Hormone replacement therapy may be an option you are considering if you are menopausal. It was designed to assist in alleviating irritating and uncomfortable symptoms associated with menopause. It was routinely used up until 2002 when a large clinical trial revealed health risks.
Menopause causes the body to stop producing some female hormones. Hormone replacement therapy is designed to replace and replenish these missing hormones. It was once a standard treatment recommended for woman with hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. It was also considered to offer long-term health benefits including prevention of heart disease and osteoporosis.
The clinical study of 2002 posed a new fact: The therapy actually held more health risks than benefits for postmenopausal women. As more and more probable health risks arose from the study, doctors grew less likely to recommend it. Many women undergoing hormone replacement therapy discontinued use.
For women who chose a standard hormone therapy during natural menopause there were benefits to therapy. Typically a standard hormone therapy included taking estrogen and progestin. Alongside replacing these missing hormones, these women gained eased vaginal symptoms, such as less dryness, itching, burning, and discomfort with intercourse.
Long-term use of this therapy for prevention of postmenopausal conditions is no longer recommended. However, women who do take estrogen for short-term relief of menopause symptoms might gain some protection against osteoporosis, colorectal cancer, and heart disease.
As you can see, therapy might be a good choice if you are entering menopause naturally (not due to a hysterectomy), and using it for short-term relief. Use for postmenopausal issues might not be the best choice. The clinical study of 2002 revealed that the combination of estrogen and progestin replacement for an extended period of time can increase the risk of some serious medical conditions.
While the study of hormone replacement therapy did not find an increased risk of break cancer or heart disease in women taking estrogen alone, there was a higher risk of stroke, blood clots, and mammography abnormalities. Women taking both estrogen and progestin saw increases in the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, and mammography abnormalities.
If you are considering therapy to assist with menopause symptoms, consult your physician and discuss your options.
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