Everyone's talking about hormone therapy for menopause. Should I be on it?
A physician addresses common questions and misconceptions regarding menopausal hormone therapy. The article highlights the importance of evidence-based care while warning against the influence of social media misinformation and unproven supplements.
Why it matters
As menopause becomes a more prominent topic in public discourse, patients need reliable medical guidance to navigate the influx of conflicting information from influencers and telehealth marketing.
Sunnu Rebecca Choi for NPR Dr. Mara Gordon, a family physician in Camden, N.J., answers reader health questions monthly. Send in your question to: thrive@npr.org.
Q: I am in perimenopause. I keep seeing posts all over social media talking up menopausal hormone therapy as cure-all. Should I be taking hormones? Should everyone?
A: I'm not surprised that you've been hearing the hype. There's been an explosion of menopause content from influencers, direct-to-consumer telehealth companies marketing to women in midlife, and new books and podcasts on the topic.
Real Talk With a Doc I hate getting Pap smears. Is there a safe alternative? This is great news for women. Menopause has historically been under-studied and stigmatized, so I love seeing more open conversations about this stage of life. And the pendulum has swung on hormone therapy; medical groups now recommend it again for many patients, after years of cautioning against it.
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