While estrogen is produced by the ovaries, it mainly acts on the vagina, uterus, breasts, bone, skin and the female distribution of fatty deposits in the body. After menses cease, around age 51 or 52, in what we call the menopause, there are subtle changes that gradually become more pronounced. Without estrogen replacement the vagina begins to shrink and the normal rippled contour of the vaginal wall becomes thinner, straightened out, and more sensitive to touch. Taking estrogen reverses these changes, and allows the woman’s vagina to produce its own lubricating secretion. If estrogen is started soon after the occurrence of menopause the vagina may never become thin, narrow and sensitive. Progesterone has no value for the vagina. It is required to be taken by women who receive hormone replacement therapy during menopause to prevent the lining of the uterus from becoming too thick, and potentially cancerous. written by Dr. Robert Porges
