Editing Progestogen (section)

{{short description|Steroid hormone that activates the progesterone receptor}}
{{about|progestogens as hormones|their use as medications|Progestogen (medication)}}
{{Infobox drug class
| Image = File:Progesterone.svg
| ImageClass = skin-invert-image
| Alt = 
| Caption = [[Progesterone]], the major progestogen in humans and a widely used medication.
| Width = 225px
| Synonyms = Progestins; Progestagens; Gestagens,
| Use = [[Hormonal contraceptive|Contraception]], [[menopause]], [[hypogonadism]], [[transgender women]], others
| MeshID = D011372
| Consumer_Reports = 
| ATC_prefix = G03D
| Drugs.com = 
| Biological_target = [[Progesterone receptor]]s ([[Progesterone receptor A|PRA]], [[Progesterone receptor B|PRB]], [[Progesterone receptor C|PRC]], [[Membrane progesterone receptor|mPR]]s (e.g., [[mPRα]], [[mPRβ]], [[mPRγ]], [[mPRδ]], others))
}}

'''Progestogens''', also sometimes written '''progestins''', '''progestagens''' or '''gestagens''',<ref name="KingBrucker2010">{{cite book | author1 = Tekoa L. King | author2 = Mary C. Brucker | title = Pharmacology for Women's Health | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=E9qVyrNPsBkC&pg=PA373 | date = 25 October 2010 | publisher = Jones & Bartlett Publishers | isbn = 978-1-4496-5800-7 | pages = 373}}</ref> are a class of natural or synthetic [[steroid hormone]]s that bind to and activate the [[progesterone receptor]]s (PR).<ref name="ClarkHarvey2011">{{cite book | author1 = Michelle A. Clark | author2 = Richard A. Harvey | author3 = Richard Finkel |author4=Jose A. Rey |author5=Karen Whalen | title = Pharmacology | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Y558dgp_PjoC&pg=PA322 | date = 15 December 2011 | publisher = Lippincott Williams & Wilkins | isbn = 978-1-4511-1314-3 | page = 322}}</ref><ref name="Bhattacharya2003">{{cite book | author = Bhattacharya | title = Pharmacology, 2/e | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=X3cCZQCrrjcC&pg=PA378 | date = 1 January 2003 | publisher = Elsevier India | isbn = 978-81-8147-009-6 | page = 378}}</ref> [[Progesterone]] is the major and most important progestogen in the body. The progestogens are named for their function in maintaining [[pregnancy]] (i.e., ''progestational''), although they are also present at other phases of the [[estrous cycle|estrous]] and [[menstrual cycle]]s.<ref name="ClarkHarvey2011" /><ref name="Bhattacharya2003" />

The progestogens are one of three types of [[sex hormone]]s, the others being [[estrogen]]s like [[estradiol]] and [[androgen]]s/[[anabolic steroid]]s like [[testosterone]]. In addition, they are one of the five major classes of steroid hormones, the others being the androgens, estrogens, [[glucocorticoid]]s, and [[mineralocorticoid]]s, as well as the [[neurosteroid]]s. All endogenous progestogens are characterized by their basic 21-carbon skeleton, called a [[pregnane]] skeleton (C21). In similar manner, the estrogens possess an [[estrane]] skeleton (C18), and androgens, an [[androstane]] skeleton (C19).

The terms ''progesterone'', ''progestogen'', and ''progestin'' are mistakenly used interchangeably both in the scientific literature and in clinical settings.<ref name="KingBrucker2010" /><ref name="Parker-Pope2008">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jHn_XSLyvXEC&pg=PA228|title=The Hormone Decision|date=25 March 2008|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4165-6201-6|page=228|author=Tara Parker-Pope}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Sexual chemistry: understanding your hormones, the Pill and HRT|last=Grant|first=Ellen|publisher=Cedar|year=1994|isbn=978-0749313630|location=Great Britain|pages=39}}</ref> ''[[Progestin]]s'' are ''[[synthetic compound|synthetic]] progestogens'' and are used in medicine.<ref name="ClarkHarvey2011" /> Major examples of progestins include the [[17α-hydroxyprogesterone]] derivative [[medroxyprogesterone acetate]] and the [[19-nortestosterone]] derivative [[norethisterone]]. The progestins are [[structural analog]]ues of progesterone and have progestogenic activity similarly, but differ from progesterone in their pharmacological properties in various ways.<ref name=":0" /> 

In addition to their roles as natural hormones, progestogens are used as [[medication]]s, for instance in [[menopausal hormone therapy]] and [[Transgender hormone therapy (male-to-female)|transgender hormone therapy]] for [[Trans woman|transgender women]]; for information on progestogens as medications, see the [[progesterone (medication)]] and [[progestogen (medication)]] articles.