Last checked September 2026 against 13 sources · Editorial policy
Progesterone 100 mg and 200 mg: dosing explained
For menopause HRT, progesterone 100 mg is taken every night in continuous regimens, and 200 mg is taken at bedtime for 12 to 14 days of each 28-day cycle in sequential regimens, which bring a monthly bleed. Higher estrogen doses may need more progesterone. For missed periods, Prometrium is given as 400 mg at bedtime for 10 days. The dose depends on your estrogen dose and whether you still have periods, not on blood tests.
Micronized progesterone is taken as 100 mg daily (continuous) or 200 mg for 12 days a month (cyclical) alongside estrogen. Which regimen and when to take it.
Progesterone 100 mg vs 200 mg: expectation vs reality
What people often expect
“200 mg is a high dose of progesterone, so 100 mg must be safer”
What the evidence shows
They're for different schedules. 200 mg for 12 days a month and 100 mg every day both protect the uterus at low to medium estrogen doses; the choice depends on whether you still have periods. The British Menopause Society's table goes up to 300 mg in sequential regimens with high-dose estrogen. Taking less than you need leaves the lining unprotected.
Progesterone dosage for menopause and other uses
Progesterone 200 mg: sequential HRT
The standard sequential dose is 200 mg at bedtime for 12 days of each 28-day cycle, per the Prometrium label, or on days 15 to 26 in the NHS schedule. A withdrawal bleed usually comes a few days after each course. This regimen suits women who still have periods or had their last one recently, and pairs with estrogen patches, gels, sprays or pills.
Learn more →Progesterone 100 mg: continuous HRT
After 6 to 12 months or more without a period, the NHS says your doctor may switch you to 100 mg daily, on days 1 to 25 of each cycle or every day. You may have less bleeding or none at all. Women's Health Concern gives 100 mg daily at bedtime as the example continuous regimen with separate estrogen. It's the lowest standard HRT dose of oral progesterone.
Progesterone dose for higher estrogen doses
The more estrogen you take, the more progestogen the lining may need. The British Menopause Society's prescribing table pairs low and medium estrogen doses with 100 mg daily or 200 mg sequential progesterone, and high-dose estrogen with 200 mg daily or 300 mg sequential. A 52 mg levonorgestrel IUD covers estrogen doses in this range for up to 5 years.
Learn more →Progesterone 300 mg and 400 mg
400 mg at bedtime for 10 days is Prometrium's dose for secondary amenorrhea, missed periods in women who aren't pregnant; at that dose, dizziness affected 24% of women vs 4% on placebo. 300 mg nightly was used in research trials for hot flashes and sleep after menopause. These higher doses aren't standard for routine HRT.
Progesterone 5 mg and 10 mg: progestin tablets
Doses of 2.5, 5 or 10 mg belong to synthetic progestins, not progesterone. Medroxyprogesterone (Provera) comes in 2.5, 5 and 10 mg tablets: 5 or 10 mg daily for 12 to 14 days a month with estrogen, or 5 or 10 mg for 5 to 10 days for missed periods. Norethindrone is used at 5 mg in UK HRT regimens.
Learn more →Will 100 mg progesterone stop a period?
Not reliably at first. On 100 mg daily, bleeding usually becomes lighter or stops once your body adjusts, but spotting is common for the first 3 to 6 months. If you're still having regular periods, the NHS schedule is 200 mg cyclically instead, which produces a planned bleed each month. Heavy or unexpected bleeding after 6 months needs checking.
Learn more →Is 200 mg progesterone a high dose for menopause?
No, it’s the standard sequential dose for low to medium estrogen, taken for only 12 to 14 days a month. The British Menopause Society’s table only goes higher, to 300 mg sequential, for high-dose estrogen. Because progesterone can cause drowsiness, it’s taken at bedtime. In the Prometrium trial at 200 mg, dizziness affected 15% of women vs 9% on placebo.
How the progesterone dose is adjusted
Estrogen is started low and increased no sooner than every 3 months if needed, and the progestogen is matched to the estrogen dose. Doses are judged by symptoms and bleeding, not blood tests, which menopause guidance says are rarely needed or helpful. If side effects are a problem, switching to a different progestogen or a hormonal IUD is an option.
Progesterone doses by the numbers
100 mg
200 mg
400 mg
$9.45
US labeling covers 200 mg sequential with oral estrogen; the 100 mg daily and higher-dose regimens follow British Menopause Society guidance.
How to find the right progesterone dose
Match the schedule to your periods
First stepStill having periods: 200 mg for 12 to 14 days a month. After 6 to 12 months without a period: 100 mg daily, which aims for no monthly bleed.
Match the dose to your estrogen
First stepIf your estrogen dose goes up to the high range, ask whether your progesterone should increase too; guidance pairs high-dose estrogen with 200 mg daily or 300 mg sequential.
Take it at bedtime
Strong evidenceDrowsiness and dizziness are common, so bedtime dosing, at least 2 hours after food, works best.
Related guide →Consider the hormonal IUD
Strong evidenceA 52 mg levonorgestrel IUD protects the lining for up to 5 years and avoids daily pills if progesterone side effects are a problem.
Related guide →
When to talk to a doctor about your progesterone dose
Heavy or unexpected bleeding after 6 months on HRT
See your doctor; the progestogen dose or type may need changing, and the lining may need checking.
Your estrogen dose has been increased
Ask whether your progesterone dose should change to keep the lining protected.
Severe drowsiness, blurred vision or trouble walking after a dose
Tell your provider right away.
Urgent: Chest or leg pain, or sudden shortness of breath
Call 911; these can be signs of a blood clot.
Progesterone 100 mg and 200 mg: questions women ask
What is progesterone 100 mg used for?
Mainly as the daily progestogen in continuous HRT, taken at bedtime to protect the uterine lining while you take estrogen, usually after 6 to 12 months without a period.
Is 100 mg of progesterone a high dose?
No. It's the lowest standard daily HRT dose of oral progesterone, used with low to medium estrogen doses.
Is 200 mg progesterone a high dose for menopause?
No. 200 mg for 12 to 14 days a month is the standard sequential dose. With high-dose estrogen, guidance may raise it to 300 mg sequential or 200 mg daily.
How much progesterone should I take for menopause?
It depends on your schedule and estrogen dose: usually 200 mg for 12 to 14 days a month if you still have periods, or 100 mg daily if you don't. Your doctor may increase it with higher estrogen.
What is the lowest dose of progesterone for HRT?
100 mg of micronized progesterone daily in a continuous regimen, the lowest progesterone dose in the British Menopause Society’s prescribing table. For sequential use, the lowest is 200 mg for 12 to 14 days.
What is 400 mg progesterone used for?
Prometrium's dose for missed periods is 400 mg at bedtime for 10 days. In a trial, 80% of women bled within 7 days of finishing.
Can I take 100 mg progesterone every day?
Yes, if prescribed for continuous HRT. The NHS says it may be taken on days 1 to 25 of each cycle or every day, usually once you've had no period for 6 to 12 months.
Is there a progesterone 5 mg?
Not as micronized progesterone. 5 mg doses refer to progestins such as medroxyprogesterone (Provera) or norethindrone.
Related →Should I take progesterone 100 mg or 200 mg?
If you still have periods or had one in the last year, 200 mg for 12 to 14 days a month is usual. If you haven’t had a period for 6 to 12 months or more, 100 mg daily is common. Your doctor also considers your estrogen dose.
What is a progesterone micronized 100 mg capsule?
It's an oral capsule of micronized progesterone, identical to the progesterone your ovaries make; micronizing improves how much is absorbed. Prometrium 100 mg capsules are round and peach-colored, marked SV, and contain peanut oil. Generics look different but contain the same hormone.
What are the benefits of progesterone 100 mg?
Taken daily with estrogen, 100 mg protects the uterine lining so you can use estrogen HRT safely, usually with little or no bleeding once your body adjusts. It can also make you drowsy at bedtime, which some women find helps their sleep.
Sources
- Prescribing information: Prometrium (progesterone capsules). Acertis Pharmaceuticals, 2026. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine.
- Women's Health Concern / British Menopause Society. Fact sheet: HRT types, doses and regimens.
- British Menopause Society. Tool for clinicians: HRT practical prescribing.
- NHS. Utrogestan (micronised progesterone): how and when to take.
- Hitchcock CL, Prior JC. Oral micronized progesterone for vasomotor symptoms--a placebo-controlled randomized trial in healthy postmenopausal women. Menopause. 2012;19(8):886-93.
- Caufriez A, Leproult R, L'Hermite-Balériaux M, et al. Progesterone prevents sleep disturbances and modulates GH, TSH, and melatonin secretion in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(4):E614-23.
- Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate tablets). US prescribing information, DailyMed.
- British Menopause Society. Tool for clinicians: HRT preparations and equivalent alternatives. 2024.
- NHS. Utrogestan (micronised progesterone): side effects.
- NHS. Utrogestan (micronised progesterone): common questions.
- Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. Hormone therapy medication prices (checked September 2026).
- NHS. Side effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
- National 911 Program. 911.gov.
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