Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-26DOI: 10.1080/20533691.2026.2631825
Emily Keating, Kristyn Manley
{"title":"Tales from the clinic: options for perimenopausal bleeding, contraception and menopausal symptom control.","authors":"Emily Keating, Kristyn Manley","doi":"10.1080/20533691.2026.2631825","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20533691.2026.2631825","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Women in the perimenopause need individualised advice to meet their specific health needs. Health needs may include the management of unscheduled bleeding, perimenopausal symptom control, and provision of contraception. Although the benefits of intra-uterine hormonal devices are well established to manage abnormal bleeding, provide contraception, and progestogenic opposition for hormonal replacement therapy, there are many women who choose not to use these methods. This article presents three cases of women presenting in the perimenopause where alternative medical management is offered with newer hormonal therapies: Drovelis, Dydrogesterone and Dienogest. In each case, consideration is made to the management of bleeding, perimenopausal symptom control, and provision of contraception.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":"32 1","pages":"72-76"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148551415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-27DOI: 10.1080/20533691.2026.2631221
Rachel Tulloch, Daniel Gaffiero
{"title":"Menopause, brain health and hormone replacement therapy: gaps in knowledge and policy solutions from a Scottish perspective.","authors":"Rachel Tulloch, Daniel Gaffiero","doi":"10.1080/20533691.2026.2631221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/20533691.2026.2631221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This commentary argues for the systematic integration of brain health into menopause care and policy in the United Kingdom (UK). Using Scotland as a strategically bounded case study, it examines persistent knowledge gaps among women and primary care professionals and their implications for equitable menopause care.</p><p><strong>Key issues: </strong>Menopause involves significant neuroendocrine changes that affect brain metabolism, structure, and cognition, contributing to women's disproportionate Alzheimer's disease risk. Although hormone replacement therapy may alleviate neurological and cognitive symptoms - and may offer neuroprotective benefits when initiated early - clinical uncertainty, stigma, and inconsistent guidance continue to delay recognition, support, and treatment. These gaps translate into avoidable cognitive decline, reduced quality of life, and marked inequities in access to menopause care.</p><p><strong>Implications: </strong>Targeted primary care training, coherent public communication, and UK-specific investment in evidence-based menopause services are urgently required. This programme of research is situated within Scotland as a strategically bounded, devolved health system, allowing for a focused examination of how brain health is addressed within menopause policy and practice. By embedding brain health within Scotland's Women's Health Plan, the findings will inform future comparative and UK-wide research and contribute to the development of equitable, person-centred, and brain-health informed menopause care across the lifespan.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":"32 1","pages":"77-81"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148551445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-03-16DOI: 10.1177/20533691251403027
Katrin Little, Paula Briggs
{"title":"Improving holistic menopause care in the community by upskilling health and wellbeing coaches.","authors":"Katrin Little, Paula Briggs","doi":"10.1177/20533691251403027","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20533691251403027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lifestyle optimisation and education plays a crucial role in the holistic management of symptoms during the menopause transition as well as reducing the risk of chronic diseases in the post-menopausal period. Provision of lifestyle education tailored to the menopause transition is limited in primary care, largely due to time pressures on general practitioners.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To upskill HWB coaches in primary care to deliver lifestyle advice and support as part of holistic menopause care.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A CPD and networking event aimed at HWB coaches was organised following engagement with all relevant stakeholders and collation of baseline data. This event focused on areas of highest demand according to a patient survey of women between the ages of 45 and 55 in a local GP surgery.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Pre- and post-event feedback was sought. All attendees were asked to rate their confidence on each topic presented at the event.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>An increase in confidence in the knowledge of each topic covered at the event was demonstrated by attendees.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This project demonstrated how a simple and focused education and networking event has promoted engagement and collaboration with local HWB coaches, and it has shown a clear increase in knowledge of key topics which can be transferred to their interactions with patients. It is hoped that this will serve as a foundation upon which further work can be done to expand the involvement of HWB coaches and the wider healthcare team to improve access to holistic menopause care in the community.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":" ","pages":"43-51"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145642656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-03-17DOI: 10.1177/20533691251396321
