Routes of
administration Oral, vaginal (ring) CAS Number 4245-41-4 | ATC code G03CA03 (WHO) | |
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Pronunciation ESS-tra-DYE-ole ass-uh-tate Trade names Femtrace, Femring, Menoring Legal status In general: ℞ (Prescription only) | ||
Estradiol acetate (INN, USAN, BAN) (brand names Femtrace, Femring, Menoring), or estradiol 3-acetate, is a semisynthetic, steroidal estrogen and an estrogen ester – specifically, the 3-acetate ester of estradiol. It acts as a prodrug of estradiol, and hence, is considered to be a natural, bioidentical form of estrogen. Estradiol acetate is relatively recent to the market, having been first approved in a vaginal ring formulation as Menoring in the United Kingdom in 2001, followed by another vaginal ring formulation as Femring in the United States in 2003, and finally as an oral preparation as Femtrace in the United States in 2004. It is used as a component of hormone replacement therapy to treat and prevent symptoms of menopause such as osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
The Women's Health Initiative studies report increased health risks for postmenopausal women when using unopposed estrogens. Estrogens with or without progestins should be prescribed at the lowest effective doses and for the shortest duration consistent with treatment goals and risks for the individual woman.