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Premarin Vaginal: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

Updated:
Facts
Status:
Prescription (Rx) Boxed warning
Strength:
0.625 mg/g
Drug class:
Active ingredient:

Patient information: uses, side effects, how to take - Premarin Vaginal

What is the most important information I should know about PREMARIN vaginal cream (an estrogen mixture)?

  • Using estrogen-alone may increase your chance of getting cancer of the uterus (womb)

    Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are using PREMARIN vaginal cream. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb). Your healthcare provider should check any unusual vaginal bleeding to find out the cause.

  • Do not use estrogen-alone to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes or dementia (decline in brain function)
  • Using estrogen-alone may increase your chances of getting strokes or blood clots
  • Using estrogen-alone may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women of 65 years of age or older
  • Do not use estrogens with progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, or dementia
  • Using estrogens with progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, or blood clots
  • Using estrogens with progestins may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women age 65 years of age or older
  • You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with PREMARIN vaginal cream

What is PREMARIN vaginal cream?

PREMARIN vaginal cream is a medicine that contains a mixture of estrogen hormones.

What is PREMARIN vaginal cream used for?

PREMARIN vaginal cream is used after menopause to:

  • Treat menopausal changes in and around the vagina

    You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with PREMARIN vaginal cream to control these problems.

  • Treat painful intercourse caused by menopausal changes of the vagina

Who should not use PREMARIN vaginal cream?

Do not start using PREMARIN vaginal cream if you:

  • Have unusual vaginal bleeding
  • Currently have or have had certain cancers

    Estrogens may increase the chance of getting certain types of cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus. If you have or have had cancer, talk with your healthcare provider about whether you should use PREMARIN vaginal cream.

  • Had a stroke or heart attack
  • Currently have or have had blood clots
  • Currently have or have had liver problems
  • Have been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder
  • Are allergic to PREMARIN vaginal cream or any of its ingredients

    See the end of this leaflet for a list of ingredients in PREMARIN vaginal cream.

Tell your healthcare provider:

  • If you have unusual vaginal bleeding

    Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb). Your healthcare provider should check any unusual vaginal bleeding to find out the cause.

  • About all of your medical problems

    Your healthcare provider may need to check you more carefully if you have certain conditions, such as asthma (wheezing), epilepsy (seizures), diabetes, migraine, endometriosis, lupus, problems with your heart, liver, thyroid, kidneys, or have high calcium levels in your blood.

  • About all the medicines you take

    This includes prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines may affect how PREMARIN vaginal cream works. PREMARIN vaginal cream may also affect how your other medicines work.

  • If you are going to have surgery or will be on bedrest

    You may need to stop using PREMARIN vaginal cream.

  • If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant

    PREMARIN vaginal cream is not for pregnant women

  • If you are breast feeding

    The hormones in PREMARIN vaginal cream can pass into your breast milk.

How should I use PREMARIN vaginal cream?

PREMARIN vaginal cream is a cream that you place in your vagina with the applicator provided with the cream.

  • Take the dose recommended by your healthcare provider and talk to him or her about how well that dose is working for you
  • Estrogens should be used at the lowest dose possible for your treatment only as long as needed. You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly (for example, every 3 to 6 months) about the dose you are using and whether you still need treatment with PREMARIN vaginal cream
  • Step 1. Remove cap from tube.
  • Step 2. Screw nozzle end of applicator onto tube (Figure A).
Figure A
  1. Step 3. Gently squeeze tube from the bottom to force sufficient cream into the barrel to provide the prescribed dose. Use the marked stopping points on the applicator to measure the correct dose, as prescribed by your healthcare provider (Figure B).
Figure B
  1. Step 4. Unscrew applicator from tube.
  2. Step 5. Lie on back with knees drawn up. To deliver medication, gently insert applicator deeply into vagina and press plunger downward to its original position (Figure C).
Figure C
  1. Step 6. TO CLEANSE: Pull plunger to remove it from barrel. Wash with mild soap and warm water (Figure D).
  2. DO NOT BOIL OR USE HOT WATER.
Figure D

What are the possible side effects of PREMARIN vaginal cream?

PREMARIN vaginal cream is only used in and around the vagina; however, the risks associated with oral estrogens should be taken into account.

Side effects are grouped by how serious they are and how often they happen when you are treated.

