6-Dehydroprogesterone,a steroid and progestin is an example of synthetic progestogen that have progestational effects similar to progesterone. The two most common uses of progestins are for hormonal contraception (either alone or with an estrogen), and to prevent endometrial hyperplasia from unopposed estrogen in hormone replacement therapy. 6-Dehydroprogesterone was an early example of a progestin, which eventually lead to the current series of progestin contraceptives. 6-Dehydroprogesterone was also found in the defensive secretion of Acilius sulcatus, a species of water beetle.
