Progesterone is a female sex hormone that plays an important physiological role to regularize and rebuild changes to the body caused by estrogen as well as in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Its levels vary during the menstrual cycle. If fertilization occurs, it is produced during pregnancy by the placenta to prevent spontaneous abortion. If fertilization does not take place, the production of progesterone decreases and menstruation occurs. It is the hormone for the mammary glands of milk production. Progesterone is a steroid hormone consists chemically of four fused hydrocarbons containing the functional groups of ketone and aldehyde and two methyl branches. Progesterone is the precursor of all steroid hormones. It is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of androgens, estrogens, and the corticoids. Synthetic compounds with progesterone are used in the prevention of miscarriage, in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It is also used to develop a constituent of some oral contraceptives.
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