Have you noticed how much attention menopause is getting in the news? A wave of information keeps emerging on the topic of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the narrative goes something like this. . .
HRT, twenty years ago
- In the late 1990s, 15 million women used HRT for menopausal symptoms until a study in 2002 found links between HRT and elevated health risks for women. Women on HRT panicked, stopped taking their prescriptions, and doctors no longer had methods (or training in medical school) for understanding or treating the symptoms of menopause.
- New research (and a critical look at the 2002 research) shows that these health risks were overstated for women who do not have a history of heart attacks, breast cancer, or stroke.
- In fact, today’s experts say the benefits of hormone therapy typically outweigh the risks for most healthy, symptomatic women under 60 and within 10 years of menopause onset. HRT should be prescribed by a doctor educated in menopause management.
Promising research continues to be published about benefits of HRT for women’s brain, heart, and bone health. I personally wish my doctors would enumerate these studies when I get annual checkups.
On greencallings.com, I don’t promote or dissuade HRT. I’m sharing this information because it’s a surprising reversal of twenty years of medical opinion. Given this change, it’s not surprising that 23% of medical residents today say that they have not attended a single lecture about menopause and treatment options. Many doctors simply don’t know how to treat menopausal symptoms.
And Green Callings’ survey validates this research. Of women who seek treatment for menopausal symptoms from their OB/GYN or family physician, only 47% report satisfaction with treatment. Compare this to women who visit a women’s health specialist: 70% report satisfaction with treatment.
Promising research continues to be published about benefits of HRT for women’s brain, heart, and bone health. I personally wish my doctors would enumerate these studies when I get annual checkups. Women need access to the wider picture—both benefits and risks—when making critical health decisions.
A podcast recommendation
To learn more, I recommend listening to today’s episode of The Daily, an audio version of the article “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” by Susan Dominus for The New York Times.
Of course, HRT is not a fountain of youth or a treatment to reverse aging. Even if the risks have been inflated in the past, they still exist for women with certain health histories and for women older than age 60. Severity of symptoms, personal preference, and level of risk tolerance should factor into any decision to take HRT. If you’re suffering from menopausal symptoms, The North American Menopause Society has a searchable directory of certified doctors and nurse practitioners in your area.
Finally, if you’ve found this blog post helpful, please share it with your girlfriends. I created greencallings.com to help women thrive in midlife so we can bring our wisdom and gifts to the world. Good health is just the beginning.
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