The endometrial and breast safety of menopausal hormone therapy containing micronised progesterone: A short review

For a significant minority of women, menopausal symptoms can be very unpleasant; however, many are worried about taking menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) for fear of causing breast cancer. Micronised progesterone (mP4) has been available in Europe since the 1990s and clinical trials have shown that 100 mg oral daily, 200 mg oral sequentially or 100 mg vaginal every second day effectively protect the endometrium from the stimulatory effects of oestrogen. MHT containing mP4 has a significantly lower breast cancer risk than those containing progestins. Micronised progesterone does not appear to attenuate the cardiovascular benefits of oestrogen. Pharmaceutical grade, body identical MHT is now available in Australia.