Last month Channel 4 aired a fascinating documentary with some shocking revelations about the menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Davina McCall presents the hour-long programme, which is available for another eight days on the C4 Website and streaming service, explaining how she started experiencing menopausal symptoms at the age of 44.
During the programme she explores the stigma around HRT, busts myths and shares some shocking revelations.
Flawed study
One of the biggest eye-openers for us watching the programme related to the 2002 study, which many will remember splashed across the front pages of newspapers, linking HRT to breast cancer.
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trial took place in the United States and followed 16,000 women.
Although the trial was cut short, the preliminary findings were released to the media. Davina explains that overnight 1,000,000 women abandoned their HRT for fear of contracting breast cancer.
1m women abandoned HRT overnight
During the documentary it’s revealed that the study stated the risk of breast cancer increased by a whopping 26 per cent when women took a combined pill of estrogen and progestin, with a spike in the risk of heart disease, stroke and blood clots also cited (see below for today’s risk percentages).
Today only one in ten women take HRT, despite specialists believing that it can treat much more than just short-term symptoms of the menopause.
Panay: Study “far from ideal”
Gynecologist, Dr Nick Panay, describes in the programme how over 50 per cent of women came off HRT in the subsequent year after the media coverage.
He explained that the design of the study “was far from ideal”, with an average age of 63 of those taking part, and some aged 79, despite women of that age group not being routinely prescribed HRT.
70-79-year-old age group affected by breast cancer
A follow up five years later found that it was really only the 70-79-year-old age group that had problems of heart attack cases and breast cancer.
The women taking part were on average 12 years past the menopause, but as the trial was stopped early, the preliminary conclusions were applied to all age groups, including healthy women entering menopause in their late 40s and 50s.
Suicidal
The programme goes on to reveal how thousands of women who have been refused HRT are suffering the consequences; with Dr Louise Newson saying that she sees at least one woman a week who is suicidal due to the impact of the menopause.
Cancer risks of HRT
The documentary sets out the risks today of women in the 50-59 age group getting breast cancer and compares them to those taking HRT.
- Regardless of lifestyle factors, 23 women in 1,000 will get breast cancer
- For women who drink every day, 28 in 1,000 will get breast cancer
- For women with a BMI of over 30, 47 in 1,000 will get breast cancer
- For healthy women taking HRT, 27 in 1,000 will get breast cancer
Watch the programme
If you know someone going through the menopause, do them a favour and watch the programme. You’ll learn a lot you probably didn’t know before and may be able to offer understanding, help and support.
At time of publishing there are just eight days left to watch Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause programme on Channel 4 Website.
Image: © Channel 4
