Alternative medicine: Practices not generally recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional medical approaches.

Biphosphonates: A group of drugs used to treat osteoporosis and the bone pain caused by some types of cancer.

Cardiovascular disease: Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Climacteric: A medical term describing the transition phase from a woman's reproductive years to her non-reproductive years, as the function of her ovaries declines and her body's estrogen and progesterone levels drop.

Clinical trial: An organized research program conducted with patients to evaluate new medical treatments, drugs or devices.

Complementary therapy: Practices not generally recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional medical approaches and used to enhance or complement standard treatments. Complementary medicine includes dietary supplements, vitamins, herbal preparations and teas, acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, and more.

Estrogen: A hormone produced primarily by the ovaries until menopause that is necessary for normal menstrual function.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): A pituitary hormone that controls estrogen production by the ovaries.

Heart disease: A condition that affects the heart muscle or the blood vessels of the heart.

Hormone: A chemical produced by glands in the body. Hormones control the actions of certain cells or organs.

Hormone therapy (HT): HRT is a combination of estrogen and progesterone to restore estrogen after menopause. Therapy using estrogen alone is referred to as estrogen replacement therapy (ERT).

Hysterectomy: Surgical removal of the uterus.

Incontinence: Loss of bladder and/or bowel control.

Induced menopause: Menopause that occurs when the ovaries are surgically removed. Can also result from damage to the ovaries caused by radiation or by medications used in chemotherapy.

Kegel exercises: Exercises to strengthen the muscles that line the floor of the pelvis by alternately squeezing and holding the muscles and then relaxing them. They can help prevent incontinence.

Luteinizing hormone (LH): A hormone produced by the pituitary gland. In women, LH causes the dominant follicle to release its egg from the ovary (ovulation).

Menstrual cycle: The monthly cycle of hormonal changes from the beginning of one menstrual period to the beginning of the next.

Menstruation: The periodic shedding of the uterine lining.

Osteoporosis: In women, osteoporosis (bone loss) results from low estrogen levels. Estrogen, which diminishes during menopause, helps protect against bone loss. After menopause, a woman's bones slowly lose density and strength and become more fragile. As a result, older women are more likely to fracture bones. Hormone therapy can help slow bone loss after menopause, and regular exercise also can help.

Ovary: One of usually two organs that produce ova (eggs) and secrete estrogen and progesterone.

Ovum: Egg released by the ovary.

Phytoestrogens: Estrogen-like substances from plant sourcess that work like a weak form of estrogen.

Progesterone/Progestin: Two terms often used interchangeably. Progesterone is a hormone produced by the ovaries until menopause; it is important in controlling the growth of cells lining the uterus. Progestin is a synthetic form of progesterone.

SERM: A selective estrogen receptor modulator is a drug that acts like estrogen on some tissues but blocks the effect of estrogen on other tissues. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) and Evista are two examples of SERMs.

Urinary tract infection (UTI): A condition that occurs when bacteria from outside the body gets into the urinary tract and causes infection and inflammation.

Uterus: The small, hollow, pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis. This is the organ in which a fetus develops.

Vagina: The tube that joins the cervix (the lower part of uterus, or womb) to the outside of the body. It is also known as the birth canal.

Vaginal dryness: Inadequate lubrication of the vagina that can be caused by low estrogen levels, medication or lack of sexual arousal.

Vaginal lubricant: A moisturizing product used to treat vaginal dryness.

Vitamin D: A vitamin that helps the body absorb calcium.

Weight-bearing exercise: Exercise during which bones and muscles work against the force of gravity and the feet and legs carry a person's weight. Examples include walking, running, jogging and dancing.