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In 2002, Women’s Health Initiative found the drugs that women usually taking for menopause could increase the risk of heart attack.
Health advocates says one third of the former users of hormone therapy-pharmaceutical companies put that total figure at over 18 million–are likely going without treatment or trying alternative remedies.

Rita, for instance, now using a vaginal ring that releases estrogen called the Femring. Taken along with progestin pills, this regimen is helping her feel much better.

Tens of millions of US women entering menopause offered been offered the hormone therapy, the stage during women stop menstruating and estrogen levels drop.
In the late 1960s, estrogen-progestin combination or an estrogen, only version for women who had had hysterectomies–were touted as the “cure” for menopause and to protect against breast cancer and heart disease.

In 1991 with 161,000 women enrolled, reported that hormone therapy can lead to small increases in strokes, blood clots, heart attacks and breast cancer. These risks outweighed the drug’s benefits of slight protection against bone fractures and colorectal cancer.

And now many women, like Rita, using the vaginal ring meanwhile others are taking non-hormonal drugs that could prevent bone loss and hot flashes or with a low-dose versions of hormone therapy.
With selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (such as Effexor) ease hot flashes. Biophosphonates, such as Actonel and Fosamax, selective estrogen receptor modulators (such as Evista) work to maintain bone density.

Though scientists have yet to study the long-term safety and efficacy of these alternative remedies, health advocates hold out hope for more research on all of the above.