Hormone therapy is often used in gynecology, and the pharmaceutical market has many hormone-containing drugs for the treatment of various diseases of the female genital area. A fairly large list of indications has the gestagen drug Dufaston - an effective, proven tool, which will be discussed in this article.

The composition of the drug

The main component of Dufaston is the synthetic hormone dydrogesterone - a close analogue of natural progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone of the temporary gland, the so-called corpus luteum. It appears after the ovum leaves the ovary, ready for fertilization. When pregnancy occurs, it persists until 10-12 weeks, until a placenta is formed.

The main task of the temporary gland is the production of pregnancy hormone (progesterone), which helps prepare the endometrium for attachment of the embryo, reduces uterine tone, and inhibits the body's immune response. During pregnancy, it prevents the release of a new egg, the onset of menstruation, inhibits lactation. In other words, progesterone promotes pregnancy and allows a woman to bear a baby. In addition, he is involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle.

Duphaston is produced in small white tablets with risk and engraving, which contain 10 mg of dydrogesterone.

The drug also contains additional substances necessary for color correction, taste and shape maintenance:

  • milk sugar;
  • titanium dioxide;
  • silica;
  • starch;
  • hypromellose;
  • polyethylene glycol 400;
  • magnesium stearate.

Why is the drug prescribed?

According to the instructions for the drug, the main indication for taking "Dufaston" is a lack of progesterone.

Hormone deficiency can occur in the following cases:

  1. Endometriosis The disease is a hormone-dependent benign proliferation of the inner layer of the uterine wall (endometrium) and is one of the most common gynecological pathologies. The endometrium can grow into the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and even into the bladder and rectum. Tissue changes in the same way as in the uterus, according to the phases of the menstrual cycle. The disease is accompanied by discharge with an admixture of blood from the vagina, leakage from the mammary glands, cycle failures and infertility.
  2. Risk of miscarriage. The appointment of "Duphaston" with a threatening natural abortion is advisable when the condition is caused by a lack of progesterone. Often, the drug is taken up to 12 weeks of pregnancy until a placenta is formed. In some cases, the specialist may extend the course. It should be remembered that the unreasonable intake of Duphaston during the period of bearing a child can lead to difficulties in preparing the birth canal for childbirth in the last trimester.
  3. Miscarriages recurring with every pregnancy. In gynecology, this phenomenon is called the usual miscarriage. In this case, hormonal treatment is prescribed even at the stage of pregnancy planning after conducting appropriate tests. When pregnancy occurs, the medication, as a rule, does not stop.
  4. Infertility caused by insufficient production of the hormone of pregnancy (dysfunction of the corpus luteum or luteal insufficiency). Specialists correct this condition by prescribing Duphaston to women when planning pregnancy.
  5. Malfunctions of the menstrual cycle: amenorrhea (absence of menstruation for more than 6 months with an established cycle), severe pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation, severe premenstrual syndrome, uterine intermenstrual bleeding. Since progesterone is involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle, hormone deficiency can cause various kinds of malfunctions. In this situation, Duphaston is prescribed to patients after a blood test for the concentration of sex hormones.

In addition, Duphaston is used as hormone replacement therapy in women of menopausal age or undergoing surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries. Here it is necessary to inhibit the proliferative effect of female sex hormones on the inner layer of the uterus.

On the network you can also find information about the use of "Dufaston" with a monthly delay of a week or more. However, it is important to remember that Duphaston is a prescription hormonal drug.

Unreasonable use of the drug without appointing a specialist and determining the exact cause of the delay can extremely negatively affect reproductive function.

Instructions for use Duphaston

Instructions for use contain detailed information about the dosage and features of taking "Duphaston." The drug is taken orally, washed down with a small volume of water, regardless of the meal. Most experts recommend taking pills at regular intervals. The dosage regimen depends on the type of violation.

