“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”.1
Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy Benefits and Risks Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- HRT/HT/MHT Benefits and Risks
- HRT/HT/MHT Health Benefits and Risks
- HRT/HT/MHT Pros and Cons
- HRT/HT/MHT Risks and Benefits
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Therapy (HT)
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
Date
What can it be important to be clear about with hormone therapy (HT) benefits and risks information?
It can be important to be clear about the date of all information including the date of HT benefits and risks information, because this information may have been updated.
Symptoms or Chronic Conditions
What can it also be important to be clear about with HT benefits and risks information?
It can also be important to be clear about whether HT benefits and risks information is about the use of HT for the management of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness or for the prevention of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis.
Hormone Therapy
What is hormone therapy (HT) or menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)?
Depending on the Source the definition of HT may vary. In Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Is MHT? the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:
Majority Benefits and Risks
For the majority of those who choose to use HT, do the benefits outweigh the risks?
In Risks and Benefits of MHT: Key Points the Australasian Menopause Society note:
On page three 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:
Individual Benefits and Risks
How important is it to understand HT benefits and risks?
In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks the (United Kingdom) NHS elaborate on:
Many studies on HRT published over the past 15 years highlight the potential risks. As a result, some women and doctors have been reluctant to use HRT.
But recent evidence says that the risks of HRT are small and are usually outweighed by the benefits”.5
Benefits and Risks Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different people?
Yes. HT benefits and risks can differ for different people. These differences may include:
- Individual Differences
- Symptom Differences
- Age Differences
- Menopause Onset
- Side Effect Differences
- Health Conditions Differences
- Uterus Differences
- EPT and ET Differences
- Product Differences
- Option Differences
- Duration Differences
- Breast Cancer Risk
1. Individual Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for individuals who choose to use HT?
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”.6
2. Symptom Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different menopause symptoms?
On page 767 in The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement: Abstract – “endorsed by more than 20 well-respected international organizations” – published July 2022, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) note:
3. Age Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different ages?
On page one in The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement, published 7 July 2022, the NAMS explain:
- “The benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks for most healthy symptomatic women who are aged younger than 60 years and within 10 years of menopause onset”.8
4. Menopause Onset
Can HT benefits and risks differ according to menopause onset?
As noted above, on page one in The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement, published 7 July 2022, the NAMS explain:
- “The benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks for most healthy symptomatic women who are aged younger than 60 years and within 10 years of menopause onset”.9
5. Side Effect Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different side effects?
In Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments the (United States) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) note:
“In some women, Menopause Hormone Therapy may increase risks of serious side effects including blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and gall bladder disease”.10
6. Health Conditions Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different health conditions?
In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When HRT Is Not Suitable, last updated 03 November 2022, the (Scottish) NHS Inform explain:
- Have a history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer or womb (uterus) cancer
- Have a history of blood clots, tablet HRT is not recommended but taking HRT through the skin can be considered
- Have a history of heart disease or stroke
- Have untreated high blood pressure – your blood pressure will need to be controlled before you can start HRT
- Have liver disease
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding”.11
7. Uterus Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for those who have a uterus?
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Use, published July 2022, the NAMS note:
If you do not have a uterus, on page one in Deciding About Hormone Use, the NAMS also note:
8. ET and EPT Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for those who use ET and those who use EPT?
“…you and your healthcare provider need to balance the benefits and risks you have. For example, if you don’t have a uterus and can take estrogen therapy (ET) alone, your risks are different from those of women who still have a uterus and must use estrogen plus progestogen (EPT) to protect against uterine cancer”.14
9. Product Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different HT products?
On page two in Deciding About Hormone Use: Pill or Non-Pill the NAMS explain:
10. Option Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for different HT options?
On page 767 in The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement: Abstract the NAMS note:
In Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT?, last updated 02 March 2023, the JH note:
- The type of medication
- The dose given
- How long the medication is used for
- How the medication is given (e.g. patch or tablet)
- When medication is started
- Whether a progestogen is used
- The type of progestogen used”.17
11. Duration Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for those who choose to use HT for different durations or lengths of time?
In the NICE Guideline Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Treating Menopausal Symptoms the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) elaborate on:
You should also be given information about:
- Non-hormonal treatments, for example a drug called clonidine
- Other types of treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a type of psychological therapy that helps people to manage the way they think and feel”.18
Who is a GP?
Dots and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.
