Menopause

According to some estimates, hot flashes affect approximately 32 million women in the United States and may be the most common menopause-related discomfort. Although estrogen can effectively treat this symptom, concerns over estrogen’s safety have caused clinicians and patients alike to seek effective alternatives.

Sexual desire in patients with breast cancer is not affected by adjuvant endocrine therapy, but is significantly reduced in those women with chemotherapy- or gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist-induced menopause, according to a study published online March 2 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

After reaching menopause, women experience body composition changes such as loss of lean body mass, increase in body fat mass, and a shift to central or android fat distribution-all of which are associated with negative health issues. Researchers have hypothesized that hormone therapy might help counter these changes, but thus far studies have been limited by size, type (ie, observational), or length of intervention.

Acupuncture may be an effective alternative therapy for reducing menopausal complaints, especially the severity of hot flushes, according to a study published in the March issue of Acupuncture in Medicine.

Postmenopausal women who used to smoke or who currently smoke appear to be at a higher risk of invasive breast cancer than postmenopausal women who never smoked, according to a study published online March 1 in BMJ.

High body mass index (BMI) and low levels of physical activity are associated with increased risk of triple-negative and estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers in postmenopausal women, according to a study published online March 1 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Breast cancer incidence rates among non-Hispanic (NH) white women in the United States stabilized between 2003 and 2007 after a sharp decline between 2002 and 2003 that followed a drop in the use of postmenopausal hormone therapy, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

For women taking postmenopausal hormone therapy, breast cancer risk is greater among users of estrogen-progestin formulations, and those who begin treatment earlier, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Use of oral bisphsphonates ofr more than one year in postmenopausal women is associated with a 59 percent decrease in the relative risk of colorectoal cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Nitroglycerin ointment appears to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and decrease bone resorption in postmenopausal women when administered daily, according to research published in the Feb. 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Metabolic syndrome appears to have little impact on sexual function in middle- to old-aged women, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Women who experience menopausal symptoms and have increased intensity of hot flushes have a reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Menopausal women treated with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram have fewer, and less severe, hot flashes than women taking a placebo, according to a study published in the Jan. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

North American Menopause Society 2009

To investigate the accuracy of Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) in identifying the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Body Mass Index, Percent Body Fat, and Regional Body Fat Distribution in Relation to Leptin Concentrations in Healthy,Non-Smoking Postmenopausal Women in a Feeding Study

Are these symptoms of Menopause?Am I experiencing Perimenopause?What should I expect from HRT?

Should a woman continue PAP tests after menopause?

Are these symptoms of Menopause?Am I experiencing Perimenopause?What should I expect from HRT?

Are these symptoms of Menopause?What should I expect from HRT?Am I experiencing Perimenopause?

When can I discontinue using contraceptives for birth control??

Are these symptoms of Menopause?Am I experiencing Perimenopause?

Are these symptoms of Menopause?Am I experiencing Perimenopause?What should I expect from HRT?

Are irregular periods or headaches normal with Premphase?

Doctor, Are these symptoms of Menopause?Doctor, am I experiencing Perimenopause?Doctor, What should I expect from HRT?

Are these symptoms of Menopause? Am I experiencing Perimenopause?What should I expect from HRT?

Can you provide me with any information or known contraindications for a lady with multiple sclerosis prescribed hormone replacement therapy?

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom the 9th World Congress on Menopause - Yokohama, Japan-2000

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom the International PCOSupport Conference and the Women’s Symposium on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - San Diego, CA - May 2000

Sixteen years since its inception, The North American Menopause Society has become the leading organization focused on promoting the health and quality of life for women through an understanding of menopause. The organization has experienced phenomenal growth through the years, and present-day NAMS leaders look to the future with confidence.