NWHRC: Menopause: Hormone Therapy and Other Options

Cover story:

Menopause: Hormone Therapy and Other Options

In the summer of 2002, when the famous Women's Health Initiative hormone therapy study was abruptly halted, women started ditching hormone therapy like a bad stock. Today, almost two years later, experts say the key is tailoring hormone therapy to the individual needs of the woman for whom hormone therapy is still an appropriate treatment option. With more than 20 varieties of hormone therapy on the market now, that's easier to do than ever before. Full story

Overview: A Woman's Guide to Hormone Therapy

Not only are there new low-dose hormone therapies available in pill or capsule form, hormone therapies are available as gels, creams, lotions, patches, vaginal rings and injections. Here is an overview of the array of hormone therapy products now on the market. View Chart

Departments:

Lifestyle Corner: Looking for Relief? Change Your Lifestyle by Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH
While hormones may work best for moderate-to-severe hot flashes, a growing body of research indicates that making some simple changes in your life can make a big difference when it comes to reducing the severity and number of milder hot flashes. Exercising and losing weight are just a few of the changes that could help. Full story

Also: It's important to find a health care professional with whom you feel comfortable discussing your menopause-related concerns. For some suggested questions to ask, click here.

Ages & Stages: Other Treatment Options for Menopausal Symptoms
Vitamin E, black cohosh, antidepressants, oral contraceptives…these are just a few of the alternatives to hormone therapy women have sought in recent years to manage troublesome menopausal symptoms. Scientific studies of these and other options are mixed. Full story

Ask the Expert: Common Questions about Hormone Therapy

"Are there any definite rules at this point for who should and shouldn't use hormone therapy?" JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, the Elizabeth F. Brigham Professor of Women's Heatlh at Harvard Medical School and a principal investigator of the Women's Health Initiative, answers this and other questions. Full story

Resources
National organizations and Web sites for more information

References

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