Sunday, December 12, 2004

Prochieve

A reader asks...
"Is it judicious or not to be wary of a drug (Prochieve 4%, vaginally inserted progesterone to accompany Estradiol) that had been removed from the market for a time, then returned to the market but under a different name?"
I am not familiar with Prochieve. A quick search on Up to Date Online indicates that it is used in in-vitro fertilization and also for abnormal uterine bleeding.
The long-term adverse effects of oral progesterone when used in hormone replacement therapy to treat menopausal symptoms are well known: (http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/2003_12/1203_letters.asp).
I would not expect the short-term use of Prochieve to be as risky, but in the primary care clinic that I supervise, fertility and uterine bleeding problems are usually referred to the university's Women's Health clinic, so I have little experience in this area. Anyone with experience with Prochieve care to comment?

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