Vaginal oestrogen is a treatment on the rise, but is it safe?

Over 50% of women will develop genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) when they transition from reproductive age to menopause.1 GSM is constituted by symptoms such as pain during intercourse and postcoital bleeding, vaginal irritation and itching, and urinary tract infections and incontinence. GSM is caused by the urogenital atrophy that women develop because of the decline in oestrogen levels during menopause. This oestrogen deficiency persists after menopause, and often so does GSM, which has been shown to reduce the quality of life in postmenopausal women.2Vaginal oestrogen therapy is the primary treatment for GSM. It’s delivered locally as an oestrogen tablet, ring, or gel placed in the vagina, where it replaces the lacking oestrogen and promotes thickening and lubrication of the inner lining of the vagina and the bladder. Although the use of systemic oestrogen—taken orally in a much higher dose for menopausal hot flushes and night sweats—has declined substantially over…
Read Original Article: Vaginal oestrogen is a treatment on the rise, but is it safe? »