By Dr. Heather Rae Paschal, PharmD, ABAAHP 

Women’s Health Clinical Liaison - Revelation Pharma

The experience is familiar for women, though often intimidating: going into the local pharmacy to pick up a certain kind of medication and discuss its proper use and potential side effects.

In childbearing years and otherwise, women of all social, cultural, and economic backgrounds face common challenges regarding sexual health and wellness. While modern medicine offers an ever-expanding bounty of options for reproductive and hormonal issues, many women still struggle to find medications that address their personal physiological needs.

This is exacerbated by a myriad of factors. A lack of awareness and education can lead to delays in seeking medical assistance. Stigma and anxiety surround issues like infertility, miscarriage, and sexual health. In some regions, women face barriers to obtaining contraception, STI screenings, IVF fertility treatments, and other essential reproductive health services due to limited access, high cost, or policy restrictions. Similarly, there can be inadequate support for a range of issues that are minimally discussed, from postpartum recovery through menopause.

For those looking to conceive, some patients do not respond to standard commercial fertility medications, leaving them frustrated and with limited alternatives. Compounding pharmacies can play a critical role in bridging this gap by offering personalized formulations that support fertility and sexual health when mass-produced pharmaceuticals may be inadequate or unavailable.

Challenges in Women’s Fertility and Sexual Health

According to the CDC, 13.4% of women age 15-49 experience impaired fecundity, indicating difficulties in becoming pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term, while about 19% of couples actively seeking pregnancy are unable to conceive after a year. Gynecological conditions that impact fertility, hormone balance, and menstrual health can make conception difficult and necessitate medical intervention. Examples include polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis,  and premature ovarian failure among others.

However, not all patients respond well to standard fertility drugs. Some women experience adverse reactions to these medications or cannot tolerate certain inactive ingredients found in commercial drugs. Beyond pregnancy, women may encounter challenges related to hormone imbalances, sexual dysfunction, and menopausal symptoms. Commercial pharmaceutical options can fall short, leaving many patients searching for alternatives. Compounded sexual health medications and customized fertility support provide unique options.

A Personalized Approach to Fertility

By formulating custom fertility medications tailored to a patient’s specific needs, compounding pharmacies offer a breadth of advantages. They include:

  1. Tailored Dosages and Formulations – Commercial fertility drugs are often available only in standardized doses. Compounded medications allow physicians to prescribe precise dosages that align with a patient’s individual hormonal levels and their overall health plan, ensuring a more personalized process.
  2. Alternative Delivery Methods – For women who experience gastrointestinal distress or difficulty absorbing oral medications, compounded alternatives can be prepared in different forms such as sublingual troches, transdermal creams, or injectables, which may improve patient comfort and adherence.
  3. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy – Women who may experience hormonal imbalances due to polycystic ovarian syndrome or premature ovarian failure can look toward compounded bioidentical hormones. Unlike synthetic hormones, bioidentical compounds are structurally identical to the body’s natural hormones, allowing hormone restoration specific to that patient’s unique need.
  4. Preservative- and Allergen-Free Options – Many commercial fertility medications contain additives, dyes, and/or preservatives that can trigger allergic reactions or other intolerances. Compounding pharmacies can eliminate these unwanted ingredients, offering formulations tailored to sensitive patients.
  5. Access to Discontinued or Medications on Shortage – When pharmaceutical companies discontinue certain drugs or medications go on manufacturer backorder or shortage, patients may struggle to find viable fertility medication alternatives. Compounding pharmacies can replicate these discontinued medications or medications on shortage to provide continued access.

Supporting Women’s Sexual Health

Beyond fertility, compounding pharmacies are invaluable in supporting women’s sexual health. Female sexual dysfunction, particularly low libido, afflicts close to 43% of women in the U.S. Compounded preparations such as testosterone creams and oxytocin troches can support healthy hormone balance and aid in sexual satisfaction. Issues like sexual and pelvic pain can be aided through compounded anesthetic creams, muscle relaxants, or hormone-based therapies. Vaginal dryness and atrophy, especially in postmenopausal women, can be addressed with customized vaginal suppositories or creams containing estriol, dehydroepiandrosterone, or hyaluronic acid.

When considering compounding as part of a healthcare strategy for fertility or overall female sexual health, physicians should collaborate closely with reputable compounding pharmacists to ensure the highest standards are met for their patients.

 

Disclaimer

The FDA does not review any compounded medication for safety or efficacy. The information contained in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat a specific healthcare condition but should be used as educational-only material.