Hormone replacement therapy in young women with primary ovarian insufficiency can help restore bone mineral density
Hormones can help bones in cases of ovary insufficiency
Hormone replacement therapy in young women with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) led to increases in their bone mineral density, restoring levels to normal, according to new federally funded research.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, may provide important treatment information for women with POI and their physicians. Researchers at the NIH examined scans of the hip and lower spine to determine the effects of hormone treatment on bone mineral density of women with POI.
Spontaneous POI, which affects 1 in 100 women by age 40, occurs when the ovaries stop producing sufficient estrogen in the absence of a known cause, such as anorexia, chromosome abnormality or chemotherapy. It is typically characterized by irregular or absent menstrual cycles, hot flashes and fertility problems. Women with POI have reduced bone mineral density, which can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures.
— John Petrick