What is Menopause

Your ovaries produce estrogen, a female hormone that's important for sexual development during adolescence. Estrogen continues to influence your reproductive system throughout your adult life.

Menopause occurs when your ovaries no longer produce estrogen and fertility ends.

Natural menopause occurs when your ovaries stop producing estrogen due to the normal aging process. Natural menopause is signaled by not having had a period for 12 consecutive months. This usually occurs in your 40s or 50s.

Surgical menopause occurs when your ovaries are surgically removed as part of a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). Unlike natural menopause, which occurs gradually, surgical menopause happens immediately upon removal of the ovaries.

During menopause, it's important to visit your health care professional to discuss any symptoms you may be experiencing as well as other health issues that are important at midlife.

Completing the Doctor Discussion Checklist can help you open a dialogue with your health care professional to identify good treatment options for you. Together, you can discuss what's right for you.

How Will Menopause Affect Me?

With menopause, a series of other physical changes can begin. For instance, you may be at greater risk for osteoporosis (bone loss). Many women also experience menopausal symptoms, which can range from minor inconveniences to life disruptions.

Menopausal symptoms and consequences usually include one or more of the following:

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Sleep disturbances
Vaginal dryness
Bone loss

These are all caused by the lower level of estrogen in your body. This low level of estrogen leads to vaginal dryness which, if left untreated, can worsen over time.

Treating the Source of Menopausal Vaginal Dryness

Fortunately, you can do more than temporarily relieve troublesome vaginal discomfort. Your doctor or health care professional can prescribe medication that actually reverses the vaginal changes that lead to dryness and discomfort and, with continued use, can help maintain this reversal. By restoring some of the estrogen lost during menopause, PREMARIN Vaginal Cream can provide relief — not just after you apply it.

Learn more about treating vaginal dryness.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information you should know about PREMARIN Vaginal Cream (a cream of estrogens)?

Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus.

Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are using PREMARIN Vaginal Cream. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb). Your health care provider should check any unusual vaginal bleeding to find out the cause.
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, or dementia.
Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens, with or without progestins, may increase your risk of dementia, based on a study of women age 65 years or older. You and your health care provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with PREMARIN Vaginal Cream.

PREMARIN^® (conjugated estrogens) Vaginal Cream is used after menopause to treat dryness, itching, and burning, in and around the vagina.
The most commonly reported side effects of PREMARIN Vaginal Cream include vaginal discomfort or pain, breast pain, vaginitis, and itching.
PREMARIN Vaginal Cream should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding, have or had cancer of the breast or uterus, had a stroke or heart attack in the past year, have or had blood clots, have liver problems, are allergic to any of the ingredients in PREMARIN Vaginal Cream, or think you may be pregnant.