In the official instructions, the following dosage is given:

  1. With endometriosis: 1 tablet 2-3 times a day, from 5 to 25 days of the menstrual cycle.
  2. Habitual abortion: 20 mg 2 times a day up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is important to know that at this time you can not stop taking the drug sharply. The drug is canceled gradually, daily reducing the dosage in accordance with the instructions of the doctor.
  3. For infertility caused by dysfunction of the corpus luteum: 1 tablet per day, from 14 to 25 days of the cycle. Treatment is carried out for 6 cycles in a row. When pregnancy occurs, it is advisable to continue therapy with Dufaston in the same mode as for a usual abortion.
  4. Threatening abortion: 40 mg once, then 10 mg every 8 hours until symptoms disappear. If a woman does not have tangible signs of a threatened miscarriage, a specialist can prescribe Duphaston according to the same scheme as for a usual miscarriage.
  5. For irregular periods, severe PMS: 1 tablet twice a day from 11 to 25 days of the cycle.
  6. For painful periods: 1 tablet twice a day from 5 to 25 days of the cycle.
  7. Amenorrhea: in combination with estrogens (from 1 to 25 days of the cycle), Dufaston take 1 tablet twice a day from 11 to 25 days of the cycle.
  8. Intermenstrual bleeding: 1 tablet twice a day for a week to stop and similarly from 11 to 25 days of the cycle for prevention.

Replacement hormone therapy "Duphaston" with natural and surgical menopause is carried out in conjunction with estrogens. As a rule, Dufaston is prescribed in a dosage of 10 mg once a day. The duration and time of administration depend on the dosage regimen of estrogen. If the examination showed that the reaction to Dufaston is not expressed enough, the daily dose of the drug is increased to 20 mg.

Drug interaction

Means that affect the work of microsomal liver enzymes (inducers) can enhance the biotransformation of Duphaston, reducing its therapeutic effect. Such drugs include Rifampicin, Phenobarbital and others.

Contraindications, side effects and overdose

According to the official instructions, Duphaston is not used in the following cases:

  • intolerance to dydrogesterone and excipients of the drug;
  • liver dysfunction (against the background of its acute and chronic diseases);
  • the presence of progestogen-dependent tumors or suspicion of their presence;
  • vaginal bleeding of unknown origin;
  • oncological neoplasms (including a history);
  • porphyria;
  • age up to 18 years (due to lack of data);
  • miscarriage or failed miscarriage while maintaining the luteal phase in the treatment of infertility using assisted reproductive technologies.

When combined with estrogens, the drug is not used for endometrial hyperplasia, arterial and venous thrombosis and predisposition to them.

With caution, the drug should be used for depression and predisposition to it. As well as patients who, during a previous pregnancy or during treatment with hormones, observed severe skin itching, jaundice, exacerbation of herpes infection.

The most common side effects of Duphaston are manifested in the form of migraine, nausea, menstrual irregularities, and increased sensitivity of the mammary glands.

It is extremely rare to take the drug can lead to the appearance of the following undesirable effects:

  • itching of the skin, urticaria, Quincke's edema;
  • anemia;
  • depression;
  • dizziness;
  • vomiting
  • liver dysfunction;
  • growth of progestogen-dependent neoplasms;
  • weight gain.

There were no cases of overdose with Duphaston. When taking a dose much higher than prescribed, gastric lavage is performed. An overdose may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness.

Analogs

According to official sources, drugs that are completely similar to Dufaston do not yet exist. Dydrogesterone (the active substance of the drug) is part of the combination drug "Femoston", which is an anti-climacteric.

If necessary, and with the permission of the attending physician, it is possible to replace Duphaston with agents containing progesterone - the corpus luteum hormone.

Progesterone-containing preparations similar in effect to Duphaston include:

  • Utrozhestan (Belgium). Available in a dosage of 100 and 200 mg, in capsules for internal and intravaginal use.
  • Prajisan, Vanel. Complete analogues of Utrozhestan Indian and Spanish production, respectively.
  • Progesterone, a solution for intramuscular injection of Russian production. Designed for therapy in a hospital.

When treating with "Duphaston" or similar means, like any other hormone-containing, it is extremely important to follow the dosage and recommendations of a specialist.

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