Women naturally produce two sex hormones until menopause: estrogen and progesterone. Some menopausal and post-menopausal women take hormone replacement therapy, which contains estrogen and progesterone, to alleviate the symptoms of menopause. Doctors once believed that hormone replacement therapy could also reduce your chances of developing other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. However, clinical studies found that estrogen and progesterone actually increase your chances of cardiovascular disease and other medical conditions, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Benefits
Taking estrogen reduces hot flashes, vaginal itching or dryness and urination problems. Relieving these symptoms of menopause can make sexual intercourse more comfortable for women. Estrogen also reduces the risk of osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, which is associated with dangerous fractures. Hormone therapy that includes progesterone also decreases the risk of uterine cancer, according to Medline Plus.
Dangers
The Women's Health Initiative, or WHI, stopped a large clinical trial in 2002 because it found that women taking estrogen and progesterone therapy had increased risks of breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes and blood clots, compared to women taking a placebo. Although the study also showed lower rates of fractures and colorectal cancer in participants who took estrogen and progesterone therapy, the WHI Data and Safety Monitoring Board determined that the risks of hormone replacement therapy outweigh the benefits.
Considerations
Using hormone therapy for a short time to treat symptoms associated with menopause, such as vaginal atrophy, is worth the risk to some women. Estrogen and progesterone therapy may also be a good choice for women who have an increased risk of osteoporosis, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and medical history to determine whether estrogen and progesterone therapy is the right choice for you.
Warning
Do not take estrogen or progesterone if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, have had blood clots, experience unusual vaginal bleeding, have liver disease or have had a stroke or heart attack within the past year. Do not stop taking hormone replacement therapy without talking to your doctor. In addition, consult your doctor before taking other medications or supplements to treat symptoms of menopause, even if supplements are labeled "natural" or "bioidentical."
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Questions and Answers About Estrogen-Plus-Progestin Hormone Therapy
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Questions and Answers for Estrogen and Estrogen with Progestin Therapies for Postmenopausal Women (Updated); April 2009
- Medline Plus; Estrogen and Progestin (Hormone Replacement Therapy); August 2010
