medroxyprogesterone vs progesterone
Side-by-side comparison of medroxyprogesterone and progesterone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Counsel patients to use a back-up method or alternative method of contraception when enzyme inducers are used with medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspension. The following laboratory tests may be affected by progestins including medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspension: (a) Plasma and urinary steroid levels are decreased (e.g., progesterone, estradiol, pregnanediol, testosterone, cortisol). (g) The effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate on lipid metabolism are inconsistent.
Recommendation: Your doctor should be aware of this interaction when testing your hormone levels.
Provera, Depo-Provera
Prometrium
Medroxyprogesterone acetate injection is a medicine used to prevent pregnancy in women. It is given as a shot every 3 months.
Progesterone capsules contain a hormone that helps regulate your menstrual cycle and supports pregnancy. It is also used to prevent overgrowth of the uterine lining in women taking estrogen after menopause.
This medicine is used to prevent pregnancy in women who are able to have children. It works by stopping ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). It is not recommended for long-term use (more than 2 years) unless other birth control options are not good enough for you.
Progesterone capsules are used to prevent the lining of the uterus from growing too much in women who have gone through menopause and are taking estrogen. This medicine is also used to restart menstrual periods that have stopped in women who are not pregnant or going through menopause. This condition is called secondary amenorrhea.
This medicine is a progestin, a synthetic form of the natural hormone progesterone. It prevents pregnancy mainly by stopping the release of an egg from your ovary. It also changes the lining of the uterus, making it harder for a fertilized egg to implant.
Progesterone is a hormone naturally produced by your body. This medicine works by increasing progesterone levels in your body. This helps to regulate your menstrual cycle and protect the uterus.
- • Irregular periods or spotting
- • No periods
- • Abdominal pain or discomfort
- • Weight gain (more than 10 pounds)
- • Dizziness
- • Headache
- • Breast tenderness
- • Joint pain
- • Depression
- • Dizziness
- Breast cancer in women 9,772
- Breast cancer 8,167
- Brain tumor (meningioma) 1,680
- Breast cancer that has spread 1,385
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,039
- Headache 1,946
- Tiredness 1,673
- Pain 1,369
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,362
- Skin rash 903
This medicine can cause you to lose bone mineral density. The longer you use it, the more bone density you may lose. It is not known if this bone loss can be fully reversed. Using this medicine as a teenager or young adult may reduce your peak bone mass and increase your risk of osteoporosis later in life. Because of this risk, it is not recommended for long-term use (longer than 2 years) unless other birth control options are not adequate.
Estrogen plus progestin therapy should not be used to prevent heart disease or dementia. Estrogen plus progestin may increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, and dementia. Progesterone with estrogens should be prescribed at the lowest effective doses and for the shortest duration.
You should not use this medicine if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Small amounts of this medicine can pass into breast milk.
You should not take progesterone capsules if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Talk to your doctor if you become pregnant while taking this medicine. It is not known if progesterone passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
How to Read This medroxyprogesterone vs progesterone Comparison
medroxyprogesterone is classified in the Progestogen drug class, while progesterone sits within the Progestogen Hormone class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, medroxyprogesterone has 22,043 submissions while progesterone has 7,253. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to medroxyprogesterone can reduce the levels of progesterone measured in your body.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between medroxyprogesterone and progesterone - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.