You can read the full article hereBy Dubravka VoloderPostedA review has found hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause is safe, ending a decade of worry and confusion for women.An alarming study in 2002 said HRT for menopause raised the risk of blood clots, breast cancer and strokes.
Since then there has been intense debate about whether that risk was big enough to outweigh the benefits of the treatment.
But now, an expert review has concluded the original study was flawed.
I'm glad to hear this because to be honest I was a little worried. Having heard about the potential risks I had occasionally wondered what I would do when the time came. Naturally I don't want to put myself at risk and was contemplating refusing any HRT treatment but now it seems I may not have to worry and that when I reach the point where HRT looks like an option, I'll be much less hesitant about it. Of course I will try to keep up-to-date with the research and see what the current scientific consensus is at the time but for now, I'm glad that Australian women can be reassured by the latest findings.
That's the wonderful thing about science though. When it's wrong, it's not afraid to say so and re-test. In fact, the very basis of the scientific method is that it's good to be wrong - something to celebrate even - because that means you get to move forward and try again to get it right. Have you hugged a scientist lately?
I do feel really sorry though for the group of women who didn't/weren't able to utilise HRT during their menopause due to the warnings and potential risks (and fair enough, I wouldn't have either) as they must have done it hard. Ladies, I salute you.
