Review, 2012
How can doctors manage premenstrual-like symptoms caused by hormonal treatments containing progestogen?
No clear evidence exists, but doctors should recognize that hormonal treatments like contraception can cause PMS-like symptoms cycling with medication use, termed progestogen-induced premenstrual disorder, and manage based on clinical experience.
What they did
Review article discussing strategies to prevent or manage premenstrual-like symptoms caused by hormonal therapies. The authors examined how various progestogen-containing treatments can introduce or worsen PMS symptoms and reviewed approaches based on clinical experience since research evidence is lacking.
What they found
PMS-like symptoms can be introduced or reintroduced during hormonal treatments including combined oral contraception, progestogen-only contraception, progestogen therapy for heavy periods or endometriosis, sequential hormone replacement therapy, and other strategies requiring endometrial protection. When symptoms cycle in pattern similar to PMS, the condition is termed progestogen-induced premenstrual disorder. Nearly all current clinical practice in managing this depends on clinician experience rather than research evidence.
What it means for you
Women taking hormonal treatments should be aware that PMS-like symptoms might actually be caused by the medication, particularly progestogen. Doctors often miss this connection. Management relies on clinical experience rather than research evidence. Progestogen should be considered as a potential cause when evaluating women on hormonal therapies.
progestogen
medication component often causing PMS-like symptoms
multiple types
hormonal therapies with this problem
unclear
best approach to managing these symptoms
About the study
- Original title
- Potential strategies to avoid progestogen-induced premenstrual disorders
- Authors
- Baker LJ, O'Brien PM
- Journal
- Menopause international
- Year
- 2012
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- Not applicable
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1258/mi.2012.012016
Topics
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