There are many uses for<unk> . It is most commonly used as contraception in combined oral contraceptives (COC), also known as birth control, to prevent pregnancy after sex.<unk>  in its birth control formulation is not only used to prevent pregnancy, but can also be used to treat absence of menstruation, symptoms during menstruation, and acne.<unk>  is also used as menopausal hormone therapy. The main reason for using HRT in menopausal women is to relieve common vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and flushing. Studies have found that estrogen replacement helps improve these symptoms when compared to a placebo. Other common menopause symptoms such as vaginal dryness (which can cause pain during sexual intercourse), vaginal itching, and depressed mood, can benefit from HRT. In addition to treatment of menopausal symptoms,<unk>  has been used as a component of feminizing hormone therapy for transgender women. However, it is no longer commonly used nor recommended for this purpose, with estradiol having largely superseded it.<unk>  can also be used to treat hypogonadism in women, prevent osteoporosis in women, and has been used as palliative care for prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.<unk>  or any estrogen alone is contraindicated for women who have a uterus due to the increased risk of endometrial cancer; giving a progestogen with an estrogen mitigates the risk. Available forms<unk>  is available in combination with a progestin in a vast number of COCs. It is also available in combination with progestins as a transdermal contraceptive patch and as a contraceptive vaginal ring. In addition, there is a single preparation (brand name FemHRT) containing very low doses of<unk>  (2.5 and 5 µg) plus a progestin in an oral tablet that remains in use for menopausal hormone therapy.<unk>  was previously available by itself under the brand name Estinyl in the form of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.5 mg (20, 50, and 500 µg) tablets. The amount of<unk>  in COCs has reduced over the years. Previously, COCs contained high doses of<unk>  of as much as 100 µg/day. Doses of more than 50 µg<unk>  are considered high-dose, doses of 30 and 35 µg<unk>  are considered low-dose, and doses of 10 to 25 µg<unk>  are considered very low dose. Today, COCs generally contain 10 to 50 µg<unk> . The higher doses of<unk>  were discontinued due to a high risk of VTE and cardiovascular problems.
Ethinylestradiol
Vinyltestosterone
Haloprogesterone
Ethyltestosterone
Progestogen
Progestogen 
Methylestradiol
Cloxestradiol acetate