There are many side effects and medical warnings associated with the use of ethinyl estradiol and other contraceptives in women. One such side effect that has been mentioned is the increased risk of thromboembolisms. Ethinyl estradiol is a major component in many contraceptives and it is used in various forms. Ethinyl estradiol may be ingested in a pill form or used as a patch or a vaginal insert. Ethinyl estradiol releases the hormone estrogen into the system. It can also be used in hormone replacement therapy in women who have passed menopause. Although it is very effective as a contraceptive and hormone replacement agent, the risks associated with ethinyl estradiol need to be considered before it is used.

Thromboembolisms

Thromboembolisms are a combination of two separate conditions that may have deadly consequences when taken together. The two conditions are deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. These conditions have been linked to contraceptives including ethinyl estradiol.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis is related to the clotting of blood in the deep veins. Deep vein thrombosis occurs when blood clots and forms a blockage in deep veins such as the femoral or radial veins. These veins are called deep veins because they are located deep in the body as opposed to superficial veins which are located closer to the skin. The clot formed in deep vein thrombosis is called a thrombus and it will grow to a point where it begins to obstruct the blood flow in the vein. This blockage of the veins leads to decreased oxygenated blood flow to organs and tissue on one side of the blockage, as well as harmful build-ups of toxins.

Pulmonary Embolisms

The other condition encompassed by the term ‘thromboembolism’ is the pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism is formed when a thrombus formed from thrombosis becomes dislodged and travels around the body through the veins. The thrombus may then become lodged in one of the arteries that supplies blood to the lungs, thereby cutting off the blood flow. Pulmonary embolisms can be a very serious condition and it may even lead to sudden death.

Link to Estrogen and Oral Contraceptives

Studies have been conducted that show a causal connection between oral contraceptives and the occurrence of thromboembolisms. The increased estrogen levels created by oral contraceptives have been though to contribute to the formation of the thrombus and the creation of the pulmonary embolism. The relationship of ethinyl estradiol to other oral contraceptives has shown that it too may result in increased risk of thromboembolisms. The differences between ethinyl estradiol and other contraceptives, however, has given rise to the suspicion that ethinyl estradiol may even pose a greater risk of thromboembolisms than other contraceptives. The risk of women developing thrombosis increases with age, and therefore older women who may be using ethinyl estradiol for hormone replacement may be at greater risk. However, studies have shown that women who use ethinyl estradiol as opposed to other oral contraceptives do not have an increased risk of developing thromboembolisms.

Regardless, ethinyl estradiol must still be taken as prescribed. Failure to do so may cause reduced effectiveness or increased risk of experiencing harmful side effects.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

For women part of getting older means suffering from menopause and all of the symptoms including like hot flashes and night sweats. Fortunately Ethinyl Estradiol can be taken to ease these symptoms and help post menopausal women lead normal healthy lives.

Menopause

Menopause is defined as the end of the female’s ability to reproduce and the end of the monthly cycle known as a period. Every female will experience this, it usually occurs between the ages of 40-55 though it can occur sooner or later.

Symptoms of menopause include night sweats, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. Taking Ethinyl Estradiol can ease these symptoms.

For some medical reasons the uterus will be surgically removed which is also called a hysterectomy. For younger women their periods will stop permanently and the woman will not be able to conceive a child. If there is at least one of the ovaries left and is functioning, the woman will not have reached menopause. Without the uterus ovulation will continue to cycle until menopause is reached. For other women, when both ovaries are removed, the woman will have reached surgical menopause.

After menopause is reached the body will stop producing or produce less estrogen, women will then need hormone replacement therapy which is usually done with a hormone taken by mouth once daily.

How can Ethinyl Estradiol help?

Once a woman has reached menopause either naturally or surgically, she will need a female hormone to help ease the symptoms and prevent other health problems related to lack of estrogen. Ethinyl Estradiol can also dramatically slow the process of osteoporosis and the possibility of broken bones.

What you can do to help

While taking Ethinyl Estradiol for hormone replacement therapy you should eat a well balanced diet, do not smoke, do not drink in excess, and exercise regularly only doing exercises that support your body weight with your bones such as walking, aerobics, or playing tennis.

