Birth control<unk>  have contraceptive effects and are used in combination with progestins (synthetic progestogens) in birth control to prevent pregnancy in women. This is referred to as combined hormonal contraception. The contraceptive effects of<unk>  are mediated by their antigonadotropic effects and hence by inhibition of ovulation. Most combined oral contraceptives contain ethinylestradiol or its prodrug mestranol as the<unk> component, but a few contain estradiol or estradiol valerate. Ethinylestradiol is generally used in oral contraceptives instead of estradiol because it has superior oral pharmacokinetics (higher bioavailability and less interindividual variability) and controls vaginal bleeding more effectively. This is due to its synthetic nature and its resistance to metabolism in certain tissues such as the intestines, liver, and uterus relative to estradiol. Besides oral contraceptives, other forms of combined hormonal contraception include contraceptive patches, contraceptive vaginal rings, and combined injectable contraceptives. Contraceptive patches and vaginal rings contain ethinylestradiol as the<unk> component, while combined injectable contraceptives contain estradiol or more typically an estradiol ester. Hormone therapy Menopause Mean number of moderate-to-severe hot flashes per week with placebo and different doses of oral estradiol in a randomized controlled trial of 333 menopausal women.<unk> and other hormones are given to postmenopausal women in order to prevent osteoporosis as well as treat the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, urinary stress incontinence, chilly sensations, dizziness, fatigue, irritability, and sweating. Fractures of the spine, wrist, and hips decrease by 50 to 70% and spinal bone density increases by approximately 5% in those women treated with<unk> within 3 years of the onset of menopause and for 5 to 10 years thereafter. Before the specific dangers of conjugated<unk>  were well understood, standard therapy was 0.625 mg/day of conjugated<unk>  (such as Premarin). There are, however, risks associated with conjugated<unk> therapy. Among the older postmenopausal women studied as part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), an orally administered conjugated<unk> supplement was found to be associated with an increased risk of dangerous blood clotting. The WHI studies used one type of<unk> supplement, a high oral dose of conjugated<unk>  (Premarin alone and with medroxyprogesterone acetate as Prempro). In a study by the NIH, esterified<unk>  were not proven to pose the same risks to health as conjugated<unk> . Menopausal hormone therapy has favorable effects on serum cholesterol levels, and when initiated immediately upon menopause may reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease, although this hypothesis has yet to be tested in randomized trials.<unk> appears to have a protector effect on atherosclerosis: it lowers LDL and triglycerides, it raises HDL levels and has endothelial vasodilatation properties plus an anti-inflammatory component. Research is underway to determine if risks of<unk> supplement use are the same for all methods of delivery. In particular,<unk> applied topically may have a different spectrum of side effects than when administered orally, and transdermal<unk>  do not affect clotting as they are absorbed directly into the systemic circulation, avoiding first-pass metabolism in the liver. This route of administration is thus preferred in women with a history of thromboembolic disease.<unk> is also used in the therapy of vaginal atrophy, hypoestrogenism (as a result of hypogonadism, oophorectomy, or primary ovarian failure), amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and oligomenorrhea.<unk>  can also be used to suppress lactation after child birth. Synthetic<unk> , such as 17α-substituted<unk>  like ethinylestradiol and its C3 esters and ethers mestranol, quinestrol, and ethinylestradiol sulfonate, and nonsteroidal<unk>  like the stilbestrols diethylstilbestrol, hexestrol, and dienestrol, are no longer used in menopausal hormone therapy, owing to their disproportionate effects on liver protein synthesis and associated health risks. Hypogonadism<unk>  are used along with progestogens to treat hypogonadism and delayed puberty in women. Transgender women<unk>  are used along with antiandrogens and progestogens as a component of feminizing hormone therapy for transgender women and other transfeminine individuals. Hormonal cancer Prostate cancer High-dose<unk> therapy with a variety of<unk>  such as diethylstilbestrol, ethinylestradiol, polyestradiol phosphate, estradiol undecylate, estradiol valerate, and estradiol has been used to treat prostate cancer in men. It is effective because<unk>  are functional antiandrogens, capable of suppressing testosterone levels to castrate concentrations and decreasing free testosterone levels by increasing sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) production. High-dose<unk> therapy is associated with poor tolerability and safety, namely gynecomastia and cardiovascular complications such as thrombosis. For this reason, has largely been replaced by newer antiandrogens