Infertility in women is a very common problem. For conception to occur, and the fetus to develop normally, certain favorable conditions are required. One of them is the hormonal background of a woman, in particular - a sufficient level of progesterone.
The production of such a hormone occurs in the female body after ovulation and prepares the body for pregnancy. If it is absent or synthesized in too little quantity, then even with the fertilization of the egg, a miscarriage will occur, since the fertilized egg cannot gain a foothold in the uterus. To prevent this situation, doctors often prescribe "Duphaston". This is a hormonal drug that helps the normal bearing of a child in case of problems with progesterone in the expectant mother.
What is this drug?
Duphaston is available in tablet form. They have a white shell and a convex round shape. There is also a risk that the medication can be halved. The drug is sold in boxes of 20-112 tablets (in blisters of 14-20 tablets).
The main ingredient is dydrogesterone. In one tablet, it is contained in a dosage of 10 mg. The composition is also supplemented with lactose monohydrate, corn starch, hypromellose and other substances, thanks to which the medicine has a dense core and a strong shell.
To buy "Duphaston" in a pharmacy requires a prescription from a doctor. The average price of 20 tablets is 500 rubles. It is recommended to store the medication at home in a dry place, at temperatures up to 30 degrees Celsius.
Before use, be sure to check the expiration date on the packaging of the tablets, which is 5 years.
How does it affect the female body?
Dydrogesterone in tablets is similar to natural progesterone in its structure and chemical properties, therefore it acts in the same way as the hormone that is produced by the corpus luteum. Moreover, the drug has no side effects that are inherent in synthetic progestogens.
Once in a woman's body, "Duphaston" selectively affects only the endometrium, causing changes in it that will ensure the normal implantation of the ovum. It replaces progesterone, which in the body of the expectant mother is not enough or not at all, as a result of which the pregnancy persists. The medicine does not adversely affect ovulation and the duration of the menstrual cycle.
The absorption of dydrogesterone from the tablet occurs rather quickly in the intestine. After 2 hours after taking the medicine, its active substance is found in the woman's blood in maximum concentration. It binds to proteins and undergoes metabolic changes in the liver. Most of the drug leaves the body with urine on the first day, and the drug is completely eliminated within 72 hours.
Efficiency
"Duphaston" promotes conception, if the cause of the woman's infertility is luteal insufficiency. In such patients, the drug eliminates the progesterone deficiency that interferes with the normal bearing of the child. The medication also helps with the threat of miscarriage due to a decrease in the level of progesterone in the body of a pregnant woman.
However, "Dufaston" cannot be called a universal remedy for infertility, because there are quite a few reasons why pregnancy does not occur. The problem may not be in the altered hormonal background, but in something else. Then the pills will not help conceive a baby and preserve the fetus.
That is why you should not take Dufaston on your own and on the advice of your friends. To make sure that such hormonal treatment is necessary, a doctor's consultation is required.
Other indications for pill use are irregular menstrual periods, endometriosis, secondary amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and premenstrual syndrome. With all these problems, "Duphaston" is designed to replace the missing progesterone.
Instructions for use
Most often, a single dosage for women wishing to become pregnant is one tablet. It should be swallowed and washed down with clean water. The scheme of taking "Duphaston" for infertility provides for the start of treatment after ovulation. Usually, the drug is taken from the 14th day of the menstrual cycle and is drunk until the 25th day or longer. More accurate recommendations are given by the attending physician, since the duration of the cycle differs from woman to woman.
If a woman is planning a pregnancy, Duphaston should not be taken before ovulation, so as not to cause changes in the uterine lining too early. To determine the beginning of admission for a particular woman, special ovulation tests are often used, as well as basal temperature graphs and an ultrasound examination.
It is recommended to drink the medication at the same interval. If, with infertility, a woman took a pill at 8 o'clock in the morning, then the next day she should take the medicine at about the same time. The duration of this treatment is usually 6 consecutive menstrual cycles.
Completing the course of "Duphaston", you need to do a pregnancy test with high sensitivity. If taking the drug helped to get pregnant, the medication is not canceled in any case. It should support the body of the expectant mother during the entire first trimester, and sometimes longer (up to the 16-20th obstetric week). If a woman has taken Duphaston for 6 menstrual cycles, but the pregnancy has not occurred, additional examination is required.
Since the drug is hormonal, a gradual dose reduction is required to safely discontinue such a drug. Duphaston must not be thrown abruptly. If the patient takes a whole pill, then before canceling the medication, she must first drink the medicine in half a pill, then 1/4 pill. Only then can the treatment be stopped.
Treatment regimens differ for other indications. With the threat of miscarriage, the patient is immediately given 40 mg - four tablets. The woman then takes one tablet every 8 hours (several days) until the risk of termination of the pregnancy is eliminated.
If a woman has endometriosis, which can also act as one of the factors provoking infertility, Duphaston can be prescribed two or three times, from 5 to 25 days of the cycle. Sometimes, with such a disease, the doctor prescribes a continuous admission for several months, which leads to regression of the lesions, elimination of uncomfortable symptoms and the onset of a long-awaited pregnancy.
What should be considered when using?
There are contraindications, among which should be especially highlighted hypersensitivity to pills and serious liver disease. If the expectant mother has any diseases, there were problems with bearing earlier, or the woman is breastfeeding the baby, the attending physician should answer the question about the use of "Duphaston".
Sometimes taking pills provokes unwanted side effects, such as an allergic rash or headache. In some patients, "Duphaston" can cause anemia, edema, bleeding from the uterus and other dangerous symptoms. If they occur, a doctor's examination and additional examination are required, after which the expectant mother is prescribed another treatment.
Do not exceed the dosage of the medicine prescribed by the doctor. There were no cases when an excessive dose of "Duphaston" caused poisoning before, but in case of an accidental overdose, it is recommended to consult a doctor (especially if any negative symptoms appeared).
With other drugs "Duphaston" is compatible, but the simultaneous use of any other drugs (for example, drugs "Metformin" and "Siofor" for prediabetes or polycystic ovary) is best discussed with your doctor. This also applies to folk recipes that help get pregnant - for example, the use of sage.
Reviews
Women who are planning pregnancy and are treating infertility, in most cases, respond positively to "Duphaston". This hormonal agent is praised for its effective action and good tolerability. The doctors' reviews also confirm the effectiveness of the drug, so it is often prescribed to maintain pregnancy.
Weakness, mood swings, weight gain and other negative effects are usually not observed while taking Duphaston. Of the minuses, the high price of pills is most often noted, but many women believe that it is fully justified by the excellent effectiveness of the drug.
Analogs
If the use of "Duphaston" is impossible, the doctor may advise taking "Utrozhestan" instead. This drug also helps to eliminate the lack of progesterone, support conception and prevent problems in the early stages. The main differences between "Utrozhestan" are its composition (its active ingredient is micronized progesterone) and the dosage form (the product is produced in capsules).
In addition, the use of "Utrozhestan" is possible not only inside, but also in another way. Capsules are injected into the vagina, which is important for severe toxicosis at the beginning of pregnancy. However, the drug can provoke side effects: drowsiness, bad mood, lethargy and other symptoms.
For the use of the drug "Duphaston" when planning pregnancy, see the following video.
