Many people have fears related to HRT based on inaccurate, dated information that was released from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The researchers of the WHI have tried to correct the misinformation about the study, but sadly it's still in circulation on the internet. To be clear, the WHI study began 30 years ago, and they used hormones that were derived from horse urine. While some people still prescribe this hormone (Premarin), Winona does not. Winona prescribes bioidentical, natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that is derived from yams.
As far as HRT causing cancer, studies have shown that women receiving bioidentical HRT can actually have decreased risk of some cancers, stroke, heart disease, bone loss, and diabetes.
Of course, there are always risks, and your Winona physician will be sure to review your medical history for any potential issues. That being said, only about 1 in 10,000 women are at risk of developing a serious ailment.