We are proud to share that Dr. Gregory J. Bailey, our founding physician, has co-authored a new peer-reviewed study on hormone therapy for women. The research was published in November 2025 in the journal North American Proceedings in Gynecology & Obstetrics.
The study asks a question that comes up often in our consultations: when a woman and her physician choose bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, does the way the hormones are delivered make a difference? Dr. Bailey and his co-author compared two common methods, subcutaneous pellets and a compounded transdermal lotion, across 404 women being treated for menopausal symptoms between 2018 and 2021.
What they found
Women in the pellet group reported greater improvement in hot flashes and in most other menopausal symptoms measured, including night sweats, sleep, memory, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and libido. They were also more likely to stay on their therapy over the following year (76% versus 59%) and more likely to say their treatment had addressed their symptoms (89% versus 78%). Reported side effects were similar between the two groups.
The authors are clear about what the study can and cannot show. It was retrospective, meaning women chose their own treatment rather than being randomly assigned, and that can introduce bias. Major medical organizations continue to recommend FDA-approved options and have called for more long-term research on compounded and pellet therapies. The authors agree that randomized, long-term studies are needed, and they present this work as one contribution to that larger body of evidence.
Why it matters for our patients
Research like this is part of how we stay grounded in evidence at Well Balanced Healthcare. It also reflects something we care about: your treatment is guided by a physician who is actively engaged in advancing his field, not only practicing in it.
You can read a plain-language summary, see the findings, and download the complete paper on our Published Research page. The official version is available from the publisher at doi.org/10.54053/001c.147434.
If you have been weighing your options for managing menopausal symptoms, we would be glad to talk through what might fit you best. Request an appointment with Dr. Bailey and our team.