What function does estrogen serve in the female body?

Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining female secondary sexual characteristics, which are features that distinguish females from males beyond the reproductive organs. These characteristics include breast development, wider hips, and a generally more feminized body shape. Estrogen is essential during puberty for the growth and development of these features and continues to play a significant role in their maintenance throughout a woman's life.

The hormone is also important for regulating various aspects of the menstrual cycle and reproductive health, influencing processes such as ovulation and the development of the endometrium. This impact on reproductive organs and secondary sexual traits is central to the physiological differences between genders, affirming estrogen's key role in female sexual development and function.