Researchers Say This Once-Controversial Therapy Has Doubled In the Last Decade

3 min readUse of hormone therapy in menopause has doubled over the past decade.Overall use is still low, based on new research. Doctors recommend having an honest conversation with your doctor if you’re interested in hormone therapy.After years of controversy, hormone therapy is suddenly mainstream again. People are talking with friends about the potential perks, and research continues to suggest that the treatment can help many women with disruptive menopause symptoms.Now, new stats from Epic Research suggest use has actually nearly doubled in the past nine years. But keep in mind that doesn’t mean everyone and their mom is suddenly on hormone therapy for menopause—far from it. Overall numbers are still low.But with the recent efforts to remove the black box warning on certain hormone therapy products and open conversations about the potential pros and cons of hormone therapy, it’s clear that this treatment is becoming more popular. Doctors who treat women in menopause have a few theories on what’s behind this. Here’s what they want you to know.Meet the experts: Jessica Shepherd, MD, a menopause expert and author of Generation M; Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California; Adi Katz, MD, director of benign gynecology at Northwell’s Lenox Hill HospitalWhat does the data show?The study used Epic’s outpatient dataset to examine hormone-therapy use among more than 163 million American women from January 2017 to April 2026. After analyzing the data, researchers found that hormone therapy use in women nearly doubled from 1.7 percent in January 2017 to about 3.6 percent in April 2026.Use was pretty flat through 2022 but started to increase sharply from 2023 onward. In women aged 45 to 54, who are typically in perimenopause and menopause, hormone therapy use nearly tripled. But it also doubled in women aged 55 to 64 and women aged 35 to 44.What’s driving this?The study didn’t dive into specific reasons, but doctors say there are likely a few things behind this increase.A growing body of research has found that hormone therapy in menopause is safe and effective, and conversations around the treatment are growing, says Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “As confidence in hormone therapy grows, both among women themselves and within the healthcare community, the benefit is not only a better quality of life now but real long-term health gains down the line,” she says. “The time has come to stop fearing hormone therapy.”Efforts to remove the black box warning in November 2025 definitely helped as well, according to Adi Katz, MD, director of benign gynecology at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital. “For years, every estrogen prescription carried the same severe warning label used for drugs that can cause death,” she says. “That scared a lot of women and a lot of doctors.” This warning was removed after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzed updated evidence and decided the original warnings were overblown for most women starting therapy around the time of menopause, she explains.“The real impact may be longer-term,” Dr. Katz says. “With that warning gone, doctors and patients can have more balanced conversations about the actual risks and benefits instead of shutting down the discussion before it starts.”There’s also been a shift in how women use hormones, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a menopause expert and author of Generation M. “Transdermal estrogen—patches and gels—and vaginal hormone therapy have grown substantially faster than oral formulations,” she says. “To me, that reflects a more nuanced understanding of hormone therapy: It's no longer a one-size-fits-all conversation. We're talking about the right hormone, the right dose, the right route, and the right woman.”Doctors have specific advice when it comes to hormone therapyLike all medications, the decision to use hormone therapy or not should be individualized, Dr. Ross says. Meaning, it’s important to have a conversation with your healthcare provider about any symptoms you’re having, what you hope to get out of hormone therapy, and which kind may work for you.But many doctors say this is worth exploring if you’re struggling with symptoms of menopause. Dr. Ross says that starting hormone therapy within the first ten years of menopause onset could help bring relief from hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep issues.Dr. Katz stresses the importance of being honest with your provider. “Do not try to minimize what you are feeling or throw it in as a one-liner during a regular visit,” she says. “Have a balanced discussion about your symptoms.” Ask your provider about the benefits and risks for each treatment option. “What worked for your friend may not necessarily be right for you,” Dr. Katz says.