Red Hot Mamas Menopause Education and Support Programs
Published: April 24, 2026
“Know the Terms. Own the Conversation.”
Amenorrhea – is the absence of menstruation. Common causes – lifestyle factors (stress, excessive exercise, eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia)), hormonal imbalances, menopause occurring before age 40, and smoking.
Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) – is a surgical procedure to remove both ovaries and fallopian tubes. If the surgery is performed before natural menopause, it triggers “surgical menopause”. The sudden drop in hormones often leads to more severe menopause symptoms – intense hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, fatigue, increased mood swings, anxiety, depression and potential brain fog.
Bioidentical hormone therapy – Bioidentical hormones are hormones that are made to match the hormones your body naturally produces. In menopause treatment, they are used to help relieve symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and sleep problems.
It is important to know that the word bioidentical does not automatically mean safer or more natural. Some bioidentical hormones are FDA-approved and carefully regulated. FDA approved products have more research, more consistent dosing, and stronger safety oversight. These products are FDA-approved bioidentical hormones. They include estradiol (Estrace, Climara, Vivelle) and progesterone (Prometrium) in standardized doses and forms such as pills, patches, gels or vaginal inserts.
Compounded bioidentical hormones are custom-made by pharmacists based on a healthcare provider’s prescription. These are tailored to individual need but are not FDA-approved and their quality and consistency can vary. Compounded bioidentical hormones lack rigorous quality control and consistency, and they are not proven to be safer or more effective than traditional hormone therapy.
Conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) – is a mixture of estrogens derived from horses, primarily used in hormone therapy to alleviate menopause symptoms and prevent osteoporosis. (For example Premarin)
Endometrial hyperplasia – is a condition in which the lining of the uterus becomes abnormally thick, often due to hormonal imbalance and can increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
Estrogen agonists/antagonists – also known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) are a class of drugs that act on estrogen receptors in the body. They can either stimulate or inhibit estrogen action, depending on the tissue and context.
Hormone therapy (HT) – is a medical treatment that supplements or replaces hormones to relieve symptoms of hormonal decline and restore balance in the body. For women, this often means estrogen and progesterone replacement during menopause to alleviate symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and insomnia.
Hysterectomy – A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the uterus and, often, the cervix. There are several types of hysterectomy.
Libido – means sexual desire or sex drive. It can vary from person to person and across life stages, and it’s influenced by hormones, stress, medications, relationships and overall health.
Local estrogen therapy – is low-dose estrogen placed directly in the vagina or on the vulvar/vaginal area to treat menopausal vaginal and urinary symptoms such as dryness, pain with sex, urgency and recurrent UTIs.
Menopause – is the natural transition when the ovaries stop releasing eggs and menstrual periods end permanently; it often brings symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and sleep problems. It is confirmed when a woman has not had her menstrual period for twelve consecutive months.
Oophorectomy – is surgery to remove one or both ovaries. If both ovaries are removed before natural menopause, it causes surgical menopause and can bring a sudden drop in estrogen and cause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep problems and increased bone loss.
Perimenopause – is the years-long transition before menopause when hormone levels fluctuate and periods become irregular. It often starts in the 40s and can bring on symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems and vaginal dryness.
Phytoestrogens – are plant compounds that can act like weak estrogens in the body. They’re found in foods such as soy, flaxseed, sesame, legumes and some whole grains and they may help with menopause symptoms for some women.
Postmenopause – is the stage of life after menopause when a woman has gone 12 months without a period.
Progestogens/progestins – Progestogens are hormones or hormone-like compounds that act like progesterone. Progestins are synthetic progestogens, while progesterone is the body’s natural form. In menopause hormone therapy, a progestogen is often added to estrogen if someone still has a uterus to protect the uterine lining and lower the risk of endometrial overgrowth.
SERM – is a selective estrogen receptor modulator. It is a medication that acts like estrogen in some tissues and blocks estrogen in others.
Serotonin – is a brain and body chemical that helps regulate mood, sleep, appetite, digestion, pain perception and sexual function.
SSRI – is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, a type of antidepressant that increases serotonin activity in the brain by blocking its reuptake.
Systemic hormone therapy – is a hormone treatment that enters the bloodstream (after oral intake or transdermal application) and has effects throughout the body, rather than acting mainly in one area. It is commonly used for menopausal symptoms. Common forms of systemic hormone therapy include pills, skin patches, gels, sprays and sometimes a vaginal ring that releases estrogen into the bloodstream.
Transdermal – means through the skin. In menopause care, transdermal hormone therapy usually refers to estrogen delivered by patch, gel or spray so it enters the bloodstream through the skin rather than going through the stomach and liver first.
Vasomotor Symptoms (VMS) – are the hot flashes and night sweats most associated with menopause. They can affect sleep, mood and daily functioning.
