What Is Hormone Therapy?

As women age, entering perimenopause and then menopause (defined as 12 months without menstruating), their bodies’ production of the female reproductive hormones, estrogen and/or progesterone, decrease. For many, this decrease, which can also occur as the result of a hysterectomy, causes uncomfortable, and sometimes even debilitating symptoms. Among the most common are: hot flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, hair loss, and headaches. For years hormone replacement therapy was routinely prescribed for women suffering from these symptoms. However, in 2002, new research reported that hormone replacement therapy could increase a woman’s risk for heart disease, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. As a result, many physicians stopped recommending hormone replacement therapy. This discovery also ignited the search for a safer hormone replacement solution. That solution is bioidentical hormones, which offer all the benefits of old school hormone replacement therapy, but without the health risks.

What are bioidentical hormones?

Bioidentical hormones are identical in molecular structure and function to the hormones produced naturally in a woman’s body. For this reason, these hormones are easily metabolized and do not produce harmful side effects. Bioidentical hormones are made from a plant chemical extract derived from yams and soy. These extracts are then processed in a medical lab to precisely duplicate the structure of a woman’s natural hormones. At Mid-Kansas Women's Center, we specialize in bioidentical hormones, believing that women shouldn’t unnecessarily suffer nor have to put their health at risk. We have safely helped countless women resume active, symptom-free lives with the use of bioidentical hormone therapy.

What are the advantages of bioidentical hormones?

A woman’s body is unable to tell the difference between bioidentical hormones and those naturally produced by her ovaries. At Mid-Kansas Women’s Center, our OB/GYNs carefully measure each woman’s entire hormone panel and tailor a replacement program specifically to meet her individual needs. This is another significant advantage over traditional hormone therapy in which standardized dosages are prescribed.