Menopause hormone therapy fears overblown, Women’s Health Initiative finds

More than two decades ago, the shocking results of a major women’s health study challenged the safety of menopause hormones, and overnight, millions of women and their doctors abandoned the drugs — a reluctance that lingers today.

Now, a long-term follow-up of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) shows that the reaction was largely overblown. The new research found that for many younger menopausal women — typically those under 60 — the benefits of the drugs probably outweigh the risks for the short-term treatment of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats.