Progesterone

Natural progesterone is a hormone that occurs in the body at all times. Levels of progesterone are especially high after ovulation and remain high through mid-cycle. If pregnancy does not occur, the levels of progesterone start to fall. Most cases of PMS are thought to be caused by an imbalance in the body’s natural ratio of estrogen to progesterone during the premenstrual phase.

If your PMS is mild, you may be able to manage it with non-prescription skin creams containing progesterone in low doses, such as PRO-GEST. These creams are usually applied twice daily. They should be started before the symptoms begin and continued through day 2 or 3 of the menstrual period. For more severe PMS, prescription strengths of biologically identical progesterone may be required.