Menopause Transition: When to take the pill and when to start menopausal hormone therapy?

Ask Dr. Jen

I’m perimenopausal and want to start hormones, but my doctor says I need to take the birth control pill, but I want to just take hormones for menopause. Is my doctor out of date?

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Short Take

It depends

Go On…

It depends on a few things, and without knowing what is bothering you–meaning why you want to take hormones–and more about your health, it’s hard to answer. So I will discuss when we think the pill is a better option, some information about what menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) can and can’t do, and some tips on how to proceed.