Side effects of Ethinyl Estradiol

As with any other type of medication whether it is a hormone, prescription, or over the counter medication, there will be side effects involved. Some of the side effects of Ethinyl Estradiol include nausea, vomiting, headache, melasma, breast tenderness, rash, and diarrhea. These side effects are not dangerous and should be reported to a doctor if they are persistent or become bothersome. More serious side effects include migraines, severe headaches, stomach cramps, vision problems, and severe dizziness. If you experience any of the more serious side effects, you should immediately tell your doctor because serious health problems could develop.

Ethinyl Estradiol is currently being used for the prevention of pregnancy, menstruation regulation, and hormone replacement therapy. Before using Ethinyl Estradiol for any of these reasons, you should tell your doctor about your medical history especially if you have a history of blood clots, heart attacks, or strokes. You should also tell your doctor about all of the medication you are taking including vitamins, prescription, and over the counter medication because some drugs affect the potency of Ethinyl Estradiol.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Ethinyl Estradiol is a hormone that is usually combined with another hormone to prevent conception. These combinations include the pill, patch, and the vaginal ring. Each combination has its own risks and side effects.

EthinylEstradiol

Ethinyl Estradiol was the first orally active synthetic estrogen released to be used to prevent pregnancy. Ethinyl Estradiol works by thickening the cervical mucus to prevent the egg and sperm from coming together. Some combinations of Ethinyl Estradiol can even stop the ovary from producing the egg in the first place.

The Pill

The most common combination of Ethinyl Estradiol comes in the form of a pill. The Ethinyl Estradiol combines with another female hormone such as Desogestrel or Norethindrone to make a very effective birth control pill. These combinations can also be used to regulate the menstrual cycle, or for hormone replacement therapy in post menopausal women.

Taking a contraceptive orally will take about two hours to fully work, during the first week of taking the pill you will need to use another type of contraceptive such as a spermicide or condom because the pill may not be fully working for the first week. The pill should be taken every day at the same time each day, some health care professionals recommend that you take it after your evening meal or before bed to minimize stomach problems and so that you can remember easier.

The Patch

The Ethinyl Estradiol patch looks like a square band-aid and is similar in shape and size as the nicotine patch. The patch is applied to the abdomen, upper arm, upper torso, or the buttocks. The patch should be changed every week for three weeks on and one week off. The patch works by releasing a combination of Ethinyl Estradiol and progestin hormones into the skin slowly. The hormones will prevent the ovary from releasing any eggs and will thicken the cervical mucus so that if in the off chance that an egg is produced, it will never meet the sperm. The patch is said to be 99% effective except in women weighing 198 pounds or more in which it will only be 92% effective.

Vaginal Ring

The vaginal ring is the newest form of contraception and is said by some to be the easiest because you do not have to remember to take it every day. The vaginal ring is placed inside the vagina and over a period of three weeks it will release hormones such as Ethinyl Estradiol into the body that will thicken cervical mucus and prevent ovulation. You don’t have to have a doctor place the ring; you do it yourself, the position of the ring is not crucial for its use, as long as the ring feels comfortable and in the right position, it will release the hormones necessary to prevent pregnancy.

Oral contraceptives, patches, and vaginal rings will not prevent you from getting sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. It is important to discuss your medical history with your doctor as well as any medications you may be taking before you start a birth control regime.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Ethinyl Estradiol was the first hormone that released to combine with others to prevent pregnancy. Ethinyl Estradiol can also be taken to ease menopausal symptoms such as mood swings, night sweats, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness.

Ethinyl Estradiol

Ethinyl Estradiol was first released to use in combination with other female hormones and can prevent pregnancy because it is metabolized by the liver and is absorbed into the blood stream and thickens the cervical mucus so that the egg and sperm never meet.

Smoking

Smoking while taking Ethinyl Estradiol or any other oral contraceptive is very dangerous because it increases your risk of experiencing side effects. Smoking while taking Ethinyl Estradiol is most dangerous for women thirty five years or older, these women are ten times more likely to have a heart attack than women that don’t smoke and are under thirty five.

Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is when the blood pressure is at an abnormally elevated level. This can be caused by being overweight and some medications can cause this as well. Women with hypertension should not take Ethinyl Estradiol; recent studies have shown that oral contraceptives such as Ethinyl Estradiol can induce hypertension is a small amount of healthy woman, and for those already suffering from hypertension, the blood pressure increased causing serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke.

