Activella estradiol/norethindrone acetate tablets

+ About menopause

+ About hot flashes

+ About postmenopausal osteoporosis

+ About atrophic vaginitis

+ How ACTIVELLA^® can help

+ Resources

+ FAQs

Glossary terms on this page

estrogen
General term for any substance that stimulates female sex characteristics. Estrogens stimulate growth of the breasts, reproductive organs and long bones, and are used to treat the estrogen deficiency associated with menopause.
hormone
A chemical substance that is formed in one organ or part of the body and carried in the blood to another part of the body, where it alters the activity of cells in the target organ.
hypothalamus
A part of the brain involved in controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.
menopause
Permanent cessation of menstruation. Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months.
osteoporosis
A decrease in the amount of bone, resulting in thin, weakened bones that are susceptible to fractures.
pituitary gland
A gland connected to the hypothalamus at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland releases hormones into the bloodstream, some of which have effects on the female reproductive organs.
progesterone
A female hormone that acts on the uterus to prepare it for implantation and growth of a fertilized egg (pregnancy). Progesterone often opposes the actions of estrogens.
progestin
A general term for any substance that has the biological effects of the female hormone progesterone.

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How ACTIVELLA^® works

ACTIVELLA^® is a hormone therapy (HT) that contains a combination of two plant-derived hormones—an estrogen and a progestin. ACTIVELLA^® supplements the estrogen your body used to produce naturally, to:

Relieve moderate to severe menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes
Relieve vaginal dryness and discomfort associated with menopause (ACTIVELLA^® 1.0 mg/0.5 mg only)
Prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis

How estrogen works

The term "estrogen" refers to a group of structurally similar hormones that have multiple effects on the female reproductive system. Hormones are chemical messengers that circulate throughout your body, where they can change the function of specific target cells.

Estrogen affects your body in many different ways. For example, estrogen is needed in order for the vagina, uterus, and other female organs to grow and mature during puberty. Estrogen, along with progestin, regulates the changes that occur with each monthly period during your reproductive years and prepares the uterus for pregnancy. Estrogen also stimulates skeletal growth and helps maintain healthy bones after you stop growing.

By supplementing the estrogen that is lost during menopause, ACTIVELLA^® helps you treat the symptoms of hot flashes that may result due to insufficient estrogen levels. ACTIVELLA^® also has been proven to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis. If you use ACTIVELLA^® only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your doctor about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.

How progestin works

The term "progestin" refers to a group of hormones that have actions similar to progesterone. As with estrogen, most of the progesterone in your body is made by your ovaries. Progestins work in the female reproductive tract, breasts, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and brain.

Progestins generally oppose the actions of estrogen. This is the primary reason that ACTIVELLA^® combines a progestin with an estrogen to treat postmenopausal symptoms. For postmenopausal women with an intact uterus, taking estrogen alone (estrogen therapy, or ET) has been associated with increased risk of uterine cancer. Taking progestin in addition to estrogen (hormone therapy, HT) significantly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of uterine cancer. This is why most doctors recommend a combination of estrogen and progestin for women who still have their uterus. Since there are some risks and side effects associated with the use of progestins, ACTIVELLA^® should be used only by women who have a uterus.

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