A Newson Research study has revealed a significant gap in the prescribing of standard HRT and testosterone for premenopausal women following surgery to remove their ovaries.

Surgical menopause occurs when the ovaries are removed, as opposed to a gradual decline commonly seen during ‘natural’ menopause. This sudden drop in hormones can often lead to an onset of severe menopausal symptoms and without appropriate treatment after this operation, women often experience symptoms as well as long term health risks of hormone deficiency.

A recent study by Newson Research and Dr Ceri Cashell looked at 126 premenopausal women who had surgery to remove their ovaries, known as bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), at three NHS hospitals, and whether they had a discussion about hormone replacement after their surgery.

The study found:

• 95.2% (120 women) did not receive any HRT following their surgery
• 4.8% (six women) received HRT at discharge or had a documented discussion in the notes about the need for HRT
• None of the patients received testosterone or had a documented discussion about the benefits of testosterone following BSO.

The authors concluded that these findings highlight the need for further training for healthcare professionals to increase awareness and improve adherence to national guidelines, ensuring that the benefits of HRT are effectively communicated and offered to all eligible patients.

They added there was an urgent need to improve patient education and empowerment, to enable patients to more effectively self-advocate.

Click below to download a poster of the research, presented at the 2024 International Menopause Society conference in Australia.