The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have revised its guidelines on treating symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and vaginal atrophy (shudder).

The document was issued as a practice bulletin for doctors, giving guidelines for the proper management of menopausal symptoms - which affect three-fourths of women once their bodies stop producing estrogen.

Hormone replacement was a common practice for years as a treatment for symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal atrophy, and was also considered to prolong life and reduce incidences of dementia. But in 2002, a widely-reported study found that a popular hormone pill increased a woman's risk of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke and blood clots.

The findings scared off many women from hormone replacement treatment, and thus spawned an industry of alternative treatments.

The new guidelines by the ACOG advises that hormone replacement therapy be used, but consider transdermal (using a patch, gel, or spray) medication to be safer, since being absorbed through the skin means bypassing the liver, thus avoiding an increased risk of heart attack or cancer.

The ACOG also recommends that hormone replacement therapy isn't suitable for women over 65.