Today, we’re continuing our discussion of the risks and benefits of estrogen. And this week, we’re tackling some of the bigger health concerns: heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and cancer. There is a lot of information here, so find a comfy chair and a fan (if you’ve got hot flashes, like me), and let’s get started.

As I shared last week, I recently had an abnormal mammogram. When the nurse called to tell me that I needed a diagnostic mammogram, I let out that sigh—the deep, tired, “of course” kind of sigh. I’ve been blessed with dense breasts, and I’ve been considering a breast reduction, so this felt… inevitable. It wasn’t my first abnormal mammogram. But it still landed with weight. It’s not the mammogram itself that gets to me. The squishing? Fine—there’s plenty of tissue to work wit

Have you ever had an encounter with a doctor that left you in tears? What am I saying—of course, you have. A woman rests her head in her hand, visibly overwhelmed by stress, as thoughts swirl around her. I’ve heard so many stories from patients who didn’t feel heard. Whose symptoms were brushed off. Who walked back to their cars, shut the door, and cried. And as I reflect on my own career, I know—painfully—that sometimes I’ve been the cause of that pain (though, thankfully, l