Duphaston 10mg Tablet - 1’s

Duphaston is a trusted hormonal medicine formulated to address the health issues stemming from a deficiency of natural progesterone in women. Its primary purpose is to stabilize hormonal balances to support the uterine lining, making it vital for maintaining early pregnancy and regulating menstrual cycles. In Tanzania and across Africa, access to reliable hormonal support like Duphaston is crucial for improving maternal health outcomes and managing widespread gynaecological conditions.

Forms/Strengths

The product is a Film-Coated Tablet containing 10mg of Dydrogesterone and is supplied in a blister pack of 10 tablets.

Main Uses

Duphaston 10mg is indicated for the treatment of various progesterone-deficiency-related conditions:

• Threatened and Habitual Miscarriage: Provides luteal support to maintain pregnancy.
• Menstrual Cycle Disorders: Including painful periods (dysmenorrhoea), irregular cycles, and absence of periods (secondary amenorrhoea).
• Endometriosis: Helps manage symptoms and lesion growth.
• Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding: Used to control and prevent abnormal bleeding.
• Infertility: Addresses issues stemming from Luteal Insufficiency by preparing the endometrium for implantation.

Localized Benefits: The drug offers an established, reliable treatment for high-risk pregnancies, aiding local efforts to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity linked to early pregnancy loss.

Usage Instructions

This is a prescription-only medicine. Always follow your doctor's specific regimen.

1. Route: Take orally with a glass of water.
2. Timing: For multiple daily doses, spread them evenly throughout the day.
3. Miscarriage (Threatened): Typically starts with a high initial loading dose (e.g., 40mg at once) followed by a maintenance dose (e.g., 10mg every 8 hours).
4. Cycle Regulation: Often prescribed cyclically (e.g., from Day 11 to Day 25 of the menstrual cycle).
5. Duration: Treatment duration can range from 5-10 days for acute bleeding to continuous administration until the 20th week of pregnancy.

Side Effects

Common side effects often subside with continued use or cycle end:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Headache/Migraine.
• Abdominal or breast pain/tenderness.
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting.

Interactions

Duphaston effectiveness may be reduced if taken concurrently with drugs that induce liver enzymes, such as:

• Anticonvulsants (e.g., Phenytoin, Carbamazepine).
• Certain anti-infectives (e.g., Rifampicin, Efavirenz).

Always inform your physician of all prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal products you are taking.

Warnings/Precautions

• Vaginal Bleeding: Do not use if you have undiagnosed, unusual vaginal bleeding until a cause is determined.
• Liver Conditions: Use with extreme caution, or not at all, in patients with severe, current, or past liver disorders until liver function normalizes.
• Hormone-Dependent Tumors: The drug is generally contraindicated if a hormone-dependent tumor is known or suspected.
• Localized Warning: Patients should be advised that the 10’s pack is often insufficient for a full treatment course for conditions like miscarriage support and requires prompt refilling as directed.

Quick Product Facts Table

Active Ingredient	Dosage Frequency	Starting Time	Duration of Use	Common Side Effects	Warnings
Dydrogesterone 10mg	Varies (1 to 4 times daily)	Varies (Cycle Day 11, or immediate for acute symptoms)	Varies (5 days up to 20 weeks)	Headache, Nausea, Spotting	Prescription Only. Contraindicated in severe liver disease.

Mechanism of Action

Dydrogesterone, a retro-progesterone, acts as a highly selective agonist of the Progesterone Receptor (PR). It mimics the action of natural progesterone by producing a fully secretory endometrium in an estrogen-primed uterus. This action stabilizes the endometrium, which is essential for successful implantation of a fertilized egg and prevents the uterine contractions that can lead to miscarriage. Importantly, it achieves this therapeutic effect without inhibiting ovulation or producing undesirable androgenic or estrogenic side effects.