Did you know that unlike any other species, women live decades beyond their reproductive years? Women deserve to embrace a vibrant, energetic, and sexually fulfilling life that lasts well into their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
In this podcast of Did You Know, Dr. Simon of IntimMedicine Specialists discusses how Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) is helping women move past the stereotypes of aging by maintaining vitality, energy, and sexual health into their later years. From reducing hot flashes and preventing bone loss to supporting heart health and overall confidence, MHT is redefining what it means to thrive later in life. Continue reading to learn more with host Sue Saville and featured guest Dr. James Simon.
Sue Saville:
Hello, and welcome to this episode in the Did You Know video podcast series entitled The Heart, the Bones, and the Vagina, discussing Menopause Hormone Therapy, or MHT. These episodes bring you concise updates from clinicians and academics on the latest developments in their areas of expertise. My name is Sue Saville, an independent healthcare communication specialist, former medical correspondent at Britain’s ITV News, and delighted to be in conversation with the guest speakers in this series, which has been sponsored by Besins Healthcare. In this episode, we’ll hear how menopause hormone therapy can help women to maintain their vitality, energy, and sexual activity many decades after their childbearing years. I’m delighted to be joined by Professor James Simon, who is a clinical professor at the University of Washington in the USA. Welcome, Professor Simon. What is your key theme?
Dr. James Simon:
Did you know that women were living an extremely long time relative to the end of their reproduction? In contrast to all animals on the planet, which typically die a short time after their reproduction is over, women are living into their seventies, eighties, nineties. I even have a few patients who are over 100. They want to remain active, vital, engaged with their world and their families, and their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren, and they want to remain sexual beings. This can only be accomplished with proper preventive therapy.
Sue Saville:
How can menopause hormone therapy help women to maintain the quality of life they want for many years after their fertile years?
Dr. James Simon:
As you know, women really want to remain engaged, active, healthy, and vital. Menopausal hormone therapy can take women a long way toward that multiple goal. That includes menopausal hormone therapy for preventing bone loss, preventing cardiovascular risk changes and events, and maintaining healthy vulva, vagina, and the attitudes that go along with a healthy lifestyle.
Sue Saville:
Some women are wary about staying on hormone therapy indefinitely. What should they understand about the long-term benefits of hormonal support?
Dr. James Simon:
As you know, one of the main concerns of women is, “How long can I be on these medications, namely hormone therapy, Dr. Simon?” That needs to be an individualized decision. But many women go off only to realize that their hot flashes come back, their vagina and vulvar pain comes back, their urinary tract symptoms come back. Their recurrent urinary tract infections are back in full swing. What they don’t know is they’re losing bone. Their cardiovascular system is accumulating plaque, and their sleep has gone straight to hell. Many women will consider, if properly encouraged with good evidence, to remain on their hormone therapy for symptoms and disease prevention for a very long time. When to stop, if something in their health history requires stopping, that’s a good time to stop. If not, I think if they’re doing well, they can remain on hormone therapy as long as it’s beneficial to them and as long as they want to remain on it, there’s no hard line in the sand, you must stop now.
Sue Saville:
Well, thank you so much, professor James Simon, for your insights into how women with the help of MHT can maintain their vitality, energy, and sexual activity for many, many years after the menopause. For our audience, thank you for joining us. You can find other episodes in this Did You Know series, they are at https://www.emjreviews.com/reproductive-health/podcasts/did-you-know-2024-podcast-series Goodbye for now.
For more information about menopausal health, contact Dr. Simon at IntimMedicine Specialists. To schedule an appointment, call our office at (202) 293-1000 or intimmedicine.com/contact-us/
