I am 59 and post-menopausal and I have osteoporosis. Is hormone replacement good to prevent worsening of my osteoporosis?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is essentially using elevated levels of estrogen and progestin (hormones typically found in some birth control pills) to replace the depleted levels of hormones after menopause.  HRT is indicated to prevent osteoporosis, however, there are serious side effects that all women should be away of.  In 1991, a study known as the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) launched a set of clinical trials and an observational studies, involving 161,808 generally healthy postmenopausal women.  The WHI trials found that women taking HRT had increased risk of:

  1. Blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. 
  2. Adverse coronary events such as heart attacks.
  3. Invasive breast cancer
  4. Dementia

In light of these risks, women are advised to consult their primary healthcare provider on their individual risks and benefits if they are interested in HRT.