“If you decide to use hormone therapy, use it at the lowest
dose that helps. Also use hormones
for the shortest time that you need them”.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:
Benefits and Risks Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ?
Yes. HT benefits and risks can differ. These differences may include:
- Benefit Differences
- Risk Differences
- Individual Differences
- Symptom Differences
- Age Differences
- Postmenopause Differences
- Health Conditions Differences
- Uterus Differences
- EPT and ET Differences
- Product Differences
- Option Differences
- Duration Differences
- Breast Cancer Risk
1. Benefit Differences
Can HT benefits differ?
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:
In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the (United Kingdom) NHS elaborate on:
If you’re under 60 years old, have menopause symptoms, and are not at high risk of breast cancer or blood clots, the benefits of HRT are likely to outweigh the risks.
Talk to a GP, who will help you decide”.5
2. Risk Differences
Can HT risks differ?
In Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Therapy: What Are the Risks of Using Hormone Therapy? the (United States) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) note:
“For some women, hormone therapy may increase their chances of getting blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and gall bladder disease. For a woman with a uterus, estrogen increases the chance of getting endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine lining). Adding progestin lowers this risk”.6
3. Individual Differences
Can HT individual benefits and risks differ?
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”.7
4. 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:
5. 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”.9
6. Postmenopause Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ according to if you’ve been postmenopausal for 10 years or more?
In Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT?, last updated 19 December 2023, the JH note:
“It is not recommended you start MHT if you are older than 60 years or if you’ve been postmenopausal for 10 years or more”.10
7. 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
In Menopause: Hormone Therapy – Who Should Not Take Hormone Therapy for Menopause?, published 14 December 2023, the FDA note:
- Think they are pregnant
- Have problems with vaginal bleeding
- Have certain kinds of cancers
- Have had a stroke or heart attack
- Have had blood clots
- Have liver disease”.12
8. 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:
9. 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”.15
10. 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:
11. 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 06 June 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”.18
12. Duration Differences
Can HT benefits and risks differ for those who choose to use HT for different duration or lengths of time?
In Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Therapy: How Long Should I Use Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms? the FDA note:
13. 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”.21
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:
“Every woman is different, and you will decide about whether to use HT based on the severity of your symptoms, your personal and family health history, and your own beliefs about menopause treatments. Your healthcare professional will be able to help you with your decision”.22
In Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause?, published 14 December 2023, the FDA note:
“Menopause hormone therapy is not for everyone. Like all medicines, hormone therapy has benefits and risks. Talk with your health care provider about hormone therapy. If you decide to use hormone therapy, use it at the lowest dose that helps. Also use hormones for the shortest time that you need them”.23
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy Benefits and Risks?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Health Topics A-Z
- Hormone Therapy
- Hormone Therapy 2022 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
- HRT: Fact-Checking Risks and Benefits [13 February 2024]
- Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause?
- The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
- Video Series-2023: Premature and Early Menopause
- Video Series-2024: Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
- Women Aged Older Than 65 Years May Be Able To Safely Continue Taking Hormone Therapy [10 April 2024]
- 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
- 8 Myths and Truths About Menopausal Hot Flashes
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
- BMS Statement on Testosterone
- BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
- BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- BMS TV: HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits
- BMS TV: HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer
- BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Dr Louise Newson: The Truth About the Menopause & HRT
- EMAS Webinars [Mulitply Languages] Ultra-Low Dose Menopausal Hormone Therapy (EN) [Multiply Languages]
- Estrogen & Hormones
- Estrogen & Hormones: Estrogen and the Cardiovascular System
- Estrogen & Hormones: Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy
- FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause
- 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]
- Guidance on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- HRT
- HRT & Menopause Extra
- HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
- HRT: Benefits and Risks
- HRT: Fact-Checking Risks and Benefits
- HRT: The History
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) With Dr Nicky Peel & Prof. David Armstrong
- 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): Utrogestan (Micronised Progesterone)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen
- Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Persons: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
- Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – E9: The Menopause: Can Every Woman That Wants It Have HRT?
- 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 of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Managing Your Symptoms
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Perimenopause Transitions and Concerns
- 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, Heart Disease and Stroke
- Menopause
- Menopause & Hormones: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- 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 and HRT
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- 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: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Risks and Benefits of MHT
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
- The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
- The Truth About Hormone Therapy for Menopause
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Treating Menopause — MHT and Beyond
- Types of Hormone Therapy
- UCalgary Research Reveals Importance of Route of Administration of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Utrogestan (Micronised Progesterone)
- Vaginal Dryness
- