Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2021) 77 LB27 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.77.LB27

SFEBES2021 Poster Presentations Late Breaking (60 abstracts)

Efficacy of oestrogen implant in transwomen as hormone replacement therapy

Hareesh Joshi , Emre Gezer , Maricel Espina & Leighton Seal


Thomas Addison Unit, Department of Endocrinology, St Georges University Hospital, London, United Kingdom


Background: Hormone therapy is an important part of transition for many gender nonconforming people and implant treatment is an alternative route of oestrogen administration. We assessed the efficacy of oestrogen implant in transwomen for hormone replacement therapy.

Methods: 83 transgender women had 100 mg estradiol implant inserted subcutaneously in the anterior abdominal wall. All subjects graded their energy, drive and libido from a scale of 0 to 10 pre and post implant. Paired t-tests were done.

Findings: The energy level (4.8 ± 2.0 vs 7.5 ± 1.4, P = 0.000), drive (5.1 ± 2.7 vs 7.5 ± 1.5, P = 0.004) and libido (3.3 ± 2.4 vs 6.1 ± 2.2, P = 0.001) improved post first and second implant in comparison to pre implant status (1st pre E to 2nd post E: 4.57 ± 2.2 vs 8.0 ± 1.4, P = 0.001; 1st pre D to 2nd post D: 4.6 ± 2.7 vs 8.6 ± 1.4, P = 0.006; 1st pre L to 2nd post L: 1.9 ± 2.3 vs 6.2 ± 2.8, P = 0.000). Serum FSH level decreased from 21.5± 23.5 IU/l to 7.1 ± 9.7 IU/l (P = 0.011) and LH level reduced from 16.3 ±14.3 IU/l to 6.5 ± 5.1 IU/l (P = 0.004) between 1-2 and 1-4 implant (FSH: 23.4 ± 26.8 vs 4.4 ± 3.8, P = 0.01; LH: 14.9 ± 11.5 vs 5.5 ± 3.7, P = 0.007) respectively. The average interval in between 1-2 implant was more than 400 days (264 ± 177 vs 411 ± 240, P = 0.000) with similar figures for 1-3 and 1-4 implants (248 ± 161 vs 419 ± 199 days, P = 0.000). Energy, drive, and libido all significantly improved with oestrogen implant in comparison to other oestrogen delivery methods despite pre-implant oestrogen levels being in the adult female range. Gonadotrophins reduced suggesting that oestrogen levels were overall higher despite trough oestrogen being comparable with pre-implant oestrogen level.

Conclusion: Oestrogen implant is effective in improving general well-being and libido in transwomen compared to other oestrogen delivery methods with average interval (>400 days) between implants.

Volume 77

Society for Endocrinology BES 2021

Edinburgh, United Kingdom
08 Nov 2021 - 10 Nov 2021

Society for Endocrinology 

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