In this article of My Health Only, we are going to tell you about menopausal hormone therapy.
What is menopausal hormone therapy?
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) —also called postmenopausal hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy — is a treatment that doctors use to relieve common symptoms of menopause and long-term biological changes such as bone loss. Resulting in a decline in the levels of the natural hormones estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body during and after menopause.
The us According to the National Cancer Institute, MHT typically involves treatment with either estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin (a synthetic hormone that has effects similar to progesterone).
Women who have a uterus — who do not have a hysterectomy — are usually recommended estrogen plus progestin for MHT.
This is because estrogen alone is associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer, but not estrogen plus progestin. Estrogen is used alone in women who have had a hysterectomy.
What should women do who have symptoms of menopause but are worried about taking MHT?
Women who are seeking relief from hot flashes and vaginal dryness should talk to their health care provider about whether to take MHT. They should ask their health care provider the potential risks of using MHT, and what options may be appropriate for them.
The FDA of the US currently advises women to use MHT for the shortest time and to take its lowest dose to control menopausal symptoms.
