Two decades after the Women’s Health Initiative reshaped how clinicians think about hormone therapy, the evidence has moved and the conversation should move with it. Dr. Kim Biss walks through the physiology of sex hormones across a woman’s life stages, revisits what the WHI trial actually showed versus how it was received, and maps today’s options, hormonal and non-hormonal, for managing menopausal symptoms. She closes with a practical framework for tailoring treatment to the individual patient rather than the headline.

Learning objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the functions of female and male sex hormones in women.
2. Differentiate the reproductive, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal phases.
3. Interpret the WHI trial and its impact on hormone therapy practice.
4. Identify current hormone therapy options and delivery methods.
5. Compare non-hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms.
6. Apply individualized, evidence-based approaches to hormone therapy decisions.