Progestogens

Progestogen
Drug class
Progesterone, the major progestogen in humans and a widely used medication.
Class identifiers
Synonyms	Progestagens; Gestagens
Use	Contraception, menopause, hypogonadism, transgender women, others
ATC code	G03D
Biological target	Progesterone receptors (PRA, PRB, PRC, mPRs (e.g., mPRα, mPRβ, mPRγ, mPRδ, others))
External links
MeSH	D011372

Progestogens, also sometimes spelled progestagens or gestagens, are a class of steroid hormones that bind to and activate the progesterone receptor (PR).Progesterone is the major and most important progestogen in the body, while progestins are synthetic progestogens. Major examples of progestins include the 17α-hydroxyprogesterone derivative medroxyprogesterone acetate and the 19-nortestosterone derivative norethisterone (norethindrone). The progestogens are named for their function in maintaining pregnancy (i.e., progestational), although they are also present at other phases of the estrous and menstrual cycles. They are one of three types of sex hormones, the others being estrogens like estradiol and androgens/anabolic steroids like testosterone.

The progestogens are one of the five major classes of steroid hormones, in addition to the androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids, as well as the neurosteroids. All endogenous progestogens are characterized by their basic 21-carbon skeleton, called a pregnane skeleton (C21). In similar manner, the estrogens possess an estrane skeleton (C18), and androgens, an androstane skeleton (C19).