Serious, but less common side effects include:

  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Blood clots
  • Breast cancer
  • Cancer of the lining of the uterus (womb)
  • Cancer of the ovary
  • Dementia
  • High or low blood calcium
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Visual abnormalities
  • High blood pressure
  • High levels of fat (triglycerides) in your blood
  • Liver problems
  • Changes in your thyroid hormone levels
  • Fluid retention
  • Cancer changes of endometriosis
  • Enlargement of benign tumors of the uterus ("fibroids")
  • Severe allergic reactions
  • Changes in certain laboratory test results, such as high blood sugar

Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following warning signs or any other unusual symptoms that concern you:

  • New breast lumps
  • Unusual vaginal bleeding
  • Changes in vision or speech
  • Sudden new severe headaches
  • Severe pains in your chest or legs with or without shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue
  • Swelling of the face, lips, and tongue with or without red itchy bumps

Common side effects of PREMARIN include:

  • Headache
  • Breast pain
  • Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting
  • Stomach or abdominal cramps, bloating
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Hair loss
  • Fluid retention
  • Vaginal yeast infection
  • Reactions from inserting PREMARIN vaginal cream, such as vaginal burning, irritation, and itching

These are not all the possible side effects of PREMARIN vaginal cream. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What can I do to lower my chances of getting a serious side effect with PREMARIN vaginal cream?

  • Talk with your healthcare provider regularly about whether you should continue using PREMARIN vaginal cream
  • If you have a uterus, talk to your healthcare provider about whether the addition of a progestin is right for you

    The addition of a progestin is generally recommended for women with a uterus to reduce the chance of getting cancer of the uterus. See your healthcare provider right away if you get vaginal bleeding while using PREMARIN vaginal cream

  • Have a pelvic exam, breast exam and mammogram (breast X-ray) every year unless your healthcare provider tells you something else

    If members of your family have had breast cancer or if you have ever had breast lumps or an abnormal mammogram, you may need to have breast exams more often

  • If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol (fat in the blood), diabetes, are overweight, or if you use tobacco, you may have higher chances for getting heart disease

    Ask your healthcare provider for ways to lower your chances of getting heart disease.

General information about the safe and effective use of PREMARIN vaginal cream

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in patient information leaflets. Do not use PREMARIN vaginal cream for conditions for which it was not prescribed. Do not give PREMARIN vaginal cream to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.

Keep PREMARIN vaginal cream out of the reach of children.

Latex or rubber condoms, diaphragms and cervical caps may be weakened and fail when they come into contact with PREMARIN vaginal cream.

This leaflet provides a summary of the most important information about PREMARIN vaginal cream. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. You can ask for information about PREMARIN vaginal cream that is written for health professionals.

What are the ingredients in PREMARIN vaginal cream?

PREMARIN vaginal cream contains a mixture of conjugated estrogens, which are a mixture of sodium estrone sulfate and sodium equilin sulfate and other components, including sodium sulfate conjugates: 17 α-dihydroequilin, 17 α-estradiol, and 17 β-dihydroequilin. PREMARIN vaginal cream also contains cetyl esters wax, cetyl alcohol, white wax, glyceryl monostearate, propylene glycol monostearate, methyl stearate, benzyl alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate, glycerin, and mineral oil.

PREMARIN vaginal cream—Each gram contains 0.625 mg conjugated estrogens, USP.

Combination package: Each contains a net wt. of 1.06 oz (30 g) tube with plastic applicator(s) calibrated in 0.5 g increments to a maximum of 2 g (NDC 0046-0872-21).

Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F); excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature].

This product's labeling may have been updated. For the most recent prescribing information, please visit www.pfizer.com.

LAB-0519-8.0

Revised 04/2025

About this document

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed · Application number: NDA 020216 · View the label on DailyMed

Revision date stated in the text: April 2025

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The information on this site does not replace the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.

Drug information for Premarin Vaginal

Rx or OTC
Prescription (Rx)?
  • This drug is available only with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
  • Rx
Boxed warning Yes – this drug has a boxed warning (also called a black box warning), the strongest warning of the FDA.
Drug class Estrogen
Active ingredient Estrogens, conjugated 0.625 mg/g
Dosage form Cream
Route Vaginal
Marketing status listed in the FDA NDC Directory
Company (applicant) WYETH PHARMS
FDA approval NDA 020216New Drug Application (NDA) Approved October 16, 1978
Reference listed drug This is the reference listed drug (RLD) that generics are compared with.
Manufacturers 1 labelers list this drug on DailyMed
Packages (NDC)
Package
0.625 mg/g – 4 g in 1 tube, with applicator / 1 in 1 carton NDC 0046-0872-04
0.625 mg/g – 30 g in 1 tube, with applicator / 1 in 1 carton NDC 0046-0872-21

Source: FDA drug labeling via NLM DailyMed, data as of October 31, 2026. FDA data (DailyMed, Orange Book, Drug Shortages, enforcement reports). Not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.