Femhrt

femhrt is a medication approved to treat menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes or night sweats, and to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It contains an estrogen hormone and a progestin hormone, and is specifically designed for women who still have a uterus. The drug comes in tablet form and is taken once a day. Possible side effects include headaches, nervousness, and breast pain.

femhrt Drug Information

What Is Femhrt?

femhrt^® (norethindrone acetate/ethinyl estradiol) is a prescription hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication. It contains an estrogen hormone and a progesterone hormone. The drug is approved for the following uses:

Treating hot flashes or night sweats due to menopause
Preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

For both uses, femhrt is only approved for women who still have a uterus (who have not had a hysterectomy).

(Click Femhrt Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)

Who Makes the Medication?

femhrt is made by Warner Chilcott.

How Does Femhrt Work?

femhrt contains an estrogen (ethinyl estradiol), along with a progestin hormone (norethindrone). It helps to relieve menopausal symptoms by replacing the estrogen that the ovaries no longer produce. Because estrogen helps to keep the bones strong, the decrease in estrogen during menopause causes a significant weakening of the bones, often resulting in osteoporosis. By providing estrogen, femhrt can help prevent these menopause-related bone changes.

Norethindrone is added to femhrt because giving estrogens without a progestin to postmenopausal women can increase the risk of cancer of the lining of the uterus. Norethindrone (which is a progestin) decreases this risk. Of course, this only applies to women who still have a uterus. For women without a uterus, the norethindrone component is usually considered unnecessary.

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