This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Progestogen is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
 |
This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. Please help recruit one or improve this article yourself. See the talk page for details. Please consider using {{Expert-subject}} to associate this request with a WikiProject |
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) |
Progestagens (also spelled progestogens or gestagens) are hormones that produce effects similar to those of progesterone, the only natural progestagen. All other progestogens are synthetic and are often referred to as progestins.citation needed
All progestagens have antiestrogenic (counteracting the effects of estrogens on the body) and antigonadotropic (inhibiting the production of sex steroids by gonads) properties.
Progestogens differ in their potency (affinity for progesterone receptors) and side-effects. Such side-effects may be androgenic (medroxyprogesterone and most C19 progestagens), antiandrogenic (cyproterone acetate), estrogenic, glucocorticoid (some C21 progestogens), or antimineralocorticoid (progesterone).
Contents |
Uses
Birth control
- Progestogens are used alone in progestogen only pills, or with an estrogen in combined oral contraceptive pills, a contraceptive patch, and a contraceptive vaginal ring.
- Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) and norethindrone enantate (Noristerat) are used by depot injection.
- Etonogestrol is released by subcutaneous implants (Implanon). Norplant and Jadelle implants release levonorgestrel.
- Levonorgestrel is released by the intrauterine system IUS (Mirena).
Antiandrogen
Progestinic compounds decrease luteinizing hormone (LH) levels[1] and as such, will have antiandrogenic properties in trans-women and cisgender males alike, due to decreased LH stimulation of the testes. Cyproterone is a common example of a progestinic medication, and is an effective antiandrogen, which has the added benefit of blocking androgen receptors in addition to the progestinic feedback to decrease LH levels.
Progestogen withdrawal bleeding
In a normal menstrual cycle, a sudden drop in progesterone levels triggers menstruation. Norethindrone acetate (brand name Aygestin) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (brand name Provera) may be used to artificially induce progestogen withdrawal bleeding.citation needed
References / Citations
- ^ T.B. Hatlera, S.H. Hayesa, D.L. Raya, P.S. Reamesa and W.J. Silvia "Effect of subluteal concentrations of progesterone on luteinizing hormone and ovulation in lactating dairy cows", The Veterinary Journal
External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 12 October 2008, at 02:56.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Progestogen".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.