Estriol Cream: Transdermal vs. Vaginal - Benefits & Comparison

Estriol is one of the estrogen hormones. Since it is weaker than either estradiol or estrone, physicians sometimes prescribe it for their patients who cannot tolerate other estrogens.

Delivery Method

• Estriol can be made into a cream or suppository to be inserted vaginally. Less frequently, it is administered through the skin.

Safety

• Estriol is the weakest estrogen and has been safely used in Europe as a vaginal cream or suppository since the 1980s.

Effectiveness

• According to a five-year study done by C Lauritzen at the University of Ulm in Germany, estriol vaginal cream was found to relieve menopausal symptoms and had very few side effects.

Other Uses

• Vaginal estriol may be useful in treating urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Also, a patent has been issued to the inventor of an estriol transdermal patch to combat osteoporosis.

Considerations

• The FDA has not yet approved estriol for use in the United States. Any decision regarding your hormonal health should be discussed with your health care provider.