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Q: If hormone therapy isn't safe after menopause, how can the Pill be safe for me now?

A: It is confusing. That's why I consulted Margaret Polaneczky, M.D., an ob/gyn at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. Here's the theory: Because a young woman's body produces estrogen and progesterone naturally, her tissues are already exposed to hormones such as those in the Pill. And before menopause, the risk of having any precancerous cells or blood clots, which estrogen can stimulate, is extremely low. However, postmenopausal women are more likely to have these problems, and because they no longer produce their own hormones, replacement hormones may add fuel to an already smoldering fire. For younger women, though, the hormones are no worry.

Lisa Callahan, M.D., is the author of The Fitness Factor (The Lyons Press). Send your questions to drlisa@self.com.