An Overview of Estrace and Pregnancy
Estrace® (estradiol) is a prescription estrogen medication. Pregnant women should not intentionally use Estrace. Also, there is no accepted medical reason for pregnant women to use this medication.
Estrace and Pregnancy Category X
Estrace is almost always considered a pregnancy Category X medication, although this terminology is not used in the prescribing information of Estrace. This is common in older medications like Estrace.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category X is given to medications that should not be used during pregnancy, usually due to serious problems that could occur (such as birth defects or miscarriages).
Although Estrace is a Category X medication, it does not appear to increase the risk of birth defects or other problems. However, there is no accepted, legitimate medical reason for pregnant women to use Estrace. Also, the risks of this medication are not fully understood.
Estrace and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts
Estrace is not approved for any use in pregnant women. If you accidentally used Estrace for a while before realizing you were pregnant, it will probably not cause any problems (although you should discuss this with your healthcare provider). If you think you may be pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
