New study supports hormone replacement therapy in early menopause
Ask any woman experiencing the mood swings, hot flashes and insomnia of perimenopause and menopause if she’d like relief, and you’ll hear “Yes!” 100 percent of the time.
In the late 1990s, the medical community thought they had that relief with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). But then a Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial brought HRT to a grinding halt in 2002 when it reported that women using Prempro, a combination of synthetic estrogen and progestin, were at increased risk for heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots and strokes.
The use of HRT stopped, and the stigma and misinformation around the treatment has remained for two decades.
New HRT study brings positive change
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds that the benefits of HRT for menopausal symptoms outweigh the risks for most women under age 60.
The determination was made based on two decades of follow-up data of the 160,000 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 in the original WHI study.
“The data supports hormone therapy as a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause,” said Mary Hitt, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. “Additionally, many other studies have demonstrated benefits of HRT, including improvements in bone health, cognitive function, mood, sleep, colon health, joint pains and cardiovascular health and wellness.”
New HRT protocols for safe treatment
In the early 2000s, the medical community learned what NOT to do when it comes to HRT. Today HRT is prescribed at lower doses and is shown to be safer. The problematic progestin utilized in the WHI trial is no longer preferred. Instead, women are often given micronized progesterone, which is a bioidentical hormone. That means it has a molecular structure identical to the progesterone produced by the ovaries, but with fewer side effects and no increased risk of breast cancer.
To reduce the risk of blood clots, women can take HRT using a patch, cream or gel instead of orally. HRT delivered through the skin is not metabolized in the liver like a pill, reducing the likelihood of blood clots.
Researchers also now know that HRT is safest and most beneficial when started within 10 years of a woman’s menopause. In the original WHI study, most of the women were well past this window of time and over age 60.
Is HRT right for me?
If you’re a perimenopausal or menopausal woman struggling with symptoms, talk to your provider to help determine if HRT or another non-hormonal medication is best to restore your equilibrium. Providers at SIU’s Pelvic Wellness Center will work with you to create a tailored treatment plan to help you alleviate the symptoms of menopause today.
