Wild Yam regulates the female system, particularly during menstrual distress and menopause,as well as used in treating infertility. Dioscorea mexicana)is a potent source of diosginin, a chemical that resembles female sex hormones and was used in the manufacture of the first oral contraceptives. Until 1970, diosgenin derived from the wild yam was the sole source of the hormonal material used to make the contraceptive pill. ⁽¹⁾ While diosgenin can be converted into progesterone in the laboratory, it cannot be converted into progesterone in the human body. Wild yam contains no progesterone, natural or otherwise.

There is no hard evidence that wild yam arouses women sexually, but salves made from it can make intercourse more comfortable for women over 40 and are a fine substitute for estrogen creams used as vaginal lubricants. ⁽²⁾ Wild yam creams and progesterone creams are applied to thin areas of the skin. Some herbalists believe that this triggers the production of natural progesterone in a woman's body and balances against high levels of estrogen.