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Updated: Mar 15, 2026

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Reduced hemostatic effects with drospirenone-based oral contraceptives containing estetrol vs. ethinyl estradiol
Cornelis Kluft1, Yvette Zimmerman2, Marie Mawet3
1Good Biomarker Sciences, Zernikedreef 8, 2333CL, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Objective:
The effects of estetrol (E4), a natural fetal estrogen, combined with drospirenone (DRSP) were evaluated on plasma levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), angiotensinogen and 12 hemostasis markers.
Study Design:
Combinations of 3 mg DRSP with 5 or 10 mg E4 were compared with YAZ® (20 mcg ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg DRSP; EE/DRSP) in parallel groups of 15-18 healthy young women. Main outcome was the relative change from pretreatment to the end (day 24±1) of the third treatment cycle.
Results:
All E4 combinations showed low estrogen impact compared to EE/DRSP. Effects on SHBG and angiotensinogen of 10 mg E4 combined with DRSP were 15%-20% that of EE/DRSP. Both E4/DRSP combinations reduced D-dimer level and the 5 mg E4/DRSP combination also decreased fragment 1+2.
Conclusions:
The reduction in coagulation markers suggests an anticoagulant effect from DRSP. The indications of a low thrombosis risk for E4 preparations should be validated in larger studies. IMPLICATION STATEMENT.
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