Alessandra Lami, Chiara Ferracuti, Matilde Morelli, Maria Antonietta Giosa, Renato Seracchioli, Maria Cristina Meriggiola
{"title":"The effectiveness of short-term cognitive-behavioural therapy in women facing menopause and menopausal transition.","authors":"Alessandra Lami, Chiara Ferracuti, Matilde Morelli, Maria Antonietta Giosa, Renato Seracchioli, Maria Cristina Meriggiola","doi":"10.1177/20533691251396321","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20533691251396321","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the impact of a short-term cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) protocol on menopausal symptoms and quality of life in women undergoing menopause.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A short-term individual CBT protocol was developed. Peri- and post-menopausal women with symptoms were enrolled and assigned to either the experimental group (CBT) or the waitlist (CTL group) by patient's decision.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measure: </strong>Three validated questionnaires were used to assess psychological well-being before (T1) and after (T2) the intervention: the Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS), Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (Core-OM), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life in the short version (WHOQOL-BREF).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-eight women were included, 24 in each group. At T1, the CBT group had worse scores than the CTL group across all questionnaires. At T2, the CBT group showed significant improvement in all measures, while the CTL group experienced significant worsening in CORE-OM and WHOQOL-BREF scores, with stable MRS scores. In the MRS, at T2 the CBT group showed significant reduction in both the psychological and somatic sub-domains (<0.001), while the CTL group's scores remained unchanged. In the CORE-OM, the CBT group showed significant improvement in the well-being (p = .002), problems (p = .005), and functioning (<i>p</i> = .001) sub-domains, while the CTL group had significant declines. In the WHOQOL-BREF, the CBT group demonstrated significant improvements in all domains (<i>p</i> < .001), while the CTL group declined.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A short-term tailored individual CBT protocol is effective in managing menopausal symptoms, helping women develop the resources and coping strategies needed to adjust to this complex period.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":" ","pages":"34-42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145607353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of hormone replacement therapy on musculoskeletal pain in menopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Rachel Overton, Payam Amini, Adan Chew, Opeyemi Babatunde, Kayleigh J Mason, Sneha Rathod, Victoria Welsh, Claire Burton","doi":"10.1177/20533691251403087","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20533691251403087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Up to 70% of menopausal women report musculoskeletal (MSK) pain during and after the time of menopause. This observation suggests oestrogen deficiency may play a role in the development of MSK pain and conditions which cause it. Therefore, we hypothesise that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will improve these symptoms; however, there is currently no guidance on the use of HRT for such symptoms. This review aims to synthesise current evidence on the associations between HRT and chronic MSK pain in menopausal women, to help guide clinical practice. MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane and Web of Science databases were searched from their inception to October 2024. The search initially identified 30,739 studies from which 57 studies, including a total 3,958,702 participants, were included. MSK outcomes were grouped into generalised MSK pain, osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), gout and carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS). Pooled analysis found no significant effect of ever HRT use versus never HRT use on generalised MSK pain (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.96-1.04). For OA and RA outcomes significant heterogeneity between studies restricted our ability to undertake pooled analysis. Narrative synthesis of these outcomes revealed conflicting results on the effect of HRT on these conditions. This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates the substantial heterogeneity within this field and highlights the need for bespoke studies investigating the effect of HRT on MSK pain to draw any firm conclusions to guide clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":" ","pages":"52-68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145679418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-03-05DOI: 10.1080/20533691.2026.2629181
Paula Briggs
