Women's Health February 27, 2026 0 Comments

The Shocking Truth Behind the Estrogen Patch Shortage—And How Women Can Take Control NOW

Ever notice how something as simple as a tiny patch can stir up such a whirlwind? Hormone therapy, once the hot potato of menopause treatment, is sneaking back into the spotlight—and with good reason. Thanks to a solid heap of research and a cultural shift where women are boldly owning their perimenopause and menopause stories, demand for hormone therapy has shot through the roof. But here’s the kicker: the soaring popularity of estrogen patches has led to a nationwide shortage, leaving many women in a tough spot trying to manage symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. So, what’s causing this scarcity, and more importantly, what can you do if you suddenly find your go-to patch off the pharmacy shelves? Let’s unravel this patch puzzle together, hear from the doctors who live and breathe this stuff, and find the smartest ways around the shortage without missing a beat. Because honestly—managing menopause shouldn’t feel like a quest for a mythical patch! LEARN MORE.

5 min read

After years of being a controversial way of treating symptoms of menopause, hormone therapy is making a comeback. That’s due to a wide range of factors, including a large body of data that shows how helpful this treatment method can be for women in menopause. The cultural conversation around perimenopause and menopause is also shifting: Women are more open about what it’s like and how they’re navigating the changes.

All of that has driven up demand for hormone therapy, with electronic health record data suggesting that prescriptions have skyrocketed by 86% since 2021. There’s one form in particular that’s popular: estrogen patches.

“Talk about underestimating demand,” says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, ob/gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “This is now a daily conversation with patients…it’s happening several times a day.”

Now, several reports say a shortage of estrogen patches across the U.S. is keeping women from accessing the medication they’ve come to rely on for managing their menopause symptoms.

What’s behind this and, more importantly, what can you do if you use estrogen patches? Here’s what doctors suggest.

Meet the experts: Lauren Streicher, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and author of Hot Flash Hell; Adi Katz, MD, director of gynecology at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital; G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, ob/gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA; Gillian Goddard, MD, endocrinologist with NYU Langone Health

What are estrogen patches?

Estrogen patches are patches that stick to your skin. They contain estradiol, which is chemically identical to the estradiol made by the ovaries, Lauren Streicher, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and author of Hot Flash Hell, explains. (Estradiol is the most common form of estrogen that your body makes.)

When you wear the patch, the estradiol seeps into your skin and ultimately, your bloodstream. Research suggests that nearly 88% of women use a transdermal form of estrogen, which includes patches, gels, and creams.

Estrogen isn’t the only form of hormone therapy used to treat menopause—some products provide progesterone, too. But estrogen hormone therapy is considered the most effective way of treating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Why is there a shortage?

It’s likely due to a few things, but mostly due to a “significant increase in demand for menopause hormone therapy (MHT) during menopause and perimenopause, coupled with persistent manufacturer supply chain challenges,” says Adi Katz, MD, director of gynecology at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital.

Gillian Goddard, MD, endocrinologist with NYU Langone Health, agrees. “For 20 years, fewer than 5% of women took hormone therapy. Now those numbers are growing. This is a good thing, but the increase in demand is outpacing the supply. And scaling up medication production isn’t as easy as it might seem.”

In November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed the black box warning on all hormone therapy products sold in the U.S., which seems to have made some women feel more comfortable taking it, Katz says. “Patients are receiving more comprehensive information from both traditional and social media outlets, leading to more women seeking treatment,” she adds.

Ruiz says he regularly talks about hormone therapy with patients now. “Where I would previously see a couple of consults a week to start hormone therapy, I’m now seeing a couple a day,” he says.

Why are patches in particular so popular?

Patches are one of the most common forms of hormone therapy that doctors recommend, and they’re also often promoted by social media influencers, says Streicher. “People are assuming that the patch is a first-line treatment and that the patch is best when in fact that’s not the case,” she says.

Ideally, providers personalize treatment plans for all their patients, but often, the patch becomes the default treatment when it doesn’t have to be. “It’s really lovely that we have all these people who are on board with hormone therapy, but many doctors only do one thing: Give everyone a patch,” Streicher adds.

There are a few advantages to going the transdermal route, though. “By bypassing liver metabolism, transdermal options like patches, gels, and sprays may carry a lower risk of certain side effects, such as blood clots and stroke, compared to oral estrogen,” Katz says. “This makes them a preferred choice for individuals with particular risk factors.”

How to get around the shortage

Streicher stresses that many forms of hormone therapy (including other transdermal options) can be used to treat menopause beyond the patch. “We have a patch, spray, ring, gel…,” she points out. There’s nothing magical about the patch, per se—it’s just a popular choice.

Oral pills are also an option, Streicher says. There are even subdermal pellets, which are inserted under the skin and release estrogen slowly over several months, Katz says.

If you really prefer the patch, Streicher recommends taking these steps:

Try a different pharmacy. This shortage doesn’t seem to be pharmacy-specific, but you may find that one pharmacy has more stock than others.
Consider a brand–name option. “A lot of women are using generic,” Streicher says. “If you ask for the trade name, you may have better luck.” (She just points out that your health insurance may not cover this pricier option.)
Switch to the weekly dose. Ruiz used to recommend that his patients use the twice-weekly patches, but he has now temporarily switched many patients over to a weekly patch. The only thing to keep in mind here is that the glue might not last as long over an entire week. If you need to replace a fallen patch ahead of schedule, you may still wind up running short.
Add up doses. “Sometimes the dose you’re taking is out of stock, but you may be able to get a lower dose and take two of them,” Streicher says.
Wear your patch a little longer. Every patch is slightly different, but these are generally taken a few times a week. “You can wear the patch an extra day to stretch it out,” Streicher says. “You’ll get less hormone on that last day, but will still be getting a hormone.”

Ultimately, if you’re prescribed an estrogen patch and can’t find it at a pharmacy near you, talk to your healthcare provider. They should have a better sense of the options in your area, along with alternatives. Together, you should still be able to get hormone therapy, whether it’s in patch form or not.

“Hang in there,” Goddard says. “Drug shortages are frustrating, but you should be able to come up with an alternative plan with your doctor. Know that doctors and pharmacists are dealing with many patients in the same position, so it may take them a little longer to address your requests, but also be politely persistent.”

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.