US estrogen supply crunch widens as women seek alternatives to scarce patches

Women in the U.S. struggling to manage menopause symptoms are facing an expanding estrogen supply crunch. While shortages initially focused on estrogen patches, the crisis has widened due to surging demand. Consequently, some injectable and vaginal estrogen products are now also in short supply. Patients seeking alternatives to scarce patches are finding that multiple forms of hormone replacement treatments are currently unavailable, complicating the management of menopausal symptoms across the United States healthcare system.