Hormone replacement therapy

After removal of the ovaries or a severe course of menopause, a woman may be prescribed hormone replacement drugs. They improve the quality of life, but hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women can be prescribed only for certain indications:

• with early menopause (up to 40 years);
• after removal of the ovaries;
• with infertility;
• hormone replacement therapy in the premenopausal and irregular menstrual cycle at the age of 40 to 50 years, with a severe course of menopause;
• when removing the uterus with preserved appendages;
• with complications of menopause (osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, atrophic vaginitis).

But the drugs of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have a number of contraindications:

• tumors of the uterus, ovaries or mammary glands;
• cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure;
• autoimmune diseases;
• severe form of diabetes mellitus;
• dysfunctional uterine bleeding of unclear etiology;
• Do not recommend the use of the drug in endometriosis, fibroids of the uterus.

Pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy

Women often scare the appointment of hormones, if there is a menopause, hormone replacement therapy can be replaced with phytopreparations, similar in effect to female sex hormones. But sometimes hormone therapy is shown to a woman and has many positive properties. These include improving overall health, sleep and brain function. Under the influence of hormone replacement therapy, blood pressure decreases, heart work improves, heart rate is normalized, vascular status improves (the risk of heart attack and stroke significantly decreases). Hormonotherapy in women during menopause improves the functioning of the thyroid gland, reduces the risk of osteoporosis, improves the condition of the skin and mucous membranes (including genital organs).

The negative consequences of hormone replacement therapy are symptoms that resemble premenstrual syndrome: headaches, irritability, engorgement of the mammary glands. There may be dysfunctional uterine bleeding , in which mandatory examination is necessary to exclude malignant tumors of the uterus. There may be changes from the skin (high fat, redness and irritation), hair (hirsutism when taking testosterone).

Hormone replacement therapy: drugs

For hormone replacement therapy use drugs containing only estrogens or progesterone, as well as a combination of both hormones. If not only the ovaries are removed, but also the uterus, estrogen therapy is used for replacement therapy. From preparations containing only estrogens, most often recommend preparations Estrofem, Esterozhel, Proginova. Preparations that contain only progesterone analogues are Utrozhestan, Dufaston, Progesterone. Combined Estrogen-progestational drugs are usually monophasic preparations with a constant content of hormones. If menopause lasts less than a year, then use combined drugs with a break for menstruation, if more than a year - they are appointed permanently, without interruption.

Analogues of hormone replacement therapy can be phytoestrogens, which in their actions are similar to women's estrogens, but much weaker in terms of the strength of the effect. For this purpose, not only products rich in phytoestroics are used, but phytopreparations from plants rich in them (such red clover belongs to such plants).