noun
- A weak estrogen hormone produced mainly by the placenta during pregnancy; one of the three principal estrogens in the human body.
Usage: medical/scientific term; also spelled oestrol in British English
Examples
- Estriol levels rise significantly during pregnancy and are used as a marker of fetal health.
- The three main estrogens in women are estradiol, estrone, and estriol.
- Doctors may measure estriol in maternal blood tests to screen for chromosomal abnormalities.
- Estriol is produced in large quantities by the placenta but has weaker biological effects than estradiol.
- Some hormone replacement therapies include estriol as a component.