INCIDENCE OF OVULATION IN PERIMENOPAUSAL WOMEN BEFORE AND DURING HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

Once hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been commenced, it becomes extremely difficult to advise women approaching the menopause on the n eed for contraception. In this study of twenty women, neither the regu larity of their pre-existing menstrual cycle nor a random FSH concentr ation predicted the likelihood of subsequent ovulation whilst taking H RT. HRT is not reliably contraceptive and women commencing HRT whilst still menstruating spontaneously must be advised on the need for addit ional contraception.