One of the world's leading menopause and midlife health organisations, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has published its latest position statement on the use of hormone therapy (also known as hormone replacement therapy), entitled Oestrogen and progesterone use in postmenopausal women: 2010 position statement of The North American Menopause Society.

The position statement was last reviewed in July 2008. NAMS enlisted an Advisory Panel of 17 women's health experts to review the position statement and update it as required, based on recent evidence-based research. The panel's recommendations were reviewed and endorsed by the NAMS Board of Trustees. Other interested health organisations were also invited to participate in the review process, including The Endocrine Society, the American Medical Women's Association,  Asociación Mexicana para el Estudio del Climaterio (AMEC), HealthyWomen, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) and Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).

The role of the position statement is to help both health professionals and members of the public to better understand the benefits and risks of hormone therapy. This 2010 position statement includes updated sections on breast cancer, dementia and cognitive decline, coronary heart disease and stroke, and discontinuance, as well as new information on ovarian cancer and lung cancer.

Jean Hailes Director Prof Henry Burger welcomed the new position statement, which he described as "the latest step in health professional circles to ease the anxiety surrounding hormone therapy use and place into proper perspective the results of the Women's Health Initiative study from 2002."

The full position statement is available to download at http://www.menopause.org/aboutmeno/consensus.aspx

Content Updated March 16, 2010