In this Article

• What is menopause?
• Does menopause cause bone loss?
• What are estrogen therapy and hormone therapy (HT)?
• What are the side effects and risks of hormone therapy (HT)?
• How is hormone therapy (HT) prescribed?
• Who should take hormone therapy (HT)?
• Who should not take hormone therapy (HT)
• What medical checkups are advised for women on hormone therapy (HT)?
• What if a woman decides against hormone therapy (HT)?
• Hormone Therapy At A Glance
• Hormone Therapy Index

What medical checkups are advised for women on hormone therapy (HT)?

All women receiving hormone therapy (HT) should undergo a medical checkup every year. At that time, the doctor or nurse will perform a breast exam and order a mammogram (a special x-ray picture of the breasts) to check for masses in the breasts that might possibly be cancer. At, or even prior to these check-ups, a woman should discuss her bleeding pattern with her physician to be sure it is within the expected pattern for her specific type of hormone therapy (HT). Other routine screening evaluations may also be performed at this annual check-up.

What if a woman decides against hormone therapy (HT)?

If a woman decides against hormone therapy (HT), there are other methods to deal with the symptoms of menopause. Although hormone therapy (HT) is by far superior to other medications in relieving hot flashes, other prescription non-hormonal medications can also reduce hot flashes. Likewise, a water soluble surgical jelly (not petroleum jelly) can be applied to the vagina to reduce dryness.

A woman may also want to ask her doctor about non-hormonal prescription osteoporosis medications These new treatments appear safe and effective in preventing fractures.

Hormone Therapy At A Glance

• Hormone Therapy (HT) refers to either estrogen or combination estrogen /progesterone treatment.
• Estrogen therapy is the most highly effective prescription medication for treating menopause symptoms and in light of recent research is still safe and effective for many women when used for fewer than 5 years.
• Estrogen therapy reduces or eliminates several symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, disturbed sleep resulting from hot flashes, and vaginal dryness.
• Other safe and effective non-hormonal medications exist to address a woman's concerns regarding osteoporosis.
• The use of estrogen therapy, without progesterone (progestin), is associated with an increase in the risk of uterine cancer (endometrial cancer, cancer of the lining of the uterus).
• Treatment with progesterone along with estrogen substantially reduces the risk of uterine cancer (endometrial cancer) so that the risk of developing this cancer is equivalent to that of women not taking estrogen.
• Users of oral hormone therapy (HT) (in the doses of the Women's Health Initiative) for more than 5 years are at slightly increased risk of breast cancer risk, heart disease, and stroke than are nonusers.

References: WHI article in JAMA 2002 Rossouw et al

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