Progesterone is used along with estrogen in women who still have their uterus.Progesterone reduces the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer by making the endometrium thin. Women who take progesterone may have monthly bleeding, or no bleeding at all, depending on how the hormone therapy is taken.
Why is progesterone taken?
Progesterone is used along with estrogen in women who still have their uterus. In these women, estrogen– if taken without progesterone–increases a woman’s risk for cancer of the endometrium (the lining of the uterus). During a woman’s reproductive years, cells from the endometrium are shed during menstruation. When the endometrium is no longer shed, estrogen can cause an overgrowth of cells in the uterus, a condition that can lead to cancer.
Progesterone reduces the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer by making the endometrium thin. Women who take progesterone may have monthly bleeding, or no bleeding at all, depending on how the hormone therapy is taken. Monthly bleeding can be lessened and, in some cases, eliminated by taking progesterone and estrogen together continuously. Women who have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus through surgery) typically do not need to take progesterone. This is an important point, because estrogen taken alone has fewer long-term risks than HT that uses a combination of estrogen and progesterone.
What are estrogen and progesterone?
Estrogen and progesterone are hormones that are produced by a woman’s ovaries.
Why does the body need estrogen?
Estrogen thickens the lining of the uterus, preparing it for the possible implantation of a fertilized egg. Estrogen also influences how the body uses calcium, an important mineral in the building of bones. In addition, estrogen helps maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in the blood. Estrogen is necessary in keeping the vagina healthy.
As menopause nears, the ovaries reduce most of their production of these hormones. Lowered or fluctuating estrogen levels may cause menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, and medical conditions such as osteoporosis.
