Aphrodite is going through menopause and is considering menopause hormone therapy. What symptoms should she expect to experience during menopause? What would you advise her to do concerning MHT? Use research presented in your text to explain why you would give her this advice

What will be an ideal response?

There are several different symptoms that a woman may experience during menopause. Each woman is different, and thus there is no way to know which woman will experience which combination of symptoms, or of what severity. Some of the symptoms include the following: hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, mood changes, difficulty concentrating, vaginal dryness, changing cholesterol levels, and a variety of aches and pains. Negative sexuality-related symptoms include low libido, and genital changes include a reduction of vaginal lubrication (increase in vaginal dryness), thinning and shrinking of vaginal walls, decrease in the size of the vagina, and some shrinking of external genitalia.

Menopause hormone therapy is controversial, as the research has found both risks and benefits. Risks include an increase in the rates of breast cancer, strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks, while the benefits appear to be a decrease in many of the symptoms listed above, as well as a reduction in hip fractures and colorectal cancer. Recommendations have been made that women over the age of 60 should not start MHT.