There’s good news for women who are suffering from hot flashes, brain fog, and sleep issues. A new study revealed that beginning menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) during perimenopause helps to relieve those symptoms – and possibly reduces the risk of breast cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.
On the heels of this encouraging research is the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to remove the black box warning from hormone therapy. The move is a big step to help women become more comfortable with MHT, which can offer relief for symptoms that often impact their quality of life.
As a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist at Stamford Health with over 20 years of experience in the field, I know that estrogen therapy is the most effective treatment for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms in women. However, many women are still hesitant to use hormones due to the results of the Women’s Health Initiative Study which was published in 2002 and showed a link between hormone therapy and breast cancer. Unfortunately, the study had many flaws in its design, data, and results.
The study was not set up to measure breast cancer risk – it was set up to measure cardiovascular disease risk – the age of the women recruited for the study was 63 years old which is more than 10 years older than the average age of menopause in the United States. In addition, the findings that were released to the public focused on the harms of MHT, but did not mention the benefits for the prevention of osteoporosis and some cancers. Physicians stopped prescribing HRT, women refused to take it, and as a result, an entire generation of women suffered through menopause without the help they needed.
It's important to know that the hormone therapy we use today is very different from the hormones studied in the WHI. The estradiol and progesterone we use presently have the same chemical makeup as the hormones that our bodies produce (those studied previously were not).
We’ve already seen studies that show that hormone therapy has a positive effect on cognition, cardiovascular disease, and bone health when started early in the menopausal transition. The latest research further solidifies the knowledge that hormone therapy is safe, effective, and beneficial for women who are in perimenopause and menopause.
Perhaps a more symbolic win, the FDA announced it will remove the black box warning on menopausal hormone therapy. The organization rightfully recognized that some women may be scared off by the warnings even though the numerous health benefits of HRT outweigh potential risks. Without it, I’m hopeful that my patients will become even more comfortable using hormone therapy.
If you’re experiencing perimenopausal symptoms that are significantly impacting your quality of life, speak with your health care provider. MHT may be an option for you, and if it isn’t, your physician will be able to suggest other effective and safe treatments.
On the heels of this encouraging research is the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to remove the black box warning from hormone therapy. The move is a big step to help women become more comfortable with MHT, which can offer relief for symptoms that often impact their quality of life.
As a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist at Stamford Health with over 20 years of experience in the field, I know that estrogen therapy is the most effective treatment for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms in women. However, many women are still hesitant to use hormones due to the results of the Women’s Health Initiative Study which was published in 2002 and showed a link between hormone therapy and breast cancer. Unfortunately, the study had many flaws in its design, data, and results.
The study was not set up to measure breast cancer risk – it was set up to measure cardiovascular disease risk – the age of the women recruited for the study was 63 years old which is more than 10 years older than the average age of menopause in the United States. In addition, the findings that were released to the public focused on the harms of MHT, but did not mention the benefits for the prevention of osteoporosis and some cancers. Physicians stopped prescribing HRT, women refused to take it, and as a result, an entire generation of women suffered through menopause without the help they needed.
What does the new research say?
This new data from The Menopause Society, a nonprofit women’s health care organization, analyzed data on more than 120 million patients and compared rates of breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke, of women who started estrogen therapy perimenopausally, after menopause, or not at all. Researchers found that women who used estrogen therapy within the 10 years before menopause potentially have a reduced risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.It's important to know that the hormone therapy we use today is very different from the hormones studied in the WHI. The estradiol and progesterone we use presently have the same chemical makeup as the hormones that our bodies produce (those studied previously were not).
We’ve already seen studies that show that hormone therapy has a positive effect on cognition, cardiovascular disease, and bone health when started early in the menopausal transition. The latest research further solidifies the knowledge that hormone therapy is safe, effective, and beneficial for women who are in perimenopause and menopause.
Perhaps a more symbolic win, the FDA announced it will remove the black box warning on menopausal hormone therapy. The organization rightfully recognized that some women may be scared off by the warnings even though the numerous health benefits of HRT outweigh potential risks. Without it, I’m hopeful that my patients will become even more comfortable using hormone therapy.
If you’re experiencing perimenopausal symptoms that are significantly impacting your quality of life, speak with your health care provider. MHT may be an option for you, and if it isn’t, your physician will be able to suggest other effective and safe treatments.
Featured Expert/ Author
