“Treatment of bothersome hot flashes and night sweats
is the principal reason women use HT. Hormone therapy
also treats vaginal dryness and painful sex associated…”.1
Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy and Menopause Symptoms Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Therapy (HT)
- Hot Flushes
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
- Menopausal/Menopause Symptoms
- Night Sweats
- Osteoporosis
- Perimenopausal/Perimenopause Symptoms
- Vaginal Dryness
5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy
What is the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy?
In World Menopause Day 2024: The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) the IMS elaborate on:
- “Who is MHT for?
- What is MHT?
- When should MHT be started and stopped?
- Why is MHT important?
- Where can you get MHT?”2
Effective or Not
How effective is hormone therapy (HT) or menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) for the treatment of menopause symptoms?
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors note:
What is VMS?
VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor Symptoms or hot flushes and night sweats.
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published February 2025, the Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society) elaborate on:
“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. If hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your daily activities and sleep, HT may improve sleep and fatigue, mood, ability to concentrate, and overall quality of life. Treatment of bothersome hot flashes and night sweats is the principal reason women use HT. Hormone therapy also treats vaginal dryness and painful sex associated with menopause, as well as some urinary symptoms such as increased urinary frequency, urgency. Hormone therapy keeps your bones strong by preserving bone density and decreasing your risk of osteoporosis and fractures. If preserving bone density is your only concern, and you do not have bothersome hot flashes, other treatments may be recommended instead of HT”.4
Benefits and Risks
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different women?
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy: Potential Risks the Menopause Society also note:
“As with all medications, HT is associated with some potential risks. For healthy women with bothersome hot flashes aged younger than 60 years or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits of HT generally outweigh the risks”.5
On page seven of Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 4. Why Is MHT Important? What Are the Risks? the IMS’s Leaflet for Women for World Menopause Day 2024, the IMS explain:
- Breast cancer: There is a slight increase in risk, especially with long-term use
- Blood clots: This risk is higher with certain forms of MHT, like tablets
- Stroke: Older women or those with certain health conditions may be at higher risk
It’s important to have a personalized discussion with your healthcare professional to understand how these risks apply to you”.6
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 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. Discussions with women should also cover aspects such as when to consider stopping HRT and how this can be done (by gradually reducing the dose of HRT). No arbitrary limits should be set on age or duration of HRT intake”.7
Health Care Provider
What if I choose to use HT for my menopause symptoms?
If you choose to use HT for your menopause symptoms, it may be in your best interest to also choose to talk to your health care provider about this.
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy the Menopause Society explain:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy and Menopause Symptoms?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy and Menopause Symptoms?
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
- FDA Expert Panel on Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women [17 July 2025]
- HRT, Misinformation and Navigating the Menopause Media Minefield With Kaye Adams [16 June 2025]
- Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide [03 September 2025]
- Surprising Menopause Symptoms | Dr Louise Newson Live [15 September 2025]
- Webinars: Previous – IMS & ISE Symposium: What’s Hot? Options for Treatment of Hot Flushes 2025 [12 March 2025]
- Webinars: Previous – The Burn, the Itch, the Pain, the Urge: GSM In Women [15 April 2025]
- ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- BMS Statement on Testosterone
- BMS TV: HRT and Bleeding
- BMS TV: HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits
- BMS TV: HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer
- BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
- Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Can You Have HRT If You Are Overweight? [Video]
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit [13 January 2024]
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
- FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause
- FDA Expert Panel on Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- First Symptoms of Menopause
- Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
- Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
- HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
- HRT, Misinformation and Navigating the Menopause Media Minefield With Kaye Adams [16 June 2025]
- HRT: Benefits and Risks
- Handling Hot Flushes and Night Sweats| Dr Louise Newson
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Continuous Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets, Capsules and Patches
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Sequential Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets and Patches
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Tibolone
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Utrogestan (Micronised Progesterone)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen – About Vaginal Oestrogen
- 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]
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- How Vaginal Hormones Can Transform Lives | The Dr Louise Newson Podcast
- 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
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP] [Other Languages and Formats]
- Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause & Hormones: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
- Menopause Signs and Symptoms
- Menopause Symptoms and Relief
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause and HRT [Re: Breast Cancer Risk]
- Menopause and HRT: Fact and Fiction
- Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
- Monitoring Menopause Symptoms
- Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
- Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
- Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
- Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
- Q&A: At 20 Years, WHI Emphasizes Personalized Postmenopausal Care, Shared Decision-Making
- Shedding Light on the Menopause Experience and Demystifying Treatment
- Summary of BMS Response To NICE Menopause Guidance
- Surprising Menopause Symptoms | Dr Louise Newson Live
- Surprising Menopause Symptoms Q&A | Dr Louise Newson
- Surprising Menopause Symptoms Revisited | Dr Louise Newson
- The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
- The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
- The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice
- Tibolone As Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Types of Hormone Therapy
- Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary
- Updated BMS Guidelines on Unscheduled Bleeding on HRT
- Vaginal Dryness After Menopause: How To Treat It?
- Webinars: Previous – IMS & ISE Symposium: What’s Hot? Options for Treatment of Hot Flushes 2025
- Webinars: Previous – The Burn, the Itch, the Pain, the Urge: GSM In Women
- What Types of Vaginal Oestrogens Are There?
- Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Menopause? And Which Can Hormone Therapy Treat?
- When Does Perimenopause Start and How Do You Define the Beginning
- Which Type of HRT Is Recommended If You Are Overweight?
- World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
- World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)
World Menopause Day 2024: The IMS White Paper: Menopause and MHT In 2024: Addressing the Key Controversies [Multiply Languages]
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits. 2025:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 03 October 2025
- World Menopause Day 2024. 2024. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2025
- 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 First Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 03 October 2025
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits. 2025:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 03 October 2025
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Risks. 2025:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 03 October 2025
- Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 4. Why Is MHT Important? What Are the Risks? 2024:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2025
- 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 2022:2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 03 October 2025
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2025:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/default-document-library/MenoNote-Deciding-About-HT-2025.pdf Accessed: 03 October 2025