{"title":"BMS consensus statement: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).","authors":"Paula Briggs","doi":"10.1080/20533691.2026.2629181","DOIUrl":"10.1080/20533691.2026.2629181","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This BMS Consensus Statement provides guidance on Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM), a chronic and progressive condition due to estrogen deficiency, most commonly associated with the menopause. There is a potential negative impact on all urogenital tissue quality including the vulva, vagina, bladder and urethra. Symptoms may not become apparent for several years after the menopause and therefore any association is lost, with women accepting symptoms as a normal part of the ageing process. There may be reluctance to discuss symptoms with a clinician, and this is likely to be linked with under diagnosis and under treatment. GSM has been described as a silent epidemic with lack of awareness affecting an accurate diagnosis and access to treatment. Whilst vaginal estrogen (also referred to as local estrogen) therapy is the best-known treatment, newer drugs and interventions are now available.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":"32 1","pages":"8-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148551432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-10DOI: 10.1177/20533691251394145
Edward Morris, Heather Currie
{"title":"Change is afoot - Time for a 10-year menopause plan?","authors":"Edward Morris, Heather Currie","doi":"10.1177/20533691251394145","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20533691251394145","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":" ","pages":"237-238"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145483609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Post reproductive healthPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-20DOI: 10.1177/20533691251372816
Veena Kaul, Debbie Hallott
{"title":"Collaborative working with secondary care to enable increased provision of menopause care by primary care services.","authors":"Veena Kaul, Debbie Hallott","doi":"10.1177/20533691251372816","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20533691251372816","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundThe vast majority of menopause care is delivered by primary care services; however, in recent years there has been an increase in referrals to secondary care services resulting in longer waiting times for patients.AimFacilitate the delivery of effective and timely menopause care for women without need for referral and long waits at Mid Yorkshire Hospital Teaching Trust (MYHTT). This required collaboration between primary and secondary care services.Methods(1) Development of joint Menopause Care & HRT Formulary. (2) Review of Menopause Referrals to MYHTT. (3) Developing Women's Health Leads network & Women's Health Hub via Microsoft Teams channel. (4) Streamlining management of unscheduled bleeding on HRT. (5) Developed Patient information for Menopause and HRT leaflets in the five most spoken languages in our community.ResultsOver 70% reduction in referrals to MYHTT to menopause service and over 30% reduction in referrals to post-menopausal bleeding clinics. It demonstrates that our shared learning approach has bridged the gap between primary and secondary care, creating a more supportive and inclusive healthcare environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":" ","pages":"279-283"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145103234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The use of HRT containing transdermal estradiol in women with a personal history of venous or arterial thromboembolism: A consecutive series of 115 cases.","authors":"Phoebe Howells, Sadiya Hussain, Emily Hulme, Kugajeevan Vigneswaran, Samar Zia, Mohsen Hassan, Roopen Arya, Haitham Hamoda","doi":"10.1177/20533691251369205","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20533691251369205","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>ObjectiveTo assess the risk of further thrombosis with using HRT containing transdermal estradiol in women with a personal history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or arterial thromboembolism (ATE).MethodsWe undertook analysis of patients with a history of VTE/ATE who had been seen in the menopause clinic at King's College Hospital. They were followed up for a minimum of a 12 months period to assess for recurrence of VTE/ATE.ResultsThe study included 115 patients with a personal history of VTE/ATE who had used HRT for over a year. 81% had a history of a VTE, 19% had suffered from an ATE. Patients had taken HRT containing transdermal estradiol +/- micronised progesterone or Mirena coil or combined transdermal HRT for a range of 1-20 years, with an average duration of 3 years. 11 patients had switched from oral HRT to transdermal HRT after visiting the clinic. All patients had been referred to a haematologist with 20% of patients requiring life-long anticoagulation based on their medcial background history. 64% of the patients had documented thrombophilia results with 42% of those being positive for a thrombophilia. 39/115 patients required a higher dose of estrogen, taking either more than two pumps of gel/spray or >50 micrograms in the form of a patch. Significantly on follow up (up to 12 months or more), none of the patients had a recurrence of a thromboembolism within 12 months of starting HRT containing transdermal estradiol.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study assessing the use of HRT containing transdermal estradiol in women with a personal history of VTE/ATE. None of the patients assessed had a thromboembolic event within 12 months of follow up. This study will enable more clinicians to consider prescribing HRT in patients with a personal history of VTE/ATE and higher patient uptake, after individualised risk-assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":52104,"journal":{"name":"Post reproductive health","volume":" ","pages":"249-253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12669395/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}