ACOG updates menopause guidance, highlights hormone therapy options
For the first time in a dozen years, ACOG’s revised advice recommends hormone treatments and outlines non‑hormonal options.
By Felo News Desk · Published
For the first time in a dozen years, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) has issued updated guidance on managing menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disturbances, according to CityNews Toronto and the Winnipeg Free Press.
What happened
The new guidance, released this month, outlines both hormonal and non‑hormonal treatment pathways for women experiencing menopause, which typically begins around age 50 in the United States after 12 consecutive months without a period. Federal officials announced on Friday that the Food and Drug Administration is working to ensure an adequate supply of hormone therapies and has approved updated labeling for three additional estrogen‑based patches after removing the boxed warning from more than 20 products.
What the reports add
- CityNews Toronto notes that the guidance emphasizes the importance of hormone therapies, which many women are reconsidering now that the FDA has lifted safety warnings.
- The Winnipeg Free Press repeats this emphasis and adds that doctors are urging patients to consult their OB‑GYNs for personalized treatment plans.
- Both outlets report that ACOG says more than half of women in menopause experience vasomotor symptoms, as many as two‑thirds report sleep disruption, and over a third report depressive symptoms.
- Non‑hormonal options are also described in the new advice, giving clinicians additional tools for women who cannot or choose not to use hormones.
What was said
“We would love our patients to go to their OB‑GYNs regarding questions about menopause and really advocate for getting the treatment that they need,” said Dr. Camille Clare, president of ACOG, to CityNews Toronto.
“These symptoms should be treated,” said Dr. JoAnn Manson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, quoted by both CityNews Toronto and the Winnipeg Free Press.
“Moderate to severe or bothersome menopausal symptoms should be treated with hormone therapy as the first line of treatment,” Manson added.
How it came about
The updated guidance follows a period of limited treatment options after the FDA issued safety warnings on certain hormone products in 2002. After more than two decades of a boxed warning on all hormone‑based menopause treatments, the FDA announced last year that it would remove the warning from over 20 pills, patches and creams, and this month approved new labeling for three estrogen patches, reviving interest and demand for hormone therapy. The change prompted ACOG to revise its recommendations to reflect the broader availability of both hormonal and non‑hormonal therapies."
Key facts
- ACOG released its first updated menopause guidance in twelve years. (toronto.citynews.ca)
- The guidance stresses hormone therapies after the FDA lifted safety warnings. (toronto.citynews.ca)
- Dr. Camille Clare, ACOG president, urged women to consult their OB‑GYNs. (toronto.citynews.ca)