such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues and nonsteroidal antiandrogens. It is still sometimes used in the treatment of prostate cancer however, and newer<unk>  with atypical profiles such as GTx-758 that have improved tolerability profiles are being studied for possible application in prostate cancer. Breast cancer High-dose<unk> therapy with potent synthetic<unk>  such as diethylstilbestrol and ethinylestradiol was used in the past in the palliation treatment of breast cancer. Its effectiveness is approximately equivalent to that of antiestrogen therapy with selective<unk> receptor modulators (SERMs) like tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors like anastrozole. The use of high-dose<unk> therapy in breast cancer has mostly been superseded by antiestrogen therapy due to the improved safety profile of the latter. High-dose<unk> therapy was the standard of care for the palliative treatment of breast cancer in women up to the late 1970s or early 1980s. About 80% of breast cancers, once established, rely on supplies of the hormone<unk> to grow: they are known as hormone-sensitive or hormone-receptor-positive cancers. Prevention of the actions or production of<unk> in the body is a treatment for these cancers. Hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers are treated with drugs which suppress production or interfere with the action of<unk> in the body. This technique, in the context of treatment of breast cancer, is known variously as hormonal therapy, hormone therapy, or antiestrogen therapy (not to be confused with hormone replacement therapy). Certain foods such as soy may also suppress the proliferative effects of<unk> and are used as an alternative to hormone therapy. Other uses Infertility<unk>  may be used in treatment of infertility in women when there is a need to develop sperm-friendly cervical mucous or an appropriate uterine lining. Pregnancy support<unk>  like diethylstilbestrol were formerly used in high doses to help support pregnancy. However, subsequent research showed diethylstilbestrol to be ineffective as well as harmful. Lactation suppression<unk>  can be used to suppress lactation, for instance in the treatment of breast engorgement or galactorrhea. However, high doses are needed, the effectiveness is uncertain, and high doses of<unk>  in the postpartum period can increase the risk of blood clots. Tall stature<unk> has been used to induce growth attenuation in tall girls.<unk> induced growth attenuation was used as part of the controversial Ashley Treatment to keep a developmentally disabled girl from growing to adult size. Acromegaly<unk>  have been used to treat acromegaly. This is because they suppress growth hormone-induced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) production in the liver. Sexual deviance High-dose<unk> therapy has been used successfully in the treatment of sexual deviance such as paraphilias in men but has been found to produce many side effects (e.g., gynecomastia, feminization, cardiovascular disease, blood clots) and so is no longer recommended for such purposes. It works by suppressing testosterone levels, similarly to high-dose progestogen therapy and gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH analogue) therapy. Lower dosages of<unk>  have also been used in combination with high-dose progestogen therapy in the treatment of sexual deviance in men. High incidence of sexual dysfunction has similarly been associated with high-dose<unk> therapy in men treated with it for prostate cancer. Breast enhancement<unk>  are involved in breast development and may be used as a form of hormonal breast enhancement to increase the size of the breasts. However, acute or temporary breast enlargement is a well-known side effect of<unk> , and increases in breast size tend to regress following discontinuation of treatment. Aside from those without prior established breast development, evidence is lacking for a sustained increase in breast size with<unk> . Depression Published 2019 and 2020 guidelines from the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) have reviewed the topic of<unk> therapy for depressive symptoms in the peri- and postmenopause. There is some evidence that<unk>  are effective in the treatment of depression in perimenopausal women. The magnitude of benefit appears to be similar to that of classical antidepressants. There is also some evidence that<unk>  may improve mood and well-being in non-depressed perimenopausal women.<unk>  do not appear to be effective in the treatment of depression in postmenopausal women. This suggests that there is a window of opportunity for effective treatment of depressive symptoms with<unk> . Research on combined<unk> and progestogen therapy for depressive symptoms in the peri- and postmenopause is scarce and inconclusive.<unk>  may augment the mood benefits of antidepressants in middle-aged and older women. Menopausal hormone therapy is not currently approved for the treatment of depressive symptoms in the peri- or postmenopause in either the United States or the United Kingdom due to insufficient evidence of effectiveness. More research is needed on
Estrogen 
Estradiol 
Estradiol
Androgen
Sex hormone
Progesterone
Progesterone 
Estriol