Women's hormonal health A-Z
Complete library of 30+ conditions, symptoms, and life phases. Each entry has plain-English explanation, when to see a doctor, and treatment options.
A
- Adrenal fatiguecondition
Controversial diagnosis used to explain chronic stress symptoms. We unpack the science.
- Amenorrheasymptom
Absence of menstrual periods for 3+ months. Primary vs secondary causes.
- Anovulationsymptom
Cycles without ovulation. Common in PCOS, perimenopause, and hypothalamic amenorrhea.
B
C
E
F
G
H
- Hashimoto's thyroiditiscondition
Autoimmune thyroid disease. Symptom overlap with peri/menopause confounds diagnosis.
- Hirsutismsymptom
Male-pattern hair growth from androgen excess. PCOS, adrenal causes, treatment.
- Hot flashessymptom
Vasomotor symptoms, mechanisms, and evidence-based treatment.
- HRTcondition
Hormone replacement therapy: indications, routes, contraindications.
- Hypothalamic amenorrheacondition
Stress / low energy / overexercise — induced loss of menses.
M
P
- Perimenopausephase
The 4-10 year transition before menopause. Hallmark signs and stages.
- Polycystic ovary syndromecondition
PCOS — Rotterdam criteria, phenotypes, comprehensive care.
- Postmenopausephase
Life after 12 months no period. Long-term health considerations.
- Premature ovarian insufficiencycondition
POI — ovarian function decline before age 40.
Side effect comparison across hormonal treatments
Frequencies derived from drug labels + clinical literature. Individual response varies.
| Side effect | HRT (oral) | HRT (transdermal) | GLP-1 | SSRI | Spironolactone | SERM (raloxifene) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | Common | Uncommon | Common | Common | Rare | Rare |
| Breast tenderness | Common | Common | Not reported | Rare | Common | Uncommon |
| Mood changes | Uncommon | Uncommon | Rare | Common | Rare | Rare |
| Weight gain | Uncommon | Rare | Not reported | Common | Rare | Rare |
| Weight loss | Not reported | Not reported | Common | Rare | Not reported | Not reported |
| Blood clot risk | Uncommon | Rare | Not reported | Rare | Not reported | Uncommon |
| Hyperkalemia | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Common | Not reported |
| GI distress (diarrhea/constipation) | Uncommon | Rare | Common | Common | Uncommon | Rare |
| Hair loss | Rare | Rare | Uncommon | Rare | Not reported | Rare |
| Libido changes | Common | Common | Not reported | Common | Uncommon | Not reported |
Always discuss side effect risk profile with your prescribing clinician.