Prasterone

Prasterone is a prescription medication used to treat pain during sexual intercourse in women after menopause. 

Prasterone belongs to a group of drugs called steroids indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain during sexual intercourse, a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy, due to menopause. How prasterone works in postmenopausal women with vaginal atrophy is no fully established.

This medication comes in vaginal insert form and is inserted via an applicator into the vagina usually once a day at bedtime.

Common side effects of prasterone include vaginal discharge and changes on Pap smear.

Prasterone is a prescription medication used to treat pain during sexual intercourse in women with vaginal atrophy after menopause. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Prasterone may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Intrarosa

Serious side effects have been reported with prasterone. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of prasterone include vaginal discharge and changes on Pap smear.

This is not a complete list of prasterone side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

No drug interactions have been determined by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Estrogen is a metabolite of prasterone. Use of exogenous estrogen is contraindicated in women with a known or suspected history of breast cancer. Prasterone has not been studied in women with a history of breast cancer.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of prasterone, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking prasterone, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to prasterone or to any of its ingredients
• have, have had, or think you may have had breast cancer
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Prasterone is indicated only in postmenopausal women. There are no data with prasterone use in pregnant women regarding any drug-associated risks. Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with prasterone.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Prasterone is indicated only in postmenopausal women. There is no information on the presence of prasterone in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production.

Take prasterone exactly as prescribed.

Prasterone comes in vaginal insert form and is administered vaginally once a day at bedtime, with the provided applicator.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of prasterone at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

Prasterone vaginal insert is administered vaginally once a day at bedtime, using the provided applicator.

The recommended dose of prasterone for the treatment of pain during sexual intercourse in women after menopause is 6.5 mg of prasterone.

If you take too much prasterone, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store prasterone vaginal inserts between 41°F to 86°F (5°C to 30°C).
• Prasterone vaginal inserts can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Keep prasterone vaginal inserts and all medicines out of the reach of children.