Index
In different parts of their lives, women go through different transformations that place great demands on their bodies and generate major hormonal changes. Menstruation , pregnancy and menopause are the main stages in which all these radical changes occur in their bodies.
It is not surprising that several endocrine problems arise in the course of the life of some of them and even other problems that arise after this great manifestation of hormones.
Menopause
However, a specific phase generates changes that can be dangerous to the health of some women. We are talking about menopause , which is basically the exit of women of childbearing age.
The body, understanding that there will be no more reproduction, starts to decrease the production of certain hormones, mainly estrogen, which is responsible for several functions in the body such as the distribution of fat throughout the body, the control of skin texture, besides exercising several functions in your reproductive system.
The big problem is that some women end up suffering too much from the lack of estrogen and the symptoms of menopause that are common end up being stronger and disrupting the lives of some of them. This lack of production of some hormones can end up causing certain diseases or disorders in women.
In those cases considered more severe, the lack of estrogen should be treated with hormone replacement therapy (or HRT), which is basically a treatment designed to control the woman’s hormone production to prevent or treat the diseases or disorders that may arise.
Diseases Acquired by Lack of Hormones
The main diseases that a woman can acquire due to the lack of hormones, especially estrogen, are:
- osteoporosis
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Alzheimer’s disease
As you can see, the lack of hormones can affect virtually every area of a woman’s body, and certain treatments can help fight and prevent these problems. But it is always good to remember that hormone replacement therapy has some benefits and also consequences.
But, after all, what is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy or HRT is done using medications controlled by a doctor. In most cases, it serves to relieve the symptoms of menopause when a woman is suffering from them, but it also serves to treat certain diseases derived from the lack of hormone production, such as osteoporosis , for example.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment is usually done with small doses of hormones taken orally or with some skin medication such as patches and gels. Hormonal implants are also done in some cases, although they are more rare. Treatment is done with doses of estrogen and progesterone , but women who have already removed the uterus do not need to replace the uterus.
Treatment contraindications
Not all women can do this type of therapy, as the treatment involves strong medications and a relatively large amount of hormones. The main contraindications for hormone replacement therapy are:
- Women with a history of cancer (mainly breast and endometrial)
- Women who have already suffered a stroke
- Women who have suffered a heart attack
- Women with severe venous thrombone cases or clotting disorders
- Women with lupus
These contraindications exist for a simple reason: All of these diseases can be affected in some way because of the new hormones that enter your body.
WARNING: Do all tests with a trusted doctor before starting hormone replacement therapy, the consequences of such a therapy done without caution can be severe.
Diseases Hormone Replacement Therapy Helps Combat
Hormone replacement therapy is sure to have great benefits and help fight various types of diseases , in addition to relieving menopausal symptoms for women and women who really need it. But how are these diseases fought through HRT? We will talk about the effect of treatment on some of them to clarify this issue.
osteoporosis
Osteoporosis in women is often caused by the low production of estrogen that causes weakening of the bones. With hormone replacement therapy, the bones can strengthen because of the increased production of calcium in the woman’s body and, consequently, the problems of osteoporosis decrease or even disappear.
Depression and Anxiety
It is well known that depression affects many women more than men. This is because, as it is a disease that can be caused by some unregulated hormones in the body, among them estrogen, one of the main hormones produced in a woman’s body. For this reason, a hormone replacement therapy also benefits the treatment of diseases such as depression and anxiety.
Cardiovascular diseases
Hormone replacement therapy increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL) in women and helps to prevent or treat various cardiovascular diseases, in particular to relieve the symptoms of coronary artery disease .
Alzheimer’s disease
Recent studies show that the decrease in the main female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone directly affect a woman’s ability to memorize . Of course, this is a disease that also has genetic causes, but HRT can help delay the problem or prevent it in some cases.
It is always good to know that there is an option for problems that at first do not seem very serious, but that can become real stones in the shoe and can disrupt the lives of many people when not treated.
The female body undergoes so many changes throughout life that it is almost impossible that some symptoms do not appear at one stage or another. Although not always necessary, hormone replacement therapy has been helping to fight disease and relieve menopausal symptoms that cause discomfort in women. We can certainly say that HRT is a great help and a great step forward in terms of women’s health.
See Also: Testosterone Replacement in Men May Affect Male Fertility
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
