Sarah Swindells

So proud of this work

A huge part of my work is about giving women access to the right information so they can make an informed decision about the care that’s right for them. I don’t mind if women choose not to take HRT if they have made their decision based on accurate and up-to-date evidence, but we know many women who can safely take HRT decide not to because of risks detailed in older studies that looked at older types of HRT. The type of HRT we prescribe today has the same molecular structure as the natural hormones we produce in our body and, for most women, the benefits outweigh any risk. Low hormones can cause such a wide array of symptoms and it’s not uncommon for women to end up on several different medications to try to treat each symptom individually. But if the symptom in question is related to low hormones, then the best treatment is one that addresses the underlying cause - replacing the missing hormones. When weighing up the benefits, it’s important to consider whether HRT will help you to stay off other medications (which may have their own risks), as well as looking at the future health benefits you may experience, such as reduced risk of osteoporosis, heart disease and dementia.