Medroxyprogesterone increases basal temperature: a placebo-controlled crossover trial in postmenopausal women

Fertility and Sterility, 63(6), 1222-1226

DOI 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)57601-8 PMID 7750591 Source

Abstract

Objective

To assess whether temperature is increased by medroxyprogesterone (MPA) and thus whether basal temperature records could be used to determine ovulation during cyclic MPA therapy.

Design

A 2-month double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial in which oral basal temperature was measured daily.

Setting

Normal human volunteers in an academic medical environment.

Subjects

Eleven postmenopausal women not taking gonadal hormones.

Intervention

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (10 mg/d) or placebo, calendar days 16 to 25, with crossover.

Main Outcome Measures

Comparison of mean temperature days 17 to 26 during MPA versus placebo; comparison of differences between temperatures days 7 to 16 and 17 to 26 in MPA versus placebo months; and analysis for a significant monthly thermal shift.

Results

The mean temperatures during MPA treatment averaged 0.27 degrees C higher than during the placebo phase and showed a significant change from pretreatment to "treatment" phases during MPA but not during placebo cycles. Eight of the MPA and one of the placebo cycles showed a shift from lower to higher temperatures days 16 to 25.

Conclusions

Medroxyprogesterone acetate has a physiological progesterone-like thermal effect. Therefore basal temperature data cannot reliably indicate ovulation during cyclic MPA administration.

Topics

Prior JC medroxyprogesterone basal body temperature, MPA thermogenic effect postmenopausal women placebo controlled, basal temperature shift progesterone medroxyprogesterone acetate, ovulation detection reliability during MPA cyclic therapy, progestin thermal effect crossover trial, medroxyprogesterone acetate basal temperature postmenopausal, progesterone like thermal shift synthetic progestin, double blind crossover basal temperature progestogen, cyclic MPA administration ovulation determination limitation, Prior JC progesterone temperature regulation
PMID 7750591 7750591 DOI 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)57601-8 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)57601-8

Cite this article

Prior, J. C., McKay, D. W., Vigna, Y. M., & Barr, S. I. (1995). Medroxyprogesterone increases basal temperature: a placebo-controlled crossover trial in postmenopausal women. *Fertility and sterility*, *63*(6), 1222-1226. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0015-0282(16)57601-8

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