Micronized progesterone: A new therapeutic option

The recent release of micronized progesterone adds a new physiologic altern ative to the available therapeutic agents for common indications in both pr e- and postmenopausal women. This compound overcomes problems with absorpti on through the gut associated with exogenous progesterone administration so that it can be used orally to achieve required serum and tissue levels of a hormone that is structurally identical to endogenous progesterone. Availa ble data suggest that it is functionally equivalent to synthetic progestoge ns for common applications, such as secondary amenorrhea, while offering th e advantage of a more physiologic metabolic profile that could be important for sustained use in applications such as postmenopausal hormone replaceme nt therapy.