Canadian working women are increasingly turning to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage menopause-related symptoms, a Manulife report suggests. Insurance data tabulated by the Canadian insurer over the past five years showed that HRT claims among women aged 45 to 54 years have increased by 228 per cent. The insurer shared a press release with the statistic on Wednesday, adding that HRT use is increasing among women across all age groups. Claims among women aged 35 to 44 rose by 46 per cent over five years, while those aged 55 to 64 increased by 66 per cent, the release stated. The most significant increase in all age groups was represented in HRT claims filed over the past two years, it added. “For many years, HRT was used more cautiously due to concerns about potential health risks,” Dr. Farzana Haq, physician lead of Women’s Health at Cleveland Clinic Canada, said in the release. “Today, we have a much stronger body of evidence showing that HRT can be a safe and effective treatment option for many women experiencing menopause symptoms.” Cleveland Clinic is the medical director for Manulife Canada’s Group Benefits business. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, HRT is a treatment that contains hormones that the ovaries make less of as women age and reach menopause. The treatment can either contain estrogen only or a combination of estrogen and progestin. The therapy can relieve menopausal symptoms and help cardiovascular health. Women going through menopause may experience symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain, fatigue, depression, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness and irregular or no menstrual periods.
