More than two decades ago, the shocking results of a major women’s health study challenged the safety of menopause hormones, and overnight, millions of women and their doctors abandoned the drugs – a reluctance that lingers.
Now, a long-term follow-up of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) shows that the reaction was largely overblown. The new research found that for many younger menopausal women – typically those under 60 – the benefits of the drugs probably outweigh the risks for the short-term treatment of menopause symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats.