History of Blood Clots

Women with a history of blood clots should not take oral contraceptives such as Ethinyl Estradiol because one of the side effects of the hormone is blood clots. Blood clots associated with oral contraceptives like Ethinyl Estradiol often form in the veins of the legs. In rare occasions the blood clot will break apart and head for the lungs, this can kill you. Rare reports of death from blood clots associated with oral contraceptives have been reported. If you do have a history of blood clots, tell your doctor before you take Ethinyl Estradiol, it may be safe for you to take it, but your doctor is the only one that can decide that.

History of Strokes

If you are already suffering from strokes, you should not take Ethinyl Estradiol. Ethinyl Estradiol has a common side effect, migraines. Women with migraines are at a higher risk to have a stroke than women that do not have migraines. Women that are taking Ethinyl Estradiol and are suffering from migraines are eight times more likely to have a stroke than those not taking the oral contraceptive. Doctors speculate that the increased risk of stroke is because of the reduced blood flow to the brain which occurs during a migraine.

Very little research has been done on strokes caused by Ethinyl Estradiol and so doctors cannot say if taking this oral contraceptive will put you at an increased risk.

Other contraindications include estrogen dependent abnormal tissue growth, vaginal bleeding, and cholestatic jaundice.

Always discuss your medical history with your doctor before taking Ethinyl Estradiol because you could be at risk of developing a more serious health problem.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

There are many different types of birth control options available today including pills, condoms, diaphragms, and contraceptive creams. Ethinyl Estradiol is another type of contraceptive most commonly called NuvaRing.

Ethinyl Estradiol was made from natural estradiol; the drug is taken orally and has become the estrogen used in most of the modern formulations of contraceptives such as the Pill. Ethinyl Estradiol was the first orally active synthetic steroidal estrogen and was approved by the FDA in the United States in 1943 and Schering marketed it as Estinyl. In 2004 the FDA withdrew the approval of Estinyl at the request of Schering.

When taken orally Ethinyl Estradiol is absorbed quickly it is also quickly inactivated by the liver. Once Ethinyl Estradiol is absorbed into the small intestine it is fully absorbed into the blood stream about two hours later.

Ethinyl Estradiol is used with combinations of other drugs such as Desogestrel, Norethindrone, Levonorgetrel, and Drospirenone. These combinations make up brand name birth control pills, patches, and vaginal rings. Ethinyl Estradiol can only be obtained by prescription from your doctor; patients that smoke while taking Ethinyl Estradiol will increase their risk of having side effects. Side effects include hair loss, chloasma, melasma, increased levels of thyroxin, hirsutism, and others. For a complete list of side effects, ask your doctor.

Ethinyl Estradiol is used in combination with other female hormones to prevent ovulation, or the release of an egg from the ovary. Ethinyl Estradiol also causes changes in the cervical mucus and uterine lining, this in turn makes it harder for the sperm to reach the uterus and even harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.

Basically Ethinyl Estradiol is used to prevent pregnancy, it is important to understand that taking a contraceptive like Ethinyl Estradiol will not protect against sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.

Pregnant women should not take anything containing Ethinyl Estradiol because it can cause birth defects in unborn babies. Women that have a history of blood clots, stroke, circulation problems, or a hormone related cancer, should not take Ethinyl Estradiol. Using Ethinyl Estradiol may not protect you fully from getting pregnant, you may need to use a back up contraceptive such as spermicide or a condom. You should not use a diaphragm while taking Ethinyl Estradiol.

Using this hormone increases your risk of blood clots, heart attack, and strokes; if you smoke or are over the age of thirty five, these risks are increased. Some medications can reduce the potency of the hormone such as vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and some over the counter and prescription medications. Tell your doctor about all of the medication you are taking before you start using Ethinyl Estradiol.

Ethinyl Estradiol is a great hormone that has been combined with other female hormones for years making effective birth control pills, patches, and vaginal rings. This hormone can be taken for uses other than birth control such as to regulate your menstrual cycle. Ethinyl Estradiol may not be for everyone and should be discussed with your doctor before you start taking it.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Ethinyl estradiol is a commonly used component of birth control devices and in hormone replacement therapy. Ethinyl Estradiol is used in many forms, including the orally ingested pill, the vaginally inserted ring and the skin patch. Along with the two most common uses, contraception and estrogen replacement therapy, there are some other conditions which may be treated with the use of ethinyl estradiol. One such condition is acne.

