Editorial Glossary
Traditional pharmacy compounding of medications for individual patient prescriptions under FDA section 503A.
An FDA-registered compounding facility that follows current good manufacturing practice under section 503B.
The main US professional body for obstetrician-gynecologists, issuing women’s health guidance.
A condition where endometrial-like tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus.
The absence of menstrual periods, either never starting or stopping for several months.
A hormone released by small ovarian follicles that reflects remaining ovarian reserve.
Gradual hair thinning, in women often across the crown, influenced by androgens and genetics.
A menstrual cycle in which the ovary does not release an egg.
The fraction of testosterone not tightly bound to SHBG and therefore available to tissues.
Hormones chemically identical to those the body produces; some are FDA-approved, some are compounded.
A herbal supplement marketed for menopausal symptoms; evidence for benefit is mixed.
A measure of the mineral content of bone, used to assess fracture risk.
Disorders of the heart and blood vessels, the leading cause of death in women.
A medication custom-prepared by a pharmacy that is not an FDA-approved manufactured product.
The adrenal glucocorticoid that regulates the stress response, metabolism, and daily rhythms.
The idea that the effects of menopausal hormone therapy depend on how close to menopause it is started.
A low-dose X-ray test that measures bone mineral density.
An adrenal hormone that serves as a precursor to both estrogens and androgens.
Persistent or recurrent genital pain associated with sexual intercourse.
An office procedure that samples the uterine lining to evaluate abnormal bleeding.
An abnormal thickening of the uterine lining, often from estrogen without enough progesterone.
A condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus.
The inner lining of the uterus that thickens and sheds across the menstrual cycle.
The primary and most potent estrogen produced by the ovaries during the reproductive years.
The weakest of the three main estrogens, produced in large amounts during pregnancy.
A group of sex hormones (chiefly estradiol, estrone, and estriol) central to female reproductive health.
A weaker estrogen that becomes the predominant circulating estrogen after menopause.
A non-hormonal oral medication (brand Veozah) FDA-approved for menopausal hot flashes.
The first half of the menstrual cycle, when a follicle matures and estrogen rises.
A pituitary hormone that stimulates ovarian follicles and rises as ovarian reserve declines.
Vaginal and urinary changes from low estrogen after menopause, such as dryness and irritation.
A class of medicines that mimic the gut hormone GLP-1 to lower blood sugar and reduce appetite.
Excess coarse, dark hair growth in women in a male-typical pattern.
Sudden sensations of heat, often with flushing and sweating, common during menopause.
Treatment that replaces estrogen (with a progestogen if the uterus is present) for menopause symptoms.
Persistently low sexual desire that causes personal distress and is not better explained by another cause.
Elevated androgen activity in women, producing signs such as acne, excess hair, or scalp hair loss.
An underactive thyroid that produces too little thyroid hormone.
Surgical removal of the uterus.
A state in which cells respond poorly to insulin, so the body needs more to keep blood sugar normal.
A pituitary hormone whose mid-cycle surge triggers ovulation.
The second half of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation, when progesterone rises.
The point marked by 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.
The roughly monthly hormonal cycle that prepares the body for a possible pregnancy.
An oral medication for type 2 diabetes that improves the body’s response to insulin.
A body-identical progesterone, finely processed for oral absorption, used to protect the uterine lining.
A topical (and sometimes oral) medication used to treat pattern hair loss.
A brand of injectable tirzepatide FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes.
Hot flashes that occur during sleep, often causing sweating and waking.
Prescribing an FDA-approved drug for a use, dose, or group not specified in its labeling.
Surgical removal of one or both ovaries.
Lower-than-normal bone density that is not yet in the osteoporosis range.
A condition of weakened, porous bone that raises the risk of fractures.
An estimate of the quantity of remaining eggs in the ovaries.
The release of a mature egg from the ovary, usually around the middle of the menstrual cycle.
A brand of injectable semaglutide FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes.
An SSRI; at a low dose it is the FDA-approved non-hormonal treatment for menopausal hot flashes.
A common hormonal condition marked by irregular ovulation, androgen excess, and/or polycystic ovaries.
The transitional years before menopause when cycles become irregular and symptoms often begin.
Loss of normal ovarian function before age 40, causing irregular periods and low estrogen.
The stage of life after the menopause milestone, when estrogen levels remain low.
A brand of conjugated estrogens derived from equine sources, used in menopausal hormone therapy.
A hormone released after ovulation that prepares and protects the uterine lining.
A synthetic or natural compound with progesterone-like activity used in contraception and hormone therapy.
A widely used framework diagnosing PCOS when two of three defining features are present.
A GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management.
A liver protein that binds sex hormones and controls how much is biologically active.
A diuretic with anti-androgen effects sometimes used for hormonal acne and hirsutism.
A staging system that describes the phases of reproductive aging from late reproductive years through postmenopause.
A bone-density result comparing your bone to that of a healthy young adult.
An androgen present in women in small amounts that contributes to libido, muscle, and bone.
The leading North American professional organization dedicated to menopause and midlife health.
A dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes and weight management.
Delivery of medication through the skin, as with a patch, gel, or spray.
A pituitary hormone used as the primary screening test for thyroid function.
Common noncancerous growths of the muscular wall of the uterus.
The hot flashes and night sweats that are the hallmark symptoms of the menopause transition.
A brand of injectable semaglutide FDA-approved for chronic weight management.
A combined oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol.
A brand of injectable tirzepatide FDA-approved for chronic weight management.