Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy

“If you do not have a uterus,
you can take estrogen alone,
without a progestogen”.1

Umbrella

What may the Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Estrogen Alone
  • Estrogen Therapy (ET)
  • Estrogen-Alone HRT/MHT
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Oestrogen-Only HRT
  • Oestrogen-Only Therapy/Oestrogen Only Therapy
  • Systemic ET

Estrogen

What is estrogen?

On page four in Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. What Is MHT? the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) Leaflet for Women for World Menopause Day 2024, the IMS explain:

  • “Estrogen: The main hormone used in MHT. It helps reduce hot flushes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness”.2

Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy

No Uterus

Who may choose to use estrogen therapy (ET)?
On page two in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Estrogen Alone or Estrogen Plus Progestogen, published February 2025, the the Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society) note:

“If you do not have a uterus, you can take estrogen alone, without a progestogen”.3

Formulations and Options

What are some ET formulations and options?

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – MHT Formulations and Options: Estrogen Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors elaborate on:

“Estrogen can be used systemically as oral conjugated equine estrogen, estradiol valerate, estrone sulfate or micronized estradiol; transdermal estradiol (patches, gels, spray); a vaginal estradiol ring; and implanted estradiol pellets (mostly not regulator-approved). Vaginal pessaries and creams are used to treat urogenital symptoms”.4

Venous Thromboembolic Disease

What is the association between venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) and ET?

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy the authors include:

  • “Oral estrogen is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolic disease (VTE), although the absolute risk is small for women aged <60 years. The risk is lower/not at all with transdermal estradiol, which is preferred for women at increased risk of VTE (i.e. smokers, obese women and diabetic women)”.5

Health Care Provider

If I choose to use ET what are my risks?

Different women who choose to use ET can have different risks. It may therefore be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

If I choose to use estrogen plus progestogen (EPT) what are my risks?

Different women who choose to use EPT can have different risks. It may therefore be in your best interest to also choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

On page two in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

  • “The decision whether to take HRT, the dose and duration of its use should be made on an individualised basis after discussing the benefits and risks with each patient. This should be considered in the context of the overall benefits obtained from using HRT including symptom control and improving quality of life as well as considering the bone and cardiovascular benefits associated with HRT use”.6

In Hormone Therapy: Is Hormone Therapy Safe? the Menopause Society explain:

“You and your healthcare professional need to balance your individual benefits and risks based on your medical history. For example, if you don’t have a uterus and can take ET alone, your risks are different from those women who still have a uterus and must use EPT to protect against uterine cancer”.7

On page three in Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. Who Is MHT For? Women With Existing Medical Conditions the IMS note:

“Women with certain medical histories such as breast cancer and blood clots should talk to their healthcare professional about whether MHT is safe for them. Deciding to use MHT is a personal choice and should involve discussions about the benefits and risks with a healthcare professional who knows your health history”.8

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy?

In Health Topics A-Z on you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  2. BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
  3. BMS TV: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
  4. BMS TV: HRT and Bleeding
  5. BMS TV: HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits
  6. BMS TV: HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer
  7. BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  8. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
  9. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  10. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  11. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  12. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: FDA Decision on MHT Warnings – A Live EMAS Roundtable [20 November 2025]
  13. Endometrial Safety of Low-Dose Vaginal Estrogens
  14. Endometrial Safety of Low-Dose Vaginal Estrogens [Video]
  15. Estrogen Dependent Cancers
  16. FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause
  17. FDA Direct: Removing Black Box Warnings for HRT (Part 1/2)
  18. FDA Direct: Removing Black Box Warnings for HRT (Part 2/2)
  19. FDA Expert Panel on Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
  20. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  21. Find A Practitioner [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  22. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  23. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
  24. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
  25. HRT
  26. HRT Questions Answered
  27. HRT Types and Doses | Dr Louise Newson
  28. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  29. HRT: How To Find the Right Dose & Type | Dr Louise Newson
  30. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  31. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  32. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  33. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray
  34. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  35. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  36. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen
  37. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen: About Vaginal Oestrogen
  38. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen: Common Questions About Vaginal Oestrogen
  39. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen: Side Effects of Vaginal Estrogen
  40. Hormone Therapy
  41. Hormone Therapy: Four Things A Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Specialist Wants You To Know [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Name Super/CG: Taryn Smith, M.D./Internal Medicine/Mayo Clinic]
  42. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  43. Hot Flashes
  44. Hot Flashes
  45. How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
  46. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
  47. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?] [Other Languages and Formats]
  48. Management of Perimenopausal and Menopausal Symptoms
  49. Menopause
  50. Menopause
  51. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Does It Cause Vaginal Bleeding?
  52. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Medication Tracker
    Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy
  53. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  54. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  55. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  56. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
    Hormone Therapy
  57. Ongoing Individualized Hormone Therapy Appears To Have No Age Limit
  58. Practical HRT Tips | Dr Louise Newson
  59. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  60. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
  61. The Role of Estrogen Therapy As A Protective Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia In Postmenopausal Women: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature
  62. The Women’s Health Initiative Trials: Clinical Messages
  63. Time for A Balanced Conversation About Menopause
  64. Treatments for Menopause
  65. Types of Hormone Therapy
  66. Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary
  67. Updated BMS Guidelines on Unscheduled Bleeding on HRT
  68. Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  69. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  70. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  71. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – The Women’s Health Initiative – What Can We Believe?
  72. What Are the Benefits and Risks of HRT?
  73. What Is Low-Dose Estrogen Therapy
  74. What Types of Vaginal Oestrogens Are There? [March 2024
  75. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  76. Hormone Therapy and Estrogen TherapyWorld Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted above?

You may find the Sources at:

Sources

  1. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Estrogen Alone or Estrogen Plus Progestogen. 2025:2. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 12 March 2026
  2. Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: What Is MHT? October 2024:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf?v=8bcc25c96aa5 Accessed: 12 March 2026
  3. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Estrogen Alone or Estrogen Plus Progestogen. 2025:2. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 12 March 2026
  4. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – MHT Formulations and Options: Estrogen Therapy. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 12 March 2026
  5. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 12 March 2026
  6. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 12 March 2026
  7. Hormone Therapy: Is Hormone Therapy Safe? Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hormone-therapy Accessed: 12 March 2026
  8. Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: What Is MHT? October 2024:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf?v=8bcc25c96aa5 Accessed: 12 March 2026
Topic Last Updated: 12 March 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 12 March 2026

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