Acne

Acne (Acne Vulgaris) is a common skin condition that occurs mostly in teenagers. A very large percentage of teenagers and even adults are affected by acne. Acne vulgaris manifests itself by producing pimples or lesions on the skin, mostly in the face, and it affects both males and females. The severity of acne breakouts varies between cases and there are different causes for the condition. The pimples produced by acne are sometimes inflamed and filled with a yellow liquid or a black head.

Causes of Acne

There are many conditions that give rise to acne vulgaris, although the root cause of the condition remains relatively unknown. Acne is a result of the pores and hair follicles on the skin becoming blocked or clogged with bacteria or other material, leading to the swelling of the pimple on the outer layer of the skin. Many things can give rise to acne. For one, there seems to be a hereditary link between members of a single family affected with acne. Furthermore, acne can be caused by diet, stress, skin inflammation and even certain medications. Another interesting link to acne is hormone activity. Females who are menstruating as well as those going through puberty often have trouble with acne breakouts. Hormones like testosterone and other androgens are also extensively linked to the development of acne. This hormonal link to acne may be treatable with the use of ethinyl estradiol and other oral contraceptives.

Treatment of Acne

Historically, acne has been treated with the use of topical chemicals like sulphur and benzoyl peroxide. Other topical ointments are also used to kill the bacteria that clog the pores of the skin. There are also other treatments like retinoids, laser therapy and less commonly used home remedies. Hormonal treatments, with the use of estrogen, progestagens and antiandrogens, have also been quite effective in controlling acne breakouts.

Acne Treatment Using Oral Ethinyl Estradiol

Women who use oral contraceptives have been observed to show higher levels of acne control. Based on these observations, scientists have done studies to explore the effectiveness of oral contraceptives like ethinyl estradiol in the control of acne vulgaris. One fairly recent study has shown drastic decreases in skin lesions for women affected by acne, who were placed on oral ethinyl estradiol. In the study, over 90% of the women affected by moderate acne vulgaris who were placed on low dose oral ethinyl estradiol showed improvement after six months. On average, these women saw a decrease of over 50% in lesion count.
Results like these give overwhelming support to the effectiveness of ethinyl estradiol as an acne treatment. Women are always advised to consult a physician to discuss the possible risks associated with using ethinyl estradiol.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Ethinyl Estradiol is a contraceptive that is also used for hormone replacement therapy. Many women use ethinyl estradiol to prevent pregnancy and also to replace the estrogen hormone after menopause. As it is with many other medical treatments, there are some confirmed side effects that are connected with the use of ethinyl estradiol use. Some of these include melasma, nausea and stomach cramps. There are also some conditions that have been commonly thought to be side effects of ethinyl estradiol and other contraceptives but have actually been disproved by scientific studies. One such condition is weight gain.

Common Perceptions

There is still some controversy surrounding the issue of whether contraceptives actually cause weight gain in people who take them. Many women who take oral contraceptives are convinced that their weight increases when they are on contraceptives. Weight gain is even one of the main things that discourage women from starting oral contraceptive use. Weight gain is also one of the most common reasons cited by women who choose to discontinue using some oral contraceptives. Studies have actually shown that of all the side effects associated with oral contraceptives, weight gain is the most commonly cited reason for discontinuance. Yet, many other women who take these treatments experience no weight gain at all. Many scientists and doctors are also divided on the issue.

Clinical Studies

Recent studies using ethinyl estradiol contraceptives in the patch and pill form, have not found any link between the contraceptive and any substantial weight gain. Studies from multiple clinical trials have shown that the weight gain experienced by women who were put on ethinyl estradiol was relatively minimal. Studies also compared the use of the patch and the pill but found no substantial difference in the weight gain experienced by women who used either form of the contraceptive. One study using ethinyl estradiol found that the tests subjects who actually gained weight during the trial on average gained only a fraction of a kilogram at the end of the six month trial. Trials that used the patch and those that used the pill came out with similar results.

