A category of artificially created medications utilized in oral contraceptives and also to augment or substitute the body’s endogenous estrogen hormones in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Often, estrogen medications are combined with progestogen medications.
Estrogens inhibit the secretion of gonadotropin hormones, which spur cellular functions in the ovaries. They find application in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for addressing or preempting menopausal symptoms and conditions. Additionally, estrogens can be employed to manage female hypogonadism (ovarian underactivity), irregular menstrual bleeding, and prostate cancer.
Estrogens have the potential to induce breast tenderness and enlargement, bloating, weight gain, nausea, diminished sex drive, depression, migraines, and intermenstrual bleeding. The majority of these side effects tend to diminish within two or three months. Furthermore, estrogens can elevate the likelihood of atypical blood clot formation and heightened vulnerability to hypertension (high blood pressure).
It is not recommended to use estrogen medications during pregnancy as they could have negative impacts on the developing fetus.