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Variety of delivery options including next day & free delivery.
Pharmacy, clinic and prescribers based in Greater Manchester.
Start your treatment with a quick and free online consultation.
Fill in a quick online consultation for our licensed pharmacists to review.
Our pharmacists will review your treatment to ensure it’s suitable.
Your treatment will be delivered to your door quickly & discreetly.
| Medication Name | Vagifem 10 microgram vaginal tablets |
| Medication Form | Vaginal tablets with single-use applicators |
| Used for | Relief of menopausal symptoms in the vagina, such as dryness and irritation |
| Who can use | Postmenopausal women (aged 18 years and over) |
| Active Ingredient | Estradiol 10 micrograms (as estradiol hemihydrate) |
| Usual Dose | One tablet daily for the first 2 weeks, then one tablet twice a week |
| Common Side Effects | Headache, stomach pain, vaginal bleeding, discharge or discomfort |
| Prescription Required | Yes, prescription required |
| Patient Information Leaflet | Vagifem Patient Information Leaflet |
Vagifem, sometimes referred to as Vagifem pessaries, is a form of local HRT, one of a group of treatments called vaginal hormone replacement therapy, used to relieve symptoms of menopause inside the vagina. Many women use Vagifem vaginal tablets to treat symptoms of vaginal atrophy, the medical term for the thinning and drying of the vaginal tissue that follows the menopause.
Symptoms of the menopause in this area are caused by a drop in the level of oestrogen in your body, which happens naturally as your ovaries wind down. Falling oestrogen leaves the tissue lining the vagina thinner and less comfortable, which is why many women notice symptoms like dryness, along with:
Unlike tablets or patches that treat the whole body, Vagifem is a form of local HRT, delivered where the symptoms occur. There’s limited experience of treating women older than 65 years with Vagifem.
Vagifem tablets contain estradiol, a female sex hormone that belongs to a group of hormones called oestrogens. It’s exactly the same as the estradiol produced by the ovaries, and the tablets are a type of oestrogen-only HRT.
Vagifem works by replacing the oestrogen your ovaries no longer make. Because the tablet goes directly into the vagina, Vagifem delivers that hormone directly to the vaginal tissues rather than around the whole body. Topping up oestrogen levels in the vaginal tissues in this way is how Vagifem helps ease dryness and irritation.
Because the treatment works locally, very little estradiol is absorbed into the bloodstream. That’s also why a progestogen isn’t needed alongside it, unlike with some other forms of HRT.
Vagifem is suitable for postmenopausal women who are troubled by vaginal dryness or irritation, and it’s used to treat vaginal symptoms rather than menopause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Local HRT like Vagifem isn’t right for everyone, and your doctor will ask about your own and your family’s medical history before you start or restart HRT. They may also want to carry out a physical examination.
You shouldn’t use Vagifem if:
Vagifem isn’t a contraceptive. If it’s less than 12 months since your last period, or you’re under 50, you may still need to use additional contraception to prevent pregnancy.
Always use Vagifem exactly as your doctor has told you. You can start on any day that suits you, and each Vagifem 10mcg vaginal tablet comes in its own single-use applicator. Insert Vagifem using the applicator, following these steps.
Use one vaginal tablet each day for the first 2 weeks. After that, use one tablet twice a week, leaving 3 or 4 days between each dose. Your doctor will aim to prescribe the lowest dose that treats your symptoms, for as short a time as necessary.
Like all medicines, Vagifem can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Most Vagifem side effects are mild and affect the area being treated.
These may affect up to 1 in 10 people.
These may affect up to 1 in 100 people.
The frequency of these effects can’t be estimated from the available data.
Gall bladder disease and various skin disorders have been reported with oestrogen treatment that circulates around the body. These include chloasma, painful reddish skin nodules and a rash with target-shaped reddening or sores.
Some conditions are reported more often in women using HRT that circulates in the blood, including ovarian cancer, blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs, stroke, and probable memory loss if HRT is started over the age of 65. These risks apply less to vaginal treatments such as Vagifem.
Stop using Vagifem and see a doctor immediately if you notice any of the following.
If you experience any side effects, listed here or not, contact your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects through the Yellow Card Scheme.
Active ingredient: Estradiol 10 micrograms (as estradiol hemihydrate) per vaginal tablet.
Other ingredients: Hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, maize starch and magnesium stearate.
Film coating: Hypromellose and macrogol 6000.
There’s no fixed time limit, but treatment should only continue while the benefit outweighs the risk. Long-term use of oestrogen-only HRT taken by mouth can raise the risk of cancer of the womb lining, and it isn’t certain if the same applies to Vagifem beyond a year. Have a check-up at least once a year so your doctor can review it.
