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Estradiol valerate , sold for use by mouth under the brand name Progynova and Primiwal E4 and for use by injection under the brand names Delestrogen and Progynon Depot among others, is an estrogen medication. In women, it is used in hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms and low estrogen levels, hormone therapy for transgender women, and in hormonal birth control. It is also used in the treatment of prostate cancer in men. The medication is taken by mouth or by injection into muscle or fat once every 1 to 4 weeks.
Side effects of estradiol valerate include breast tenderness, breast enlargement, nausea, headache, and fluid retention. Estradiol valerate is an estrogen and hence is an agonist of the estrogen receptor, the biological target of estrogens like estradiol. It is an estrogen ester and a prodrug of estradiol in the body. Because of this, it is considered to be a natural and bioidentical form of estrogen.
Estradiol valerate was first described in 1940 and was introduced for medical use in 1954. Along with estradiol cypionate, it is one of the most widely used esters of estradiol. Estradiol valerate is used in the United States, Canada, Europe, and throughout much of the rest of the world. It is available as a generic medication.