Dydrogesterone
Duphaston is the 10 mg tablet form of dydrogesterone, a synthetic progestin that mimics the body’s own progesterone to regulate the womb lining. It is listed for Progesterone Deficiency, Endometriosis and threatened miscarriage.
Key points
- Progestins as a class carry a well-established risk of liver injury, though reported cases are rare, self-limiting, and resolve when the medicine is stopped.
- Common side effects include nausea, headaches, anxiety, weight gain and breast tenderness.
How does Dydrogesterone work?
Dydrogesterone acts on the same hormonal pathways as natural progesterone, triggering the signals that thicken and stabilise the endometrium (the womb lining) after ovulation. Without enough progesterone, that lining breaks down unevenly, causing irregular bleeding or making it harder for a fertilised egg to implant. Dydrogesterone fills that gap, supporting the lining through the second half of the cycle.
In the Women’s Health range, Duphaston is the brand-name product for this molecule, supplied as a 10 mg tablet.