Let’s start with the good news: hormone therapy works extremely well to relieve common symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, bone loss and vaginal dryness. And there are now more types and methods of hormone treatment than ever, as well as more than a decade of research into benefits and risks.
But not everyone is a good candidate for hormone therapy, which is bad news for many symptomatic women. Depending on your health situation and medical history, the risks may outweigh the benefits.
This means that the decision of whether to take hormones, and in what dosages and forms, is more complex and individual than ever. To help you decide, here is the latest scientific information on hormone therapy, and what you should know before you see your doctor.