Therefore, since drugs of this type may include mild masculinization of the external genitalia of the female fetus, as well as hypospadias in the male fetus, it is wise to avoid using the drug during the first trimester of pregnancy. These drugs have been used as a test for pregnancy, but such use is no longer considered safe because of possible damage to a developing baby. Also, more rapid methods for testing for pregnancy are now available. This leaflet describes the major benefits and risks of your treatment, as well as how and when treatment should be taken. The hormone combination you will be taking has been shown to provide the benefits of estrogen replacement therapy while lowering the frequency of a possible precancerous condition of the uterine lining.
Estrogens have several important uses but also some risks.
You must decide, with your doctor, whether the risks of estrogens are acceptable when weighed against their benefits. The length of treatment with estrogens can vary from woman to woman. Check with your doctor to make sure you are using the lowest possible effective dose. These may range from absence of bleeding to irregular bleeding. Estrogens are hormones produced by the ovaries of normal women.