The fact that the weight gain experienced by the subjects of these trials was so small virtually eliminates any connection that could be drawn between ethinyl estradiol and short term weight gain. Despite this fact, many women continue to be deterred from certain contraceptives by reports of weight gain in women who use those treatments. Ethinyl estradiol has been shown to be a very effective method of contraception. However, when measured against the prospect of weight gain, many women still choose not to use oral contraceptives. The fact that this short term study shows no connection between weight gain and ethinyl estradiol, also, does not mean that a study conducted over a longer term would not come up with more substantial, definitive results.

Ethinyl Estradiol

Ethinyl estradiol, when used correctly, can be a very effective method of contraception and present no side effects. It is always encouraged, however, that women who want to use ethinyl estradiol speak in-depth with their healthcare providers to discuss the chances that they will experience side effects.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Ethinyl Estradiol is a contraceptive treatment that, when taken along with other hormones, can prevent pregnancy. Ethinyl Estradiol is also used by women for various other hormonal problems related to estrogen, such as hormone replacement therapy. Some studies have shown that, along with other negative side effects, Ethinyl Estradiol may possibly have carcinogenic characteristics.

Carcinogens

The word carcinogen refers to any substance that may increase a person’s chance of developing cancer or induce the spread of cancerous cells. Carcinogens are found in naturally occurring elements and also in chemicals and chemically engineered substances. They interfere with cell DNA and trigger uncontrolled cell division that creates tumors. These tumors, if left untreated, will eventually lead to the shutting down of the affected organs. There has been a longstanding awareness that hormone replacement therapies sometimes come with an increased risk of certain kinds of cancer.

Ethinyl Estradiol

As contraceptive drugs and treatments became more and more popular over the years, studies have arisen that have linked these treatments to the development of certain types of cancers. Estrogen replacement therapies, especially those that did not include the addition of progestagens, were found to be connected to extraordinary cell proliferation in tissue and organs. Some of the studies that produced these findings that linked estrogen replacement to cancer also included ethinyl estradiol. It was found that higher doses and longer periods of estrogen replacement treatment led to an increased risk of cancers.

Conflicting Findings

Breast cancer is one of the major causes of death for women across the world. Data collected from decades of studying women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy have resulted in conflicting findings where breast cancer is concerned. Some studies have shown a small to moderate increase in the chances of developing breast cancer for women who undergo hormone replacement therapy. However, there have been other studies that have shown no increased risk of developing breast cancer for women who have estrogen replacement.

Another type of cancer that is often linked to hormone replacement therapy is endometrial cancer, or cancer of the lining of the uterus. Post menopausal women who are on estrogen replacement therapy have been shown to have a significantly higher risk of developing endometrial cancer. However, it has been found that the addition of progestin to estrogen replacement therapy will help the symptoms of menopause without increasing the risk of the patient developing endometrial cancer. This treatment is called combined hormone replacement therapy. As a result, post menopausal women are rarely, if ever, given estrogen by itself.

Risk vs. Benefit

Ethinyl estradiol is very effective when used as a contraceptive and also when it is used as a hormone replacement therapy. Ethinyl estradiol is widely used by women across the world to great effect and the risks are well known. The increased risk of cancers, though significant, is not an astronomical figure. The addition of progestin to women who use ethinyl estradiol reduces the risk of cancer, but it can not be said that it removes the risk altogether. Women who decide to use ethinyl estradiol should always speak with their physicians to discuss the risks and the benefits to using it.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Ethinyl Estradiol is a hormone that may be administered to women having hormone replacement therapy and it is also used to make contraceptive pills, patches and vaginally inserted rings. Like any other medical substance that is introduced into the body, excessive exposure to, or ingestion of, ethinyl estradiol may be toxic and cause mild to serious health problems. It is important that women who have been prescribed ethinyl estradiol stick to the prescribed dosages and periods of use. Failure to do so may cause serious health complications and lead to an increased risk of the user developing some of the more serious side effects of ethinyl estradiol use.

Risks

Poisoning by overdosing on medications can come in two forms, acute and chronic. Acute poisoning refers to a single instance of over-exposure where the user takes in too much of a substance in a short period of time while chronic poisoning refers to the cumulative effect over an extended period of high exposure and absorption of a substance. The two types of poisoning can have different effects even when only one toxic substance is in question. Acute and chronic poisoning by over-exposure to ethinyl estradiol causes varying kinds of problems for the user.

