How do estrogens influence female sexual characteristics?

Estrogens are a group of steroid hormones that play a fundamental role in the development, maturation, and function of the female reproductive system and the expression of female sexual characteristics.12

Reproductive System Influence

Estrogens are essential for the development of the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and mammary glands. They stimulate the growth of the egg follicle in the ovaries and maintain the endometrium, the uterine lining. Furthermore, they regulate the cervical mucus that facilitates sperm transport and promote the thickening of the vaginal wall.1

Physical Characteristics

Estrogens influence structural differences between sexes, contributing to the typical female body contour through the distribution of fatty tissue in the breasts, hips, buttocks, and thighs. They also affect physical traits such as:1
* Voice: They contribute to a higher-pitched voice by influencing the size of the larynx and vocal cords.1
* Skin: They suppress oil-producing sebaceous glands, reducing the likelihood of acne.1
* Skeletal Development: Estrogens stimulate linear growth and skeletal maturation during puberty, eventually causing the closure of bone epiphyses to cease growth.12