Prescribing practices of Hormone Therapy for Menopausal females by OBGYN of Pakistan

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the prescribing practice of obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYN) regarding Menopausal Hormone therapy (MHT) for menopausal females and assess the knowledge regarding indications for prescribing MHT and identify the barriers to HRT. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from May 2021 to December 2021. The participants were OBGYN experts (MCPS, FCPS, MRCOG) and senior experts. The tool was formulated after looking at contemporary literature and then validated by experts for face, content and construct validity. It was piloted and hence fourth given to study participants after approval by IRB of JSMU. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 22. Mean and Standard Deviation of categories in Likert scale were calculated. Results: Majority of the participant gynecologists prescribed HRT for Hot flushes and vaginal dryness having the highest mean scores nearing 4 on a Likert scale of (1-5). The prescription for other menopausal symptoms was observed to be less. The highest score for category of women in whom hormone therapy is specifically justified was “Premature ovarian failure” (4.37) followed by “Hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy before the age of 50” (4.23). Conclusion: Pakistani gynecologists are more cautious in their management strategies concerning MHT. Most of the gynecologists showed good and up to date information while prescribing MHT however knowledge for preventing fractures, alleviating anxiety/depression and weight gain was less among the gynecologist of Pakistan. We recommend refresher courses and online webinars for updated information on menopause and its management.