Health Centres - FemSeven
How does it work?
FemSeven patches contain the active ingredient estradiol hemihydrate (previously spelt oestradiol hemihydrate in the UK), which is a naturally occuring form of the main female sex hormone, oestrogen.
Womens’ ovaries gradually produce less and less oestrogen in the period up to the menopause, and oestrogen blood levels decline as a result. The declining levels of oestrogen can cause distressing symptoms, such as irregular periods, hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and vaginal dryness or itching.
Oestrogen (in this case in the form of estradiol hemihydrate) can be given as a supplement to replace the falling levels in the body and help reduce these distressing symptoms of the menopause. This is known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT is usually only required for short-term relief from menopausal symptoms and its use should be reviewed at least once a year with your doctor.
FemSeven patches are a continuous, oestrogen-only form of HRT. They release estradiol through the skin into the bloodstream at a constant rate and are designed to be changed once a week, ie a patch is worn for seven days and replaced with a new one on the same day each week.
As they only contain oestrogen, FemSeven patches are most suitable for women who have had a hysterectomy. Women who have not had a hysterectomy should also be prescribed a progestogen medicine to take with this medicine for the last 12 to 14 days of each 28 day cycle. This is because oestrogen stimulates the growth of the womb lining (endometrium), which can lead to endometrial cancer if the growth is unopposed. A progestogen is given to oppose oestrogen's effect on the womb lining and reduce the risk of cancer, though it does not eliminate this risk entirely. This is known as combined HRT. If a woman has had her womb surgically removed (a hysterectomy), endometrial cancer is not a risk, and a progestogen is not necessary as part of HRT (unless the woman has a history of endometriosis).
HRT is also sometimes used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. The declining level of oestrogen at menopause can affect the bones, causing them to become thinner and more prone to breaking. Oestrogen supplements help prevent bone loss and fractures that may occur in women in the years after menopause.
However, in December 2003, a review of the available evidence on the risks and benefits of HRT by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) in the UK, concluded that the risks of using HRT long-term to prevent osteoporosis in women aged over 50 years exceed the benefits. As a result this medicine should not be used as a first-line option for preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis in women over 50.
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