Estrogen patches formerly carried a warning, but it was removed late last year, causing a rise in demand and a supply shortage.
"It is a very basic medication that really can make a huge difference for women as they go through perimenopause and into menopause said Jacqueline Perez, founder of digital platform Kuel Life, which supports women in midlife and beyond.
Perez added that the estrogen patch shortage is not just a supply chain glitch but a wider illustration of how women of menopausal age have been failed or ignored for years.
"It's actually not a great report card for the medical community. And these are our mothers, our sisters, our wives, our CEOs, our government officials — that sometimes have difficulty functioning without this medication."
