"Woman Approaching Menopause Face Difficult Decision"
Senior Focus - July 1997
Women are living longer than ever before, meaning nearly one-third of their lives can be spent after menopause. This change in the aging landscape is helping to fuel debate about hormone- replacement therapy.
After menopause, which typically happens around age 50 and marks the end of the childbearing years, women no longer produce significant amounts of estrogen, a hormone that had been in the body naturally since puberty. Without estrogen, women can experience hot flashes, emotional changes, severe mood swings and depression. They are also at greater risk of developing heart disease and osteoporosis.
Gynecological experts at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston say hormone-replacement therapy with estrogen is an important consideration for women facing this life-altering experience.
Studies have shown that women receiving estrogen replacement have a lower risk of coronary heart disease and osteoporosis, tend to live longer and have greater activity than women who do not use estrogen. But other studies have linked estrogen use with a slight increase in the risk of developing breast cancer. And this has led to speculation that estrogen itself may cause breast cancer. Studies have yet to confirm that link, but questions and concerns remain.
Women do have options for taking estrogen, including pills, patches, creams and vaginal rings. Not all methods deliver the same benefits, but research shows that use of the cream or ring may slightly reduce the cancer risk.
Major national studies are under way to answer definitively the lingering questions about estrogen replacement. While the medical community waits for the results, women considering hormone-replacement therapy should educate themselves about the issue, talk with their doctor and then make an informed decision about the benefits and potential risks of estrogen replacement.
