HRT for treating menopause: known unknowns

“There currently isn’t a consensus on what the menopause is,” says Martha Hickey, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Melbourne. Some define it as the final menstrual cycle, others define it as the 12 month phase following the final menstrual period.Menopause happens at the point where all the primordial ovarian follicles have been lost through menstruation, which leads to a loss of ovarian sex hormone production. The biology is ubiquitous, but the experience varies considerably between women, because the symptoms of menopause can vary greatly: 10-40% experience no symptoms, with the majority experiencing a combination of hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and reduced concentration, among many others.1HRT can reduce the vasomotor symptoms of menopause (hot flushes, night sweats) by up to 80%.2 Only around 15% of women aged 45-69 in England are currently prescribed HRT, however.3 And medicating the menopause is not simple.HRT is not without risks—not…
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