Tag: Synthetic estrogen

Historically, oral contraceptive pills were available in dosages of up to 175 µg of estrogen, with 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol being a common dose in early formulations. This dosage is now considered high and is rarely used for routine contraception due to a higher risk of side effects, including blood clots, compared to modern lower-dose options.

Between 5 and 10 million Americans were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before the FDA advised against its use in pregnant women in 1971 [1.3.4, 1.5.5]. So, is diethylstilbestrol still used today? While largely discontinued, it has very limited applications.

Between 1940 and 1971, the synthetic estrogen known as diethylstilbestrol (DES), or Stilbestrol, was widely prescribed to pregnant women in the mistaken belief that it prevented miscarriages. This article examines the historical and medical context of what is Stilbestrol used for, its wide-ranging applications, and the devastating long-term health consequences that led to its ban.

First introduced for medical use in 1943, ethinylestradiol is a powerful synthetic estrogen that remains one of the most widely used hormonal medications today. Primarily known as a key component in combined hormonal contraceptives, **what is ethinylestradiol?** and how does this potent compound function within the body?