12. Breast Cancer Risk
Can HT increase breast cancer risk?
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Use: Potential Risks the NAMS explain:
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:
- “Current evidence suggests that oestrogen alone HRT is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer than combined HRT. Breast cancer risk is duration dependent and may vary with the type of progestogen used. The risk of breast cancer should be considered in the context of the overall benefits and risks associated with HRT intake”.20
Health Care Provider
What if I choose to use HT, how can I find out what my benefits and risks are?
If you choose to use HT, 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 Use the NAMS explain:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics related to Hormone Therapy Benefits and Risks?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Health Topics A-Z
- Hormone Therapy
- Hormone Therapy 2017 Update for Chronic Conditions
- Hormone Therapy Alternatives
- Hormone Therapy Risks
- Hormone Therapy Videos
- Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Plus Progestogen Therapy
- Hormone Therapy and Estrogen Therapy
- Hormone Therapy and SERMs
- Hormone Therapy and Tibolone
- Women’s Health Initiative
Links
Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy Benefits and Risks?
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
- 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- Association Between Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Risk of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Implications for Precision Hormone Therapy
- BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
- BMS Statement on Testosterone
- BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
- Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Combined Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Consumer Health: Menopause, Hormone Replacement Therapy and Heart Health
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Dr Gail Busby – I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – Episode 9 The Menopause
- Estrogen & Hormones
- Estrogen & Hormones: Estrogen and the Cardiovascular System
- Estrogen & Hormones: Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- HRT
- HRT & Menopause Extra
- HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
- HRT: Benefits and Risks
- HRT: The History
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) With Dr Nicky Peel & Prof. David Armstrong
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Overview – Benefits of HRT
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Overview – Who Can Take HRT
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types
- Hormone Replacement Therapy Safe, Despite Rare Blood Clot Risks From Tablets
- Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Persons: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
- Hormone Therapy for Menopause
- Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- Index To Drug-Specific Information [United States]
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- MHT Still Maligned & Misunderstood: Expert
- MHT and Breast Cancer Risk
- Making Choices At Menopause
- Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
- Managing Menopausal Symptoms—Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Not the Only Option!
- Managing Your Symptoms
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Women’s Health: An Umbrella Review
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy – Fact Sheet
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause & Hormones: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms
- Menopause Hormone Therapy and Your Heart
- Menopause Hormone Therapy: Does It Cause Vaginal Bleeding?
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Benefits of MHT?
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT?
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause, Wellbeing and Health: A Care Pathway From the European Menopause and Andropause Society
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Medicines To Help You
- Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
- Menopause: What Are the Benefits and Risks of Long-Term Hormone Therapy?
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
- Oestrogen Only Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Risks and Benefits of MHT
- Study IDs Non-Hormonal Options for Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Treating Menopause — MHT and Beyond
- Types of Hormone Therapy
- Venous Thrombosis/Thromboembolism Risk and Menopausal Treatments
- Video Series-2021: Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- Video Series-2022: New Treatment Options for Menopause Symptoms Are Around the Corner
- Video Series-2022: Perimenopause, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Prevention of Chronic Diseases In Women: Where Does MHT Fit In?
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: The Women’s Health Initiative – What Can We Believe?
- Webinars: Previous – Breast Cancer
- Webinars: Previous – Progestogen, Progestin, Progesterone: Why All the Confusion?
- Webinars: Previous – The Early Menopausal Patient
- What Are the Benefits and Risks of HRT?
- Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- 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: 10 March 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Is MHT? Last Updated: 02 March 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Risks and Benefits of MHT: Key Points. Content Updated January 2021. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/risks-and-benefits-of-mht-hrt Accessed: 10 March 2023
- 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. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/risks/ Accessed: 10 March 2023
- 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: 10 March 2023
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Abstract. July 2022:767. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. 09 July 2022. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. 09 July 2022. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments. Content Current As of: 22 August 2019. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/menopause Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When HRT Is Not Suitable. Last Updated 03 November 2022. NHS Inform https://www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/medicines-and-medical-aids/types-of-medicine/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- News You Can Use About Hormone Therapy: Benefits. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/news-you-can-use-about-hormone-therapy Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Pill or Non-Pill. 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Abstract. July 2022:767. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT? Last Updated: 02 March 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Treating Menopausal Symptoms. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2019. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Treating-menopausal-symptoms Accessed: 10 March 2023
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits. 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023
- 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: 10 March 2023
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 10 March 2023