title: Exogenous Hormone Use: Oral Contraceptives, Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy, and Health Outcomes in the Nurses' Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the contribution of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) to our understanding of the complex relationship between exogenous hormones and health outcomes in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II from 1976 to 2016.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral contraceptive and postmenopausal hormone use were studied in relation to major health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Current or recent oral contraceptive use is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (mainly among smokers), melanoma, and breast cancer, and a lower risk of colorectal and ovarian cancer. Although hormone therapy is not indicated primarily for chronic disease prevention, findings from the NHS and a recent analysis of the Women's Health Initiative indicate that younger women who are closer to menopause onset have a more favorable risk-benefit profile than do older women from use of hormone therapy for relief of vasomotor symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With updated information on hormone use, lifestyle factors, and other variables, the NHS and NHS II continue to contribute to our understanding of the complex relationship between exogenous hormones and health outcomes in women.
authors.affiliation: At the time of study, Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu were with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Francine Grodstein and JoAnn E. Manson were with the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Shilpa N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bhupathiraju
authors.affiliation: At the time of study, Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu were with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Francine Grodstein and JoAnn E. Manson were with the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grodstein
authors.affiliation: At the time of study, Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu were with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Francine Grodstein and JoAnn E. Manson were with the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Meir J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Stampfer
authors.affiliation: At the time of study, Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu were with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Francine Grodstein and JoAnn E. Manson were with the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Walter C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.affiliation: At the time of study, Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu were with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Francine Grodstein and JoAnn E. Manson were with the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Frank B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: At the time of study, Shilpa N. Bhupathiraju, Meir J. Stampfer, Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu were with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Francine Grodstein and JoAnn E. Manson were with the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: JoAnn E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Manson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral