Dr Kathy Gillies, a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Hospital, said many women did not want to use HRT after the medication was linked to breast cancer following a study more than a decade ago.
However, she said that further studies had since been carried out which show that the health benefits of HRT at a low dosages outweigh not taking it and she has urged women experiencing menopausal symptoms to consult their doctors.
Oestrogen is the main hormone used in HRT. During the menopause a woman’s oestrogen levels naturally decline and a lack of the hormone has been linked to health issues such as diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular disease, dementia and osteoporosis.
However, after HRT made the news when it was linked to breast cancer, the number of women who took the medication drastically dropped.
‘In 2003 there was a major scare,’ Dr Gillies said. ‘Following a trial, fears came out that it could cause cancer and do harm. That has all been reviewed. There’s lots more research now showing that there is a minimal increase in risk with cancer or cardiovascular disease.
‘HRT has support from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. It’s about educating women about the benefits of HRT and the importance of having oestrogen in the body.’
According to NICE figures, there are 23 cases of breast cancer diagnosed per 1,000 women aged between 50 and 59 in the UK. That figure rises to 27 in women on combined HRT, but drops to 19 in women on oestrogen-only HRT.
In comparison, there are an additional 24 cases of breast cancer in women who are overweight or obese, and an additional three cases in women who are smokers.
‘Just by being overweight you are more at risk [of] getting breast cancer than getting it when you’re on HRT,’ Dr Gillies said.
Menopausal symptoms, which include hot flushes, irregular periods, weight gain and mood changes, can be treated with HRT, Dr Gillies added.
‘Unlike in the olden days, women are not just sitting at home and dying at 50,’ she said. ‘They likely have a family and a husband and are working until 67 while trying to cope with a lack of oestrogen. They are living about 30 per cent of their life post menopause.’
Although some women undergo blood tests to measure their levels of follicle-stimulating hormone as FSH levels increase when menopause occurs, Dr Gillies does not advise this course of action.
‘Women often come to me to ask for a blood test,’ she said. ‘I’m trying to ask healthcare professionals not to do that. The tests can fluctuate and so can give false reassurance.
‘What we should look at is treating the woman’s symptoms, not carry out blood tests.’
For more information, call 442742 or email o.leeming@health.gov.je.