Acute Ethinyl Estradiol Toxicity

Acute ethinyl estradiol poisoning results in self-limiting complications usually confined to the gastrointestinal tract. Users who ingest too much ethinyl estradiol in a short period of time may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and vaginal bleeding. Acute overdoses of estrogen, the hormone created in the body by ingesting ethinyl estradiol, have also been linked to visual disturbance and hypertension. Acute ethinyl estradiol poisoning has not been known to cause death. Patients who are diagnosed with acute ethinyl estradiol poisoning may have to undergo procedures such as activated charcoal treatment to rid the body of the toxic substances.

Chronic Ethinyl Estradiol Toxicity

Chronic ethinyl estradiol poisoning has been linked to cardiovascular disease and cerebro-vascular disease. Like other forms of estrogen that may be administered as treatments, chronic ethinyl estradiol poisoning might lead to stoke, thromboembolic disease, myocardial infarctions, hypertension, jaundice and fluid retention. Studies have also shown that continuous over-exposure and ingestion of estrogen may be connected to certain cancers like breast, endometrial liver cancer. The effects associated with chronic ethinyl estradiol poisoning, like myocardial infarctions and stroke, may lead to death. Persons who are diagnosed with chronic ethinyl estradiol toxicity may be required to stop using the substance altogether.

Ethinyl Estradiol and the Body

Ethinyl estradiol is administered to women as a contraceptive or during hormone replacement therapy as a source of estrogen. Compared to other estrogens, the metabolism of ethinyl estradiol is slow and it carries a risk of toxicity if too much of the substance is ingested. Women who choose to use ethinyl estradiol should stick to the prescribed dosages to reduce the risk of poisoning. Studies have dispelled many of the suggested side effects of ethinyl estradiol, but those studies were conducted using prescribed dosages and not excessive dosages. The risks attached to excessive dosages are much higher than those attached to prescribed dosages.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.

Do not confuse Estrogen Replacement Therapy with Hormone Replacement Therapy. There is a significant difference between the two. Estrogen replacement therapy, which would include ethinylestradiol, is meant to replace lost hormones in a women’s body to what they were prior to menopause on a daily basis and only if she has had her uterus removed [or a hysterectomy] and this would be known as [ERT].

If a women still has her uterus than she would be required to take an added hormone component called progestin so that the estrogen she takes will not affect the lining of the uterus known as the endometrium, which could cause cancer. Therefore, the ethinylestradiol plays an important role in Hormone replacement therapy by balancing the therapeutic role the hormones play in treating symptomatic menopause in middle age females. So it is easy to remember, women with a uterus need HRT, women lacking a uterus due to hysterectomy must have ERT.

Doctors will recommend HRT that is a combination of ethinylestradiol and usually norethindrone, which is the progestin or a variety of progesterone. Ethinylestradiol by itself comes in a tablet or pill version and many will choose this oral form but estrogen is also available in other types of curatives. There are vaginal creams, the vaginal ring known as NuvaRing, another popular form of ethinylestradiol, implants and injections.

There are now also patches that one applies on the skin and the ethinylestradiol is then absorbed through the epidermis. The progestin part of the HRT equation is also available in pill form sometimes in combination with the estrogen. It also comes in various forms such as an intrauterine apparatus, vaginal gel and also in shot form.

Once a woman decides in concert with her doctor that the benefits outweigh any risk with hormone replacement therapy, they should consider using the least effectual amount for the shortest time period advisable, but not more than 3 to 4 years. Ethinylestradiol is a very effective medication for the treatment of menopausal symptoms in women but there are other alternatives a person may want to consider. Drugs in the form of estrogen cream, antidepressants, and certain products derived from soy and even whole HRT and ERT therapy regimens of the herbal/ natural supplement variety have been proven effective at alleviating symptoms of menopause. Some physicians will even recommend these natural protocols as a primary treatment before resorting to the more quantifiable HRT methods of treatment.

Contraceptives

© admin for Contraceptives and Birth Control Pills, 2009. | Permalink | No comment

Add to del.icio.us

Search blogs linking this post with Technorati

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Contraceptives.