#hormonal-contraceptives

#hormonal-contraceptives

Many women have endured difficulties with their menstrual cycles for years, often believing that their experiences were normal and that little could be done to help them.

Since the first IVF baby was born in 1978, technological advancement of reproductive medicine has enabled millions to have children, marking a significant milestone in medical history.

NHS England is "separately reviewing the evidence for the use of MAF in adults with gender dysphoria" with the aim of launching a consultation on its findings in late 2026. A separate section clarifies that its ban on new prescriptions will only apply to youth gender services, adding that the NHS will continue to prescribe hormones for adult patients in its gender identity clinics (GICs).

For those who are unable to take HRT for varying reasons, options have historically been limited, and we have heard clearly from patients how difficult that has been. The evidence shows fezolinetant can meaningfully reduce symptoms, and was found to be cost effective, offering value for the taxpayer. This decision will give much-needed relief to those for whom HRT is unsuitable.

A plant-based diet rich in soy reduces moderate-to-severe hot flashes by 84%, from nearly five per day to fewer than one per day. During the 12-week study, nearly 60% of women became totally free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes. Overall they (including mild ones) decreased by 79%.

For more than 60 years, contraception has been almost exclusively a women's responsibility. Today, women have more than 14 modern contraceptive options, while men have just two: condoms and vasectomies. That imbalance has pushed women to shoulder physical side effects, financial burden, medical risks, and the career impact of family planning-costs that have been accepted as the "status quo" for far too long.

Emma Dyer remembers the moment she clicked "buy now" on a set of weightloss jabs she found online. She had no medical consultation, no ID checks, and no questions about her history of anorexia and bulimia. "It was just so easy - too easy," she says. "They never asked for my medical history or what medication I was taking. It was like buying groceries."

Research set to be published in the Journal of Paediatric's February volume has once again proved that trans adolescents show "meaningful reductions" in depression and anxiety after beginning clinically-endorsed hormone therapy. Co-written by paediatricians in Nevada, Texas, and Missouri, the study examined the wellbeing of 432 patients before and after undergoing treatment. The participants, aged 12 to 20, were surveyed on their mental health before and at least 364 days after beginning appropriate medical treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

I can't even count the number of thoughts I have every single day, just bouncing around in my head like a ping pong ball. I think every mom feels the same way, which is why when you ask a mom what's on her mind, her response could range from something like "Oh, just thinking about my kid's new soccer team" to "The fall of democracy and the state of the world."

Estrogen and progesterone do more than regulate the menstrual cycle. They directly influence how the digestive system works, affecting gut movement, water balance, gas production, and sensitivity. When these hormones rise and fall during the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, or bloating in menopause , digestion often becomes unpredictable. Understanding how this happens helps explain why bloating and discomfort follow hormonal patterns.

"I literally spent the first whole of my first trimester in bed on ice cubes, because I couldn't eat or drink," she said.

By attaching near the ear, the device targets the auricular branches of the trigeminal and vagus nerves to regulate menstrual cycle symptoms and help the body return to a rested state. These nerves play an important role throughout the menstrual cycle and release estrogen and progesterone, two essential sex hormones. They also target muscle contraction, blood flow, digestion, and more, a few body functions that change during a period, which explains the increase in cramps and tightening of blood vessels.