Petugard (allylestrenol) is a progestin primarily used by women experiencing difficulty conceiving or pregnancy complications due to low levels of naturally-occurring progesterone levels. Note that the medication will not help with conception or pregnancy complications if progesterone levels are not low.

Petugard is also sometimes used by men to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, better known as an enlarged prostate. The medication helps slow, stop, or reverse prostate growth, facilitating urine flow and thus alleviating uncomfortable and disruptive side effects.

This product should not be used by patients under age 16 or post-menopausal women. While progestins are commonly taken with estrogen in treating menopause symptoms or combined hormonal contraceptives, Petugard differs in both function and dosage amount.

Improving Conception

One of the more critical hormones during pregnancy, progesterone prepares the uterus for the implantation of a fertilized egg. If levels are too low implantation will not occur or the zygote will quickly be rejected. Taking Petugard can alleviate this complication, allowing a woman to conceive and successfully carry a fetus to term.

Ideally women will have progesterone levels checked by a doctor prior to initiating treatment; this is usually done after unsuccessfully trying to conceive for some time. If progesterone levels are not low Petugard will not be prescribed, as it will provide no benefit; there are many other causes for difficulty conceiving.

If progesterone levels are found to be low, Petugard will most likely help. Dosage will depend on the severity of the hormone deficiency, typically ranging from 10 to 40 mg per day, divided into two or three doses taken throughout the day.

Treatment typically lasts for one week at a time, but again this can vary. Treatment is best individualized according to each woman's response to treatment.

Preventing Pregnancy Complications

Once a woman has successfully conceived, progesterone remains critical throughout pregnancy. It inhibits the immune system from rejecting the fetus, promotes fetal nourishment, prevents further ovulation, and promotes growth of glands needed for milk production.

If progesterone levels are abnormally low, the uterus can become inhospitable to the fetus and result in miscarriage or premature labor.

In other words, Petugard helps maintain a healthy pregnancy by:

• Reducing risk of miscarriage
• Preventing premature labor
• Reducing risk of other pregnancy complications

Some doctors always check progesterone levels during pregnancy, but more commonly this is done only if low levels are suspected, such as following multiple miscarriages. Low progesterone is just one of many reasons miscarriages or premature labor may occur, and are not the most common cause.

Women who are currently pregnant should be more cautious with Petugard; do not take it unless low progesterone levels have been established, and do not take more than a doctor has recommended. Too much of this hormone is as harmful as too little.

Likewise dosage during pregnancy should only be determined by a doctor; there are simply too many variables to generalize. Similar to use in conception, treatment often lasts for only a week at a time, though in some cases it may last a bit longer.

Shrinking the Prostate

Petugard is not widely used in the Western world to treat enlarged prostates, though it has unquestionably been successful in Japan and a few other places. It's taken at high doses of around 50 mg per day for months at a stretch.

Such persistant high doses can cause some side effects; hypoganadism (low testosterone), erectile dysfunction, and loss of libido do occur in some men, though relatively rarely. However, these are usually reversible when treatment ends and largely considered worth the risk for the facilitation of urination.

Difficulty urinating or completely emptying the bladder, while uncomfortable and disruptive on their own, can lead to more serious complications, such as bladder stones, urinary tract infections, and kidney damage.

Petugard has shown to be effective in slowing or stopping prostate growth and even shrinking its size. Results do vary between individuals, sometimes for unclear reasons. Other medications may also be given along with Petugard for further effect.

Note that Petugard is not recommended unless prostate size is causing complications. Many men, despite having enlarged prostates, do not experience significant symptoms.