Prevalence of menopausal hormone therapy and alternative methods, health benefits experienced by peri- and postmenopausal Polish women

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of menopausal symptoms, and the use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and nonconventional methods of alleviating menopausal symptoms and their health benefits in peri-and postmenopausal women. A sample of 349 peri-or postmenopausal women were studied, all of whom had experienced menopausal symptoms. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess the kinds of menopausal symptoms experienced, the types of therapies used, and the health benefits of using MHT or alternative therapies (AT). The mean age of peri-and postmenopausal women was 49.55 (2.51) and 61.32 (6.77) years, respectively. The most common symptoms in both groups of peri-and postmenopausal women related to mental health. Altogether 45% of women used MHT and 27.8% AT. Those using MHT reported significant benefits in their sexual life (p < 0.001), whereas those using AT reported significant benefits of better sexual life (p < 0.001), skin condition (p < 0.001), and physical activity (p < 0.05).