Progesterone and oxytocin reduce rapid loss of response in full-term human uterine muscle contractions in the lab

The frequency of myometrial contractions and tonus increased with progesterone and oxytocin treatments compared to buffer.

• Progesterone enhanced both the frequency of contractions and the muscle tone in human myometrial tissue.
• Superfusion with oxytocin alone caused a gradual decrease in contraction frequency after 60 minutes.
• Progesterone combined with oxytocin maintained contraction frequency without the observed decrease seen with oxytocin alone.
• The activity area of contractions was greater with lower doses of oxytocin but decreased with higher doses and when treated with progesterone.

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