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Updated: Sep 26, 2026
An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Progesterone effects during sequential hormone replacement therapy
Lotta Andréen1, Mari Bixo, Sigrid Nyberg
1Department of Clinical Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umea University, University Hospital, S-901 87 Umea, Sweden.
Objective:
The aim was to investigate the effect on mood and the physical symptoms of two dosages of natural progesterone and a placebo in postmenopausal women with and without a history of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Design:
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study was performed.
Method:
Postmenopausal women (n=36) with climacteric symptoms were recruited. They received 2 mg estradiol continuously during three 28-day cycles. Vaginal progesterone suppositories with 800 mg/day, 400 mg/day, or placebo were added sequentially for 14 days per cycle. Daily symptom ratings using a validated rating scale were kept.
Results:
Women without a history of PMS showed cyclicity in both negative mood and physical symptoms while on 400 mg/day progesterone but not on the higher dose or the placebo. Women without a history of PMS had more physical symptoms on progesterone treatment compared with placebo. Women with prior PMS reported no progesterone-induced symptom cyclicity.
Conclusion:
In women without prior PMS natural progesterone caused negative mood effects similar to those induced by synthetic progestogens.
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