There are two different ways of delivering the medication that is the synthesized form of the hormone progesterone during pregnancy. Progesterone is either delivered vaginally, in the form of a gel, pill, or suppository, or it’s delivered as a shot that’s administered by a doctor. The frequency that pregnant women who are at risk for preterm birth are prescribed to take progesterone is determined by which of these types of progesterone is prescribed.
Progesterone that’s delivered as a shot is administered weekly. On the other hand, progesterone that’s taken vaginally is prescribed to be taken daily, usually from around mid-way through the second trimester to near the end of the third.
Progesterone that’s given in the form of an injection is most often prescribed to women whose increased risk of preterm birth comes from having already had a spontaneous, preterm delivery in the past.
If you’re allergic to any of the ingredients in the branded progesterone shot, Makena, your healthcare provider will be able to talk to you about an alternative type of shot that’s put together at specific pharmacies.
Progesterone works to prevent preterm delivery by preventing contractions from starting. This means that some healthcare providers will stop prescribing progesterone some time around week 36, very near full-term gestation. Progesterone isn’t recommended for women who are carrying twins or other multiples.
Sources
- Vincenzo Berghella. “Cervical insufficiency.” UpToDate. Wolters Kluwer, December 5 2017. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/cervical-insufficiency.
- Mary L. Gavin. “When do pregnant women need progesterone shots?” KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation, November 2016. Retrieved December 19 2017. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/progesterone-shot.html.
- S.S. Hassan. “Vaginal progesterone reduces the rate of preterm birth in women with sonographical short cervix: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 38(1): 18-31. July 2011. Retrieved December 20 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21472815.
- Paul J. Meis, et al. “Prevention of Recurrent Preterm Delivery by 17 Alpha Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate.” New England Journal of Medicine. 2003; 348:2379-2385. June 12 2003. Retrieved December 20 2017. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa035140.
- M.S. To, J. Miletin, J. Semberova, S. Daly. “Is routine tranvaginal cervical length measurement cost-effective in a population where the risk of spontaneous preterm birth is low?” Acta Obstetrica Gynecologica Scandinavica. 95(12): December 2016. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27623283.
- “Preterm birth fact sheet.” World Health Organization. World Health Organization, November 2017. Retrieved December 20 2017. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs363/en/.
- “Progesterone treatment to help prevent preterm birth.” March of Dimes. March of Dimes, August 2014. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/progesterone-treatment-to-help-prevent-premature-birth.aspx.
- M.S. To, et al. “Cervical assessment at the routine 23-week scan: standardizing techniques.” Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. 17(3): 217-9. March 2001. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11309170.
- Cerner Multum. “Progesterone vaginal.” University of Michigan. Regents of the University of Michigan, March 13 2015. Retrieved December 19 2017. http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/d00550t1.
