Some types of hormone therapy may contribute to depression among menopausal women

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-11-02 02:00

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Danish scientists looked at health records of 825,238 Danish women over age 45, and say women who receive systemically administered (whole-body) hormone therapy before and during menopause are more likely to experience depression than women who do not receive hormone therapy. The risk among women on systemic hormone therapy was especially high the year after treatment with oestrogen alone or oestrogen combined with progestin started, the researchers say. They also found that women who received locally administered (more targeted) hormone therapy were less likely to experience depression than women receiving no hormone therapy, but only among women over 54. Younger women receiving locally administered hormone therapy had the same risk of depression as women receiving no hormone therapy, they say

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From: JAMA

Association of Hormone Therapy With Depression During Menopause

About The Study: The findings of this study of women in Denmark followed up from age 45 suggest that systemically administered (oral or transdermal) hormonal therapy before and during menopause is associated with higher risk of depression, especially in the years immediately after initiation, whereas locally administered (intravaginal or intrauterine) hormonal therapy is associated with lower risk of depression for women 54 years or older.

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Research JAMA, Web page The URL will go live after the embargo ends

Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospitals, Denmark

Funder: Dr Wium-Andersen reported grant funding from Jashafonden during the conduct of the study and grant funding from Lundbeckfoundation and Hjerteforeningen outside the submitted work.

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