HEPATITIS CAUSED BY MICRONIZED NATURAL PR OGESTERONE GIVEN FOR PRETERM LABOR

Micronized natural progesterone is often prescribed alone or in associ ation with beta-agonists in the treatment of preterm labor in France, We observed drug-induced hepatitis in 4 such patients. The main manife station of liver disease was pruritis, After drug withdrawal, elevated transaminase levels continued to rise for one week then normalized wi thin 10 to 30 days. The imputability of this undesirable effect was as sessed and considered to be likely. The effectiveness of micronized na tural progesterone in the prevention of premature delivery and in decr easing perinatal mortality and morbidity has not yet been proven. This drug should therefore be used with care, keeping in mind the risk of hepatitis, particularly in patients presenting with pruritis.