Vagifem is used once daily for the first two weeks, which is the loading phase designed to build up the local oestrogen level. After that you move to twice weekly maintenance dosing. Everyone responds differently, so give it time before judging how well it’s working. If your symptoms haven’t improved, speak to your doctor rather than changing the dose yourself.
If you’d rather not buy Vagifem 10mcg tablets, other local oestrogen treatments are available, including Ovestin cream, Blissel vaginal gel and the Estring vaginal ring, and some women use HRT that treats the whole body instead. Non-hormonal moisturisers and lubricants are another option if hormone treatment isn’t suitable for you.
Our pharmacists can weigh up the pros and cons of Vagifem against the alternatives with you at our menopause and HRT clinic.
Weight increase is listed as an uncommon side effect, which means it may affect up to 1 in 100 people. Fluid retention has also been reported, though how often isn’t known. Many women notice weight changes around the menopause anyway, which can make it hard to tell what’s causing it. Speak to your doctor if you’re concerned about weight changes while using Vagifem.
Vagifem is a prescription-only medicine, so you can’t simply pick it up from a shelf. You can buy Vagifem tablets online by completing a short consultation for one of our pharmacists to review, and if it’s suitable, we’ll arrange your prescription and delivery.Â
Vagifem is for use in postmenopausal women only, so it shouldn’t be used during pregnancy. Stop using it and contact your doctor if you become pregnant. Remember that Vagifem isn’t a contraceptive, so if it’s less than 12 months since your last period or you’re under 50, you may still need additional contraception. Speak to your doctor for advice.
Endometriosis isn’t an automatic barrier to using Vagifem, but you should tell your doctor about it before you start. Endometriosis, where womb lining tissue grows outside the womb, may come back or get worse during treatment, so your doctor may want to see you for check-ups more often. The same applies if you’ve had excessive growth of the womb lining in the past. Your doctor will weigh this up when deciding if Vagifem is right for you.
Having had a hysterectomy doesn’t rule out using Vagifem, as it treats vaginal dryness and irritation rather than the womb itself. Vagifem is a local treatment with very low absorption into the blood, so a progestogen isn’t needed alongside it, regardless of whether you still have your womb. Your doctor will look at your full medical history before prescribing. Speak to them if you’re unsure how Vagifem fits with any other HRT you’re using.
Vagifem may affect other treatments applied inside the vagina, so tell your doctor or pharmacist about any moisturisers, lubricants or creams you’re using. They can advise on timing and if the combination is sensible for you. Some women use a non-hormonal moisturiser like Replens MD alongside treatment for extra day-to-day comfort. Get advice before combining products rather than assuming they’ll work well together.
The risk of blood clots in the veins is around 1.3 to 3 times higher in HRT users than non-users, mainly during the first year. That figure relates to HRT that circulates in the blood, and absorption from Vagifem is very low. You still shouldn’t use it if you’ve had a blood clot or have a clotting disorder. Stop using it and see a doctor immediately if you notice painful swelling and redness of the legs, sudden chest pain or difficulty breathing.
Both Vagifem and estriol cream are vaginal oestrogen treatments, so using them together would mean doubling up on the same type of hormone. Vagifem may also affect other vaginally applied treatments. Don’t combine them unless your doctor has specifically told you to. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you’re switching from one to the other.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before relying on condoms while using any vaginal treatment, as products applied inside the vagina can interact with each other. Vagifem itself isn’t a contraceptive, so it won’t prevent pregnancy. If it’s less than 12 months since your last period, or you’re under 50, you may still need contraception. Your pharmacist can advise on what’s suitable alongside your treatment.
Vagifem is licensed to relieve symptoms of vaginal dryness and irritation rather than to change sex drive. Easing that discomfort can make sex more comfortable for some women, which may indirectly make a difference. Libido during the menopause is affected by lots of things, including sleep, mood and other hormone changes. Speak to your doctor if low libido is bothering you, as there may be other options worth discussing.
Symptoms like vaginal dryness and irritation are treated with a loading phase first, so Vagifem is used once daily for the first two weeks, then twice a week with 3 or 4 days between each dose. Twice weekly is the licensed maintenance dose, so dropping to once a week isn’t how the treatment is meant to be used and may leave your symptoms poorly controlled.
Don’t change the frequency yourself. Speak to your doctor if you feel the dose is too strong or not strong enough, as they’ll aim to prescribe the lowest dose that works for you.
There’s no set dissolving time given for Vagifem. Once you press the applicator button, the tablet sticks to the wall of the vagina straight away and won’t fall out if you stand up or walk, so you can carry on with your day as normal. You may notice some discharge, which is a common side effect rather than a sign anything has gone wrong. Speak to your pharmacist for advice if the tablet doesn’t seem to be staying in place.
Page content authored by Dr Hussain Ahmad, last reviewed by Amjad Khan on 8th September 2026.
