HT treatment with estrogens alone or in combination with progestogens was associated with a small to moderate improvement in sexual function , particularly in pain , when used in women with menopausal symptoms or in early postmenopause ( within five years of amenorrhoea ) , but not in unselected postmenopausal women .
The current evidence does not suggest an important effect of tibolone or of SERMs alone or combined with estrogens on sexual function .
BACKGROUND The perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods are associated with many symptoms , including sexual complaints .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of hormone therapy ( HT ) on  sexual function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .
Safety and efficacy of a continuous once-a-week 17beta-estradiol/levonorgestrel transdermal system and its effects on vasomotor symptoms and endometrial safety in postmenopausal women: the results of two multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled trials.
OBJECTIVE Two prospect i ve multicenter , double-blind , r and omized , controlled trials were conducted to examine the safety and efficacy of three once-a-week continuous combined 17beta-estradiol/levonorgestrel ( E2/LNG ) transdermal systems ( E2 0.045 mg/day with 0.015 , 0.030 , and 0.040 mg/day LNG ) for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms and prevention of estrogen-induced endometrial hyperplasia in healthy , postmenopausal women . DESIGN In study 1 , performed in 293 hysterectomized and nonhysterectomized women with moderate to severe hot flushes , transdermal E2/LNG ( E2 0.045 mg/day with 0.030 and 0.040 mg/day LNG ) was compared with placebo for three 28-day treatment cycles . The frequency and severity of hot flushes were recorded daily . In study 2 , performed in 845 women with intact uteri ,  transdermal E2/LNG  ( E2 0.045 mg/day with 0.015 , 0.030 , and 0.040 mg/day LNG ) was compared with transdermal E2 0.045 mg/day monotherapy for thirteen 28-day treatment cycles . Women with endometrial tissue sufficient for evaluation underwent endometrial biopsy assessment at the end of cycle 13 . Bleeding patterns were assessed throughout the study , and the Women 's Health Question naire was used to assess well-being . RESULTS In study 1 , transdermal E2/LNG ( E2 0.045 mg/day with 0.030 and 0.040 mg/day LNG ) significantly decreased the number and severity of hot flushes when compared with placebo .  Symptom relief was seen as early as 2 weeks posttreatment . Similarly , in study 2 , all three doses of transdermal E2/LNG and E2 controlled hot flushes with no differences between groups . In study 2 , no women receiving transdermal E2/LNG developed endometrial hyperplasia compared with 19 ( 12.8 % ) who received transdermal E2 0.045 mg/day ( p < 0.001 for each dose ) . Significant improvements from baseline in scores on the Women 's Health Question naire for vasomotor symptoms , sleep problems , sexual function , cognitive difficulties , and total score were noted at all or most time points with both transdermal E2/LNG and E2 .  Application-site reactions , vaginal hemorrhage , and breast pain were the most common adverse events reported with transdermal E2/LNG . The proportion of women with amenorrhea increased over time in all treatment groups in study 2 . CONCLUSIONS All three doses of this once-a-week combined E2/LNG transdermal system rapidly and effectively control vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women while protecting against endometrial hyperplasia . Amelioration of vasomotor symptoms also is accompanied by improvements in aspects of subjective well-being . Once-a-week transdermal E2/LNG , therefore , offers an effective and convenient formulation , the dosing of which can be individualized according to the needs of each patient
HT treatment with estrogens alone or in combination with progestogens was associated with a small to moderate improvement in sexual function , particularly in pain , when used in women with menopausal symptoms or in early postmenopause ( within five years of amenorrhoea ) , but not in unselected postmenopausal women .
The current evidence does not suggest an important effect of tibolone or of SERMs alone or combined with estrogens on sexual function .
BACKGROUND The perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods are associated with many symptoms , including sexual complaints .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of hormone therapy ( HT ) on  sexual function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .