The ovary is a complex metabolic organ. The follicles produce both androgens and estrogens, whereas the stromal tissue synthesizes androgens only. When menopause occurs, both androgen and estrogen levels decrease. The postmenopausal ovary remains a source of endogenous androgens that are converted to estrogen. The consequences of premature removal of the ovaries are not well known. The risks and benefits of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) in women with premature menopause have not been studied. Women who have had surgical menopause experience more severe symptoms and will need to stop estrogen therapy at some point in their lives. Intense symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia will redevelop, so women should be given informed consent about the need for long-term use of HT and the greater difficulty in discontinuing therapy.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine/Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Requests for reprints should be addressed to Susan L. Hendrix, DO, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University/Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48201.
The opinions offered at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) State-of-the Science Conference on Management of Menopause-Related Symptoms and published herein are not necessarily those of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) or any of the cosponsoring institutes, offices, or centers of the NIH. Although the NIA and OMAR organized this meeting, this article is not intended as a statement of Federal guidelines or policy.
Publication of the online supplement was made possible by funding from the NIA and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the NIH, US Department of Health & Human Services.
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