The fusion of the sperm and the egg does not always end with the desired pregnancy, since the ovum must get into favorable conditions in order to successfully gain a foothold in the uterus and develop normally. One of these conditions is a certain level of the hormone progesterone, therefore, if the corpus luteum does not produce it or the amount of this hormone is insufficient, pregnancy does not occur.
To eliminate such a problem, doctors often prescribe Utrozhestan. How does it affect the female body and how is it taken correctly when planning a pregnancy?
Release form
Utrozhestan is made in the form of gelatinous soft capsules that contain a whitish homogeneous oily suspension. The color of such capsules is yellow, and the shape depends on the dosage - round capsules are produced with a smaller amount of the active ingredient, and the preparation with a higher dosage has an oval shape.
The number of capsules in a pack is also different - if the dosage is less, then the package contains 28 capsules in blisters of 14 pieces, and a medicine with a higher hormone content is sold in 14 pieces per pack in blisters of 7 capsules.
Composition
The main ingredient of Utrozhestan is micronized progesterone at a dosage of 100 mg or 200 mg. Auxiliary components are soy lecithin and sunflower oil, and glycerol, titanium dioxide and gelatin are used to make the capsule shell.
How does it work?
Progesterone, which is the basis of Utrozhestan, is called one of the most important hormones for the normal course of pregnancy. Such a substance has many properties, it is:
- reduces the contractility of the muscles of the uterus, as well as the fallopian tubes;
- provides such changes in the endometrium so that the wall of the uterus accepts the ovum (prevents termination of pregnancy at the stage of implantation);
- regulates the menstrual cycle (with hormone deficiency, menstruation delays are observed);
- affects metabolic processes that are important for bearing a baby;
- prevents endometriosis by normalizing the endometrium;
- affects changes in the breast and is important for lactation.
Normally, progesterone should be produced by the corpus luteum, which is active in the second phase of the menstrual cycle.
Indications
The main reason to prescribe Utrozhestan is a lack of progesterone in a woman's body. When planning pregnancy, the drug is used:
- If in a woman's body during the second phase of the menstrual cycle, the level of progesterone drops asymptomatically. This situation prevents conception and is dangerous if pregnancy occurs.
- If a woman has been diagnosed with infertility due to luteal insufficiency.
- If a woman has a miscarriage caused by a decrease in progesterone levels in the first weeks after conception.
To make sure that a woman who wants to get pregnant requires Utrozhestan, laboratory tests should be carried out.
In addition, the medication is prescribed in other cases, for example, with fibrocystic breast disease, premature menopause, preparation for IVF or egg donation.
Contraindications
Utrozhestan should not be taken by women with:
- thrombophlebitis, thromboembolic disorders, deep vein thrombosis or intracranial bleeding;
- bleeding from the vagina, the cause of which is not established;
- incomplete abortion;
- porphyria;
- suspicion of a malignant tumor in the genitals or mammary gland, as well as when it is detected;
- severe liver pathologies or serious diseases of this organ in the past;
- hypersensitivity to progesterone or any additional component of the capsules.
In addition, the medication should not be drunk or inserted into the vagina while breastfeeding and girls under 18 years of age.
If a woman has diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, depression, renal failure, bronchial asthma, high blood pressure and some other health problems, the use of Utrozhestan requires medical supervision.
Side effects
Some women who take Utrozhestan orally have a headache and bloating. Occasionally, the medication provokes an allergic reaction (due to the presence of soy lecithin in the composition), drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, vomiting, changes in stool, jaundice. In very rare cases, taking the medicine by mouth can cause nausea or depression.
To eliminate such negative reactions, the doctor may reduce the dosage or suggest that the patient switch to vaginal use. With this method, the side effect is much less common and occurs only with intolerance (it is represented by itching, burning sensation or hyperemia).
If you start drinking Utrozhestan before ovulation, the cycle may shorten or bleeding may appear. The use of the medication from the 4th month of pregnancy (in the second and third trimesters) sometimes provokes cholestasis, therefore, use from 13 weeks should be monitored by a gynecologist when prescribing additional examinations.
After discontinuation of the medication, a reddish or brown discharge may appear. They are often mild or scarce and are considered a normal response to cessation of progesterone. Such discharge should disappear 5-10 days after the capsules are canceled.
Instructions for use
Utrozhestan, depending on the diagnosis, can be prescribed in a dose of 200 to 600 mg per day. The dosage of capsules required for a particular patient is selected by the attending physician.
The medicine is used either at night or twice a day (in the morning and before bedtime). The capsules should not be swallowed with food, as this will increase the absorption of progesterone.
The drug is taken in two ways:
- Swallow without biting. It is recommended to do this 15-20 minutes before meals. The swallowed capsule is washed down with clean water.
- They are inserted into the vagina like candles. With this application, the drug must be injected deeply, and after that it is necessary to lie down for about 40-60 minutes.
The medication should be taken after ovulation. The most common intake regimen when planning pregnancy is from 16 to 25 days of the cycle. However, with a non-standard duration of the menstrual cycle (for example, if ovulation is late), as well as for other reasons of use, the scheme will be different.
Cancellation of the drug is carried out very carefully and under the supervision of a physician. To do this, it is important to make sure that you have not conceived by doing highly sensitive tests or donating blood to determine the level of hCG.
If the ovum is fixed and pregnancy has begun, Utrozhestan is not canceled, but taken up to 7-8 weeks or the entire first trimester, and sometimes longer. To complete the intake, the dosage is reduced gradually.
Overdose
If the dosage of Utrozhestan is selected incorrectly and is too high for a woman, then the drug causes dizziness and drowsiness (with such symptoms, the daily dose is reduced), a decrease in the duration of the menstrual cycle and the appearance of spotting bleeding (in such a situation, the beginning of the intake is postponed to a later date, for example, on day 18 or 19).
Drug interactions
Utrozhestan is not recommended to be taken by mouth at the same time as many other medicines, for example, with barbiturates, penicillin antibiotics, anticoagulants or diuretics.
If a woman planning a pregnancy drinks any medications, when appointing Utrozhestan, this must be taken into account by the attending physician.
When used intravaginally, the drug does not interfere with treatment with other drugs by mouth, but should not be combined with the use of any other drugs that are injected into the vagina, so that they do not affect the release and absorption of progesterone.
Purchase and storage
To buy capsules at the pharmacy, you need to get a prescription from your doctor. The average price of one package of Utrozhestan is in the range of 400-450 rubles.
You need to store the drug at home at temperatures below +25 degrees. The shelf life of the capsules is 3 years.
Reviews
They speak about the use of Utrozhestan mostly positively, calling it an effective and affordable drug. Both doctors and patients confirm that such a drug helps to become pregnant, reduce the risk of interruption and successfully carry a baby.
The tolerability of the medication, according to women, is generally good. With intravaginal use, side effects are very rare.
Analogs
A replacement for Utrozhestan can be another progesterone drug, for example:
- Krynon gel;
- Prajisan capsules;
- ampoules Progesterone;
- capsules Iprozhin.
In addition, many doctors, instead of Utrozhestan, prescribe women who want to get pregnant Duphaston. Such a remedy contains a progestogen and acts in a similar way, therefore, it is also prescribed for progesterone deficiency. It is represented by coated tablets taken by mouth.
All about the use of "Utrozhestan" see the next video.
