QuestionI am 4 weeks pregnant and have polycystic ovarian syndrome. My doctor put me on prometrium twice a day. I just picked up the prescription, and it says do not take if you are pregnant. Is this safe to take?
AnswerDear Nicole,
Yes, I'm aware that many of the pharmaceutical inserts for progesterone replacement drugs will warn not to take during pregnancy. However, this has become a pretty common medication to give to those women who are having a bit higher risk pregnancy.
These progesterone replacement drugs were originally designed for use mainly in menopausal women who were symptomatic because their "female" hormone levels were dropping as their bodies gradually stopped producing them.
Progesterone (which is the hormone in Prometrium) is a hormone that is naturally produced by your body. Before a pregnancy, progesterone gets the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) ready for implantation and affects cervical mucus. During pregnancy, progesterone seems to decrease the mother's immune response to allow for acceptance of the pregnancy and decreases the contractility of the uterine muscle. All of these things make pregnancy more apt to be successful.
Your doctor is simply trying to keep your levels of progesterone up in order to give you the best chance of a successful outcome.
I hope this information has helped you. If you are still concerned, please don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about it. I wish you fantastic luck with your pregnancy!
Brenda
