Essay - Hormone Replacement Therapy Menopause and Its Consequences Menopause is that...

Hormone Replacement Therapy

***** and Its Consequences

***** is that inevitable and irreversible time when a woman's reproductive cycle ***** menstruation periods gradually end, as her ovaries cease to respond to male gonadotropins and ***** capacity to become pregnant stops (Mayeux, Jr 1997). This spontaneously occurs between 45 ***** 55 in American women, with 51 as the median age.

***** woman's ovaries at the menopause are nearly empty of primary follicles - which, in child*****bear*****g age, are abundant, mature and can be fertilized by ***** ***** sperm cell, resulting in conception and pregnancy. At menopause, the ovaries' production of the hormone called estrogen ********** very minimal, and this altered condition of a l*****ck of estrogen produces many unple*****ant symptoms in approximately 70% ***** all postmenopausal women (Mayeux, Jr.). These symptoms *****clude hot flushes and extreme warmth, profuse sweating, tremor, irritability, ***** depression. Physically, ***** female ***** organs shrink and lose their fullness. The vaginal pH turns more alkaline and it *****comes more prone to chronic vagin*****is, which is accompanied ***** itching, d*****charge, and t*****erness. Pelvic ligaments and muscles also loosen and often result in bladder prolapse and stress incontinence (Mayeux, *****.). The breasts also shrink and sag. Further*****, osteoporosis develops when there is severe depletion of estrogen.A number of ***** ***** sexual interest ***** abandon usual activities as a result of a perceived loss of femininity and attractiveness.

Estrogen/Hormone ***** *****rapy (ERT/HRT)

Most of these symptoms can be eliminated, minimized or reversed by estrogen replacement therapy. Even low doses *****.***** mg of ethinyl estradiol or.625 mg ***** Premarin daily are effective in relieving genital atrophy, vaginitis and dyspareunia, orally/systematically or locally in the form of creams.

By restor*****g the level of ***** ***** the body ceases to produce, this therapy relieves the discomforts and frustrations of menopause, like ***** flashes, sleep disturbance, vaginal dryness, mood swings, osteoporosis, ***** incontinence (American Medical Women's Association 1999). It has ***** been shown to prevent Alzheimer's disease and colon cancer. HRT also contains progestin or prescribed along with it in order to reduce ***** risk of endometrial cancer.

Last July, however, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) came out ***** a f*****ding from ***** so-***** Women's ***** Initiative, which surveyed an estimated 14 million menopausal and post-menopausal women before that month. It doused what ***** been long held by obstetrician-gynecologists as menopausal *****'s provision for healthy hearts, bones and moods as well as effective relief from ***** symptoms (McCullough 2002). ***** announced its finding that HRT causes just ***** it is supposed to prevent and in a span of only five years ***** the start of *****. The announcement jolted concerned women out ***** HRT and led groups ***** the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Heart Association and the North ***** Menopause Society to come to a common prescription of ***** *****est possible dose of hormones and for the shortest ***** period to treat symptoms. *****y warned that hormones should not be used to prevent or treat heart disease and other