Pharmacokinetics of progesterone concentrations was around 4 hours and the elimination half-life was in the range of 30 to 40 hours. The venous blood levels observed were very low. Because progesterone is a lipophilic and hydrophobic compound, it is not absorbed efficiently by the skin. Moreover, because the body produces about 25 mg progesterone per day on average during the luteal phase, around 50% of the body would need to be used as a surface of absorption to deliver a similar quantity of progesterone. As such, the transdermal route cannot easily achieve adequate circulating progesterone levels, and this makes transdermal progesterone impractical for
Topical progesterone of tissue exposure to progesterone with this route of administration. These findings provide a possible explanation for how some studies found antiproliferative and atrophic changes in the endometrium with topical progesterone. However, elevated levels of progesterone in the endometrium with topical progesterone have not yet been demonstrated. Concern has been raised regarding topical progesterone in that the effects of such supraphysiological levels of progesterone in tissues are unknown and hence the potential for harmful effects has not been ruled out. Salivary monitoring of progesterone levels in women using topical progesterone and adjustment of dosage as necessary has been suggested as