Hormone therapy is commonly used to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause, which are caused by reduced estrogen levels. The most well-known symptom of menopause is hot flashes. But other symptoms include disturbances to the sleep cycle and vaginal dryness. In some instances, hormone therapy also is used to help prevent osteoporosis from developing in women. Stages of Menopause  Menopause can be broken down into three stages. The first is perimenopause, or the period during which ...

A new study has determined that certain types of Hormone Replacement  Therapy (HRT) have "very significant effects" on the genes associated with breast cancer. The study -- which was presented to the World Congress on Menopause, held in Cancun, Mexico -- may be the first step in identifying which types of HRT have minimal effect on breast cancer. It also opens the door to the long-term possibility of personalizing HRT according to a woman's specific genes. Swedish Research The report r...