Top news in menopause: hormone therapy, symptoms to expect and more

The Healio Editors compiled news on menopause in women’s health for National Women’s Health Week.

Highlights include what women can expect during menopause; the link between shorter sleep duration and later menopause onset; efficacy of estetrol for alleviating vasomotor symptoms during postmenopause; menopause symptoms in late reproductive stage; possible Alzheimer’s protection from use of perimenopausal hormone therapy; and more.

Read these articles, and others, below.

Long-term studies reveal what women can expect during menopause

More than ever before, women today may have more information — and misinformation — about menopause. Read more

Earlier age at menopause, later HT initiation linked to Alzheimer’s disease vulnerability

Being younger at menopause onset and initiating hormone therapy after more than 5 years were both linked to increased tau vulnerability among women, according to a cross-sectional study published in JAMA Neurology. Read more

Observation in lieu of surgery OK for simple ovarian cysts after menopause

For postmenopausal women, simple ovarian cysts were likely to remain unchanged or disappear during follow-up, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Menopause. Read more

Shorter sleep duration linked to later onset of menopause

Japanese women who habitually slept 6 hours or less per night were more likely to experience menopause at an older age than those who reported longer sleep duration, according to data published in Menopause. Read more

Body dissatisfaction associated with eating disorders in midlife women

Similar to younger women, midlife women’s dissatisfaction with their body was linked to eating disorder pathology, according to the findings of a small study published in Menopause. Read more

Estetrol effective in alleviating vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women

Use of the hormone estetrol 15 mg once daily had estrogenic effects in the vagina while decreasing atrophy signs and may be a promising treatment option for menopausal symptoms other than vasomotor symptoms, according to researchers. Read more

SKYLIGHT data: Fezolinetant for vasomotor symptoms appears safe, well tolerated

Three SKYLIGHT phase 3 trials demonstrated that treatment with nonhormonal fezolinetant was associated with alleviation moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms during menopause with acceptable safety and tolerability. Read more

Menopause symptoms may arise in late reproductive stage

Spanish-speaking women in the late reproductive stage reported eight menopause symptoms at the same frequency as those already transitioning through menopause, according to a cross-sectional analysis published in Menopause. Read more

Combined estrogen plus progestin for menopausal symptoms not linked to type 2 diabetes risk

Risk for type 2 diabetes with use of menopausal hormone therapy varied by type of HT, according to a retrospective cohort study of women in South Korea published in Menopause. Read more

Hormone therapy in perimenopause may protect against Alzheimer’s disease

Hormone therapy may promote better memory and cognitive function and larger brain volumes among women carrying APOE4, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Read more