Vaginal estrogen and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are the two hormonal treatments used to treat vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as painful sex, dryness, frequent urination, and discomfort while urinating.
Available as a cream, ring, or suppository, vaginal estrogen is localized, meaning that it delivers estrogen directly to the vaginal tissue, helping to improve blood flow and lubrication. Vaginal estrogen stays where you put it without getting absorbed into your bloodstream. That’s why we can recommend certain types for almost all women, even those with a family or personal history of breast cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy is systemic, meaning that the estrogen circulates throughout your body. Delivered through pills, patches, and other formulations, HRT alleviates vaginal dryness in about 75 percent of cases, making it less effective than vaginal estrogen.That’s why Midi clinicians sometimes recommend vaginal estrogen instead of or alongside HRT.