns for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a genetic condition in which an enzyme deficiency disrupts normal cortisol production and can cause dangerously abnormal salt balance in infants. In adults, an elevated level can point to a milder, late-onset form of CAH or another cause of excess adrenal androgen production, which in women may show up as irregular periods, acne, or excess hair growth. Levels naturally fluctuate with the menstrual cycle, time of day, and stress, so results are usually interpreted alongside other adrenal and reproductive hormone tests rather than on their own.