When women reach a certain age, usually 48 to 55 with the average age being 51, women undergo a physiological change called menopause. It marks the end of the monthly menstrual cycle, a blessing to many and bane to others.

WebMD explains:

A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control menstruation and ovulation. Menopause happens when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

Menopause not only is indicative of the end of the release of eggs, but it also results in a sharp decrease in the production and release of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The decrease in these hormones cause a number of physiological changes in a woman’s body, such as mood swings, fatigue, hot flashes, depression, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, reduced bladder control, headaches, joint pain, vaginal dryness and a decrease or loss of sex drive.

Treatments for menopause range from changes in diet, to medications and something known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

What is hormone replacement therapy? According to the Mayo Clinic:

Hormone replacement therapy — medications containing female hormones to replace the ones the body no longer makes after menopause — is sometimes used to treat common menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and vaginal discomfort.

Hormone therapy has also been proved to prevent bone loss and reduce fracture in postmenopausal women.

Before women opt to undergo hormone replacement therapy, they need to be aware of the risks that could outweigh the benefits. Those risks include heart disease, blood clots, stoke and breast cancer. But, not taking any kind of hormone replacement, specifically, estrogen, increases the risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, osteoporosis and Parkinson’s-like symptoms.

Above, it is mentioned that hormone replacement therapy did increase the risk of breast cancer, but a newer study indicates that risk is much higher than previously thought:

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) raises the risk of getting breast cancer by a third — double previous estimates.

And the danger remains for more than a decade after the menopause treatment, a major study shows.

It means HRT is to blame for one in 20 breast cancers, the researchers say. It also makes it one of the major triggers for the disease after smoking, they warn.

This study makes the decision of whether or not to undergo hormone replacement therapy more difficult that ever before. A woman has to weigh the pros and cons for them before making their decision.

Pros – reduced menopause symptoms (hot flashes, mood swings and vaginal dryness). Reduced risk of osteoporosis and depression.

Cons – increased risk of blood clots, stroke and greater risk of breast cancer.

Kind of sounds like a darned if you do and darned in you don’t. The weight of each factor will vary for every woman, so there is no way anyone can make a sweeping recommendation or warning.

Ladies, just don’t rush in with your decision based on the here and now, but take time to look down the road and discuss the pros and cons with your doctor, family and friends and then make that decision that you feel is best for you.