Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Menopause brings physical and mental changes such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and bone loss.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), using estrogen and progesterone, helps alleviate these symptoms.
Historical Concerns About HRT
In 2002, the Women's health Initiative (WHI) study claimed HRT increased risks of:
Heart disease
Breast cancer
Stroke
Result: Global fear of HRT; prescriptions dropped sharply.
Consequence: Millions of women suffered untreated menopausal symptoms and accelerated bone loss.
Updated Research and Benefits
Two decades of research show HRT is safer than previously thought.
Cardiovascular Health:
Starting HRT around age 50 does not increase heart risk.
May help maintain arterial elasticity.
Bone Health:
Estrogen slows bone loss, reducing osteoporosis and fracture risk.
Timely therapy strengthens bones as women age.
Cancer Risk:
Balanced estrogen-progesterone therapy may reduce breast cancer risk.
Why Initial Studies Were Misleading
Early studies did not adequately account for:
Age at therapy initiation
Hormone composition
Lifestyle factors
Biological variations
WHI report assumed universal risk, which modern research shows is incorrect.
Current Recommendations
HRT is safest and most effective when started near menopause onset (ages 45–55).
Modern data highlights benefits for:
Bone health
Heart health
Symptom management
Experts emphasize that outdated myths continue to unnecessarily scare women.
Global Impact
Following the WHI study, strict HRT restrictions were imposed in the US, Europe, and Asia.
In India, doctors avoided prescribing HRT for years, causing widespread discomfort among menopausal women.
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