During the work, many obstetrician-gynecologists had to answer patients' questions about which drug is better - Dufaston or Utrozhestan.
But it is simply impossible to unequivocally lean in favor of one or another option, because each of them has its own drawbacks.
To understand what is the difference between these drugs, first you need to figure out when they are used, why they are needed. Both drugs are prescribed to adjust the level of progesterone in the body in cases of menstrual irregularities, pronounced PMS, with endometriosis, threatening miscarriage or infertility, which arose due to insufficiency of the second phase of the cycle, etc.
Choosing which drug to prescribe is Dufaston or Utrozhestan, doctors are guided by the number of side effects and the convenience of the method of taking each of them. Patients, having often read information that the last option, unlike the first, is natural progesterone, which is extracted from plant materials, are inclined to favor it. But such a formulation is not entirely true. Duphaston tablets are called synthetic progesterone due to the fact that the chemical structure of this substance per methyl group differs from the formula of the natural hormone, but this does not affect its properties. It is also worth noting that both drugs are obtained from plant materials belonging to the Dioscorea family.
When choosing "Dufaston" or "Utrozhestan", it is necessary to take into account that when taking the latter, drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness often occur, some even have allergic reactions. When taking both drugs, intermediate bleeding from the uterus may occur and the cycle time may change. Both drugs are used quite successfully during pregnancy, when a woman has progesterone deficiency. In addition, do not be scared if the doctor chooses which drug to prescribe for you - Duphaston or Utrozhestan, no one prescribes them without special need. Perhaps you have a lack of progesterone, which is confirmed by tests, the threat of a miscarriage or a history was interrupted in the early stages of pregnancy.
However, with severe toxicosis, which is accompanied by vomiting, it is recommended to use the capsules "Utrozhestan". The description given in the instructions says that during the first trimester it is better to take it not orally, but intravaginally. This allows you to save the maximum amount of progesterone in the body. Also, this drug is prescribed if an agent with antiandrogenic effect is required. In addition, when taken orally, it helps to reduce the amount of estrogen. But Duphaston tablets (they are recommended very often for pregnant women) do not affect anything except progesterone. These points often become decisive when choosing a drug that needs to be prescribed.
Also, everyone needs to know: despite the fact that the described drugs are hormonal, they do not suppress ovulation and cannot be used as contraceptives.