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Progesterone Challenge Test

Meaning

A clinical diagnostic procedure used in gynecology and endocrinology to assess the functional status of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis and the responsiveness of the endometrium to progesterone. The test involves administering exogenous progesterone and then observing whether withdrawal bleeding occurs upon cessation of the hormone. A positive withdrawal bleed indicates that the endometrium has been adequately primed with estrogen and the outflow tract is patent, aiding in the differential diagnosis of amenorrhea.