For post-menopausal women, using a vaginal form of estrogen therapy doesn’t up the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, a recent study has suggested.

The UCLA Health Sciences researchers examined data from participants in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study who were recruited at 40 U.S. clinical centres and were ages 50 to 79 when they began the study.Among women with an intact uterus, the risks of stroke, invasive breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis were not significantly different between vaginal estrogen users and nonusers.

The risks of coronary heart disease, fracture and premature death were lower in users than non-users.The risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis for women who had undergone hysterectomies were not significantly different in users of vaginal estrogen compared to nonusers.The study, the first to examine potential adverse health effects in users of vaginal estrogen compared with non-users, suggested that vaginal estrogen therapy is a safe treatment for genitourinary symptoms such as burning, discomfort, and pain during intercourse associated with menopause.The study is published in the journal Menopause.