Record number of women receive hormone treatment for menopause symptoms

A record number of Swedish women are now using hormone therapy to manage menopause symptoms, with nearly 380,000 women over 45 receiving treatment in 2025—double the figure from a decade ago, according to data obtained by public broadcaster SVT Nyheter from the National Board of Health and Welfare.

Despite the sharp increase, experts warn that access to treatment remains uneven. “Menopause care is highly unequal. There is clear undertreatment in vulnerable groups,” said Angelica Lindén Hirschberg, a gynecologist and professor at Karolinska Institutet.

Hormone therapy was widely prescribed in the 1990s but saw a dramatic decline after a study linked it to increased health risks—though researchers later determined the study’s participants were older than the typical treatment group. Recent research now highlights benefits when therapy begins early, including reduced cardiovascular risk, though long-term use may still raise breast cancer risk.

“That risk must be considered,” Lindén Hirschberg said. “But if treatment starts soon after the last menstrual period, the benefits often outweigh the risks—including reduced overall mortality. This accounts for breast cancer deaths as well.”

To better understand the risks, Lindén Hirschberg is leading a study comparing how two types of hormone therapy affect breast and uterine tissue to determine which may be safer.

Menopause occurs as estrogen production declines, with nearly all women aged 50–59 experiencing some symptoms. Common issues include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, mental fatigue, vaginal dryness, and reduced libido. Swedish health guidelines recommend hormone therapy for healthy women under 60 or within 10 years of their last period if symptoms significantly impact quality of life.