New Study Shakes Up Thinking on Hormone Replacement Therapy

FRIDAY, Dec. 13, 2019 -- The ongoing debate about postmenopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer risk may have turned even more muddy: A large, new study suggests that two different types of hormone therapy have opposite effects on women's long-term risk of the disease.

The researchers found that combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) -- with estrogen and progestin -- increases the risk of breast cancer, with effects that last for years after women discontinue the therapy.

It's Not Just Menopause to Blame for Older Women's Flagging Sex Drive

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 -- It's not uncommon for a woman's sex life to slow down with age, but hormones aren't the only reason she might not be in the mood, a new study suggests.

Postmenopausal issues, such as vaginal dryness or pain during sex, definitely put a damper on a woman's desire. But just as often, it was issues with her partner that brought sexual activity to a halt.

HIV Could Speed Menopause Onset

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6, 2019 -- Women with HIV experience menopause years sooner than other women -- about three years earlier, on average, a new study finds.

Treatment advances are keeping people with the virus alive longer, and those who adhere to therapy are expected to live into their mid-70s or longer. That means they'll face aging issues that affect sexual and reproductive health, including menopause, the study authors noted.

How Does Early Menopause Affect a Woman's Heart?

THURSDAY, Oct. 10, 2019 -- Menopause before age 50 puts women at increased risk of nonfatal heart conditions, and the earlier menopause occurs, the greater the risk, new research suggests.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 300,000 women who were part of 15 studies around the world, and found that women who reached menopause before age 50 were more likely to have a nonfatal heart problem, such as a heart attack, angina or stroke.