Why Estrogel?

Why Estrogel?

Estrogel contains the natural female hormone estradiol. A body-identical oestrogen gel, prescribed and fully funded in New Zealand for women experiencing menopause symptoms.

What is Estrogel

Estrogel is a type of Menopausal Hormone Therapy. It contains the female hormone estradiol, which is an oestrogen and is identical to the hormone that your body produces naturally.

When you use Estrogel, it replaces the oestrogen in your body so that your oestrogen levels are similar to what they were before menopause. This helps relieve your menopausal symptoms, such as vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including hot flushes and night sweats.1,7,8

Why Estrogel?

Easy once daily application

Apply either in the morning or evening. Try to use the gel at about the same time each day.

A practical choice

Easy and discreet application, odour-free when dry with no tacky residue, especially for those who have issues with patch adhesion due to humidity, sweating or active lifestyles.

Well tolerated

Low rates of reported skin itching and irritation.⁹

Fully Funded

Estrogel is fully funded in New Zealand, and is listed on the Pharmac pharmaceutical schedule.

Estrogen and estradiol are different spellings of oestrogen and oestradiol, which refer to the same hormones.

Prevention of Osteoporosis

Estrogel is used to prevent osteoporosis after menopause. After menopause, some women may develop fragile bones (osteoporosis). If you are at an increased risk of fractures due to osteoporosis and other medicines are not suitable for you, your doctor may prescribe Estrogel.7,10-13

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) has been shown to prevent bone loss and fractures.

Menopause is strongly associated with accelerated bone loss, with an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures.7

Find out more about MHT

Further Information

Estrogel FAQ's ESTROGEL PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET

Always follow the instructions given to you by your doctor on how to take Estrogel.

If you have any questions regarding your dose and how to take Estrogel, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some tips.

Estrogel 0.6 mg/g transdermal gel is a PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE. Each pump actuation of Estrogel delivers 1.25 g of gel containing 0.75 mg of estradiol and 0.5 g alcohol.

Estrogel is a hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which contains the female hormone estrogen. It is used for the relief of symptoms occurring after menopause and for the prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women if other medicines are not suitable.

Do not use Estrogel if you are allergic to estradiol or any of Estrogel's ingredients, have current, past or suspected breast cancer, estrogen-sensitive cancer (e.g. endometrial cancer), unexplained vaginal bleeding, excessive thickening of the womb lining (untreated endometrial hyperplasia), if you have or have had blood clots in the vein, such as in the legs or lungs, clotting disorders, heart attack, stroke, angina, liver disease; if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, porphyria (a blood disease).

Ask your doctor if Estrogel is right for you. Use strictly as directed.

Possible side effects may include headache, nausea, abdominal pain, breast swelling/pain/enlargement, painful menstrual cramps, heavy, prolonged or irregular menstrual bleeding, vaginal discharge, thickening of the endometrium, change in weight, water retention. If you experience any of the following, tell your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital; shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other body parts, itchy skin or rash, hives, sudden chest pain or chest pain that spreads to your arm or neck, yellowing of the eyes, face, darkening of urine, unexpected vaginal bleeding or spotting, breast changes, painful periods, unexplained migraine, rash with target-shaped reddening, anaphylactic reactions. This is not a full list of known side effects. If symptoms continue or if you have side effects, see your healthcare professional.

Estrogel has risks and benefits. Further information on the risks and benefits and a list of known side effects for this medicine can be found in the Consumer Medicines Information (CMI). Please refer to www.medsafe.govt.nz for a copy of the CMI.

ESTROGEL is a funded medicine. Normal doctor's charges will apply.

Pharmaco (NZ) Ltd, Auckland. CMI May 2024.


  1. Healthify. Menopause. Available at https://healthify.nz/hauora-wellbeing/m/menopause. Accessed March 2025.

  2. Managing menopausal symptoms. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), 2020.

  3. Jean Hailes. Symptoms of Menopause. December 2024. Available at https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms. Accessed March 2025.

  4. Australasian Menopause Society. Menopause what are the symptoms? April 2017. Available at https://www.menopause.org.au/health-info/fact-sheets/menopause-what-are-the-symptoms. Accessed March 2025.

  5. Apgar BS et al Am Fam Physician 2000;62:1839-1846.

  6. Utrogestan NZ data sheet March 2025.

  7. Estrogel NZ Data Sheet July 2024.

  8. Estrogel Consumer Medicine Information; May 2024.

  9. Archer DF et al. Menopause 2012;19(6):622–629.

  10. The 2017 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause 2017;24(7):728-753.

  11. Palacios S et al Maturitas 1995;20:209-13.

  12. Devogelaer JP et al Maturitas 1998;28:243-49.

  13. Finkelstein JS et al J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93(3):861-68.

  14. Panay N. Post Reprod Health 2014;20:60-72.

  15. Utrogestan Consumer Medicine Information, April 2025.

  16. Women's Health Action. Menopause. Available at https://www.womens-health.org.nz/health-topics/menopause/. Accessed August 2023.

  17. Menopause Wellbeing, Stages of Menopause. Available at https://menopause.sexualwellbeing.org.nz/knowledge-hub/stages-of-menopause/. Accessed April 2026.

  18. Menopause Wellbeing, Understand Menopause. Available at https://www.women.govt.nz/making-menopause-work/understand-menopause. Accessed April 2026.

  19. Menopause Wellbeing, Menopause. Available at https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/health-topics/conditions-treatments/womens-health/menopause. Accessed April 2026.