Dydrogesterone: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When your body doesn’t make enough progesterone, dydrogesterone, a synthetic hormone that mimics natural progesterone to support the uterine lining and regulate menstrual cycles. Also known as Dufaston, it’s one of the most commonly prescribed progestogens for women dealing with irregular periods, infertility, or early pregnancy risks. Unlike some other hormone therapies, dydrogesterone doesn’t turn into estrogen in your body, which makes it a cleaner option for many people. It’s taken orally, works gently, and has fewer side effects than older progesterone pills.

Dydrogesterone is often used in three main situations: to help women with luteal phase defect, a condition where the body doesn’t produce enough progesterone after ovulation, making it hard to get or stay pregnant; to manage endometriosis, a painful condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus; and to prevent miscarriage in women with a history of early pregnancy loss. It’s not a birth control pill, but it’s frequently paired with estrogen in hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms. Doctors often choose it over other progestins because it doesn’t raise blood pressure or affect cholesterol the way some others do.

You’ll find that many of the posts below dive into how dydrogesterone fits into broader hormonal health — like how it compares to other progesterone treatments, how it interacts with thyroid meds or iron supplements, and why timing matters when you’re taking it alongside other drugs. Some posts cover similar hormonal issues, like how progesterone imbalances can trigger bloating, mood swings, or irregular bleeding. Others look at how medications like metformin or beta-blockers can interfere with hormone balance, which is useful if you’re managing multiple conditions. Whether you’re trying to conceive, dealing with PMS, or just trying to understand why your doctor prescribed this pill, the guides here give you real, no-fluff answers — no jargon, no guesswork.