Uses for Medroxyprogesterone

Medroxyprogesterone is a progestin hormone that can be prescribed for several reasons.

The oral tablet form of medroxyprogesterone (Provera^®) is approved for the following uses:

Restoring normal menstrual periods in women who used to have regular periods but have not had them for several months (amenorrhea)

Treating abnormal vaginal bleeding due to an imbalance in hormones

Reducing the risk for cancer of the uterus by preventing endometrial hyperplasia (a condition in which the lining of the uterus grows too thick) in postmenopausal women who are taking estrogen.

Medroxyprogesterone also comes as an intramuscular injection (Depo-Provera^®) and a subcutaneous injection (depo-subQ Provera 104^®).

Medroxyprogesterone intramuscular injection is approved to:

Prevent pregnancy
Ease the symptoms of advanced kidney cancer and endometrial cancer (this is known as palliative care).

Medroxyprogesterone subcutaneous injection is approved to:

Prevent pregnancy
Manage pain from endometriosis (a condition in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows in other areas of the body).

(To learn more about this drug's uses, click What Is Medroxyprogesterone Used For?. This article talks in detail about how it works for these conditions, who can use it, and more.)