Glossary

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GnRH agonists: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This is a class of hormones that has been shown to relieve endometriosis by blocking estrogen production that stimulates its growth. GnRH agonists can cause side effects including menopausal symptoms triggered by estrogen deprivation, such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and some bone loss. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones, typically is prescribed to alleviate these side effects so that treatment with GnRH agonists can continue for six months or longer, if necessary. However, the safety of HRT for both short-term and long-term use is under intense scrutiny by the federal government as result of risks identified by several major studies conducted in 2002.