Controversy Exists about Menopause Hormone Replacement Therapy

Women usually go through menopause in middle age, and this condition is produced by changing hormone levels in a woman's body. These changes signal the end of a woman's reproductive capabilities which can be traumatic for some women. This condition also produces undesirable symptoms which include night sweats, depression and hot flashes. These symptoms can be very disturbing to women, and women experience these symptoms in varying degrees. Some women find this transitional stage in their lives very difficult because their symptoms are severe. Other women go through this transitional stage with very few negative experiences.

Menopause is such a difficult transition for some women and medical researchers have worked hard to make this condition as easy as possible for all women. Through the years, researchers have tried to find ways to ease the pain of women going through menopause. These researchers came up with a menopause hormone replacement therapy to ease the symptoms because this condition is caused by a change in hormone levels in a woman's body. The hormone levels of estrogen in a woman's body drop off during menopause. The theory behind menopause hormone replacement therapy is to replace the hormones and fix the condition.

Mixed Messages about Menopause Hormone Replacement Therapy

Until recently, many gynecologists routinely prescribed menopause hormone replacement therapy to their patients at the start of menopause. The research suggested that this menopause hormone replacement therapy would ease the symptoms of menopause that disturbed the lives of many women. These symptoms include night sweats, depression and hot flashes. The menopause hormone replacement therapy seemed to reduce these symptoms in many women. This menopause hormone replacement therapy was a welcome relief for many women. Many gynecologists suggested that their patients should stay on menopause hormone replacement therapy for the rest of their lives.

Later work by medical researchers brought some disturbing results for the women on menopause hormone replacement therapy and the gynecologists who prescribed the drugs. These therapies came in a variety of systems depending on the drug offered from different companies. The later research showed that the menopause hormone replacement therapy might cause greater risk of heart attack and stroke. These risks were not worth the benefits for many women and their doctors. The benefits did not outweigh the risks so many women stopped taking the drugs prescribed by their doctors. Many did this on the advice of their doctors. The number of women taking menopause hormone replacement therapy has decreased significantly since the latest research has become available.