Estrogen Therapy (ET)

Risks of estrogen therapy

Estrogen therapy (ET) may increase the risk of health problems in a small number of women. This increase in risk depends on your age, your personal risk, and when ET is started.^{Reference 2} Talk with your doctor about these risks. Using ET may increase your risk of:

• Stroke.
• Blood clots.
• Gallstones.
• Ovarian cancer.
• Dementia.
• Urinary incontinence.

If you are taking ET after early menopause caused by a surgical hysterectomy, talk with your doctor about long-term ET risks and benefits.

Direct sunlight or high heat can increase, then decrease, the amount of hormone released from a patch. This can give you a big dose at the time and leave less hormone for the patch to release later in the week. Avoid direct sunlight on the hormone patch. Also avoid using a tanning bed, heating pad, electric blanket, hot tub, or sauna while you are using a hormone patch.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a Reference PDF Opens New Window document?) to help you understand this medication.

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