Remember when there was much hoopla and angst coming from the medical “experts” that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) caused cancer and was to be avoided at all costs? Well, the medical community now suggests that they were wrong. Oops! (To be fair, they didn’t really acknowledge that they were wrong.)
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has released new guidelines for hormone replacement therapy for many women in perimenopause and menopause who are experiencing hot flashes and night sweats.
As mentioned in my previous posts, menopause symptoms are caused by steep drops in estrogen and progesterone. This usually happens in a woman’s late 40s or early 50s, but can also occur earlier. A decrease in these hormones results in hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal atrophy, reduced bone density (osteoporosis) and other symptoms.
Options for HRT include pills, patches, sprays or gels, or a vaginal ring that can deliver doses of hormones directly into the bloodstream. Vaginal estrogen therapy may also help some women.
Doctors warn that HRT is not for women who have a history of breast cancer, blood clots, stroke and liver disease.
In a 2002 study, concerns were raised that HRT could be linked to an increase in breast cancer. However, that study was focused on older women who may not have begun HRT until after a decade of experiencing menopause. New recommendations say that women should begin HRT before the age of 60 or within 10 years of starting menopause.
Another interesting tidbit is the fact that HRT may slow biological aging according to a 2024 study of over 10,000 women!
There is a blood test to determine if you are in menopause. So, talk with your health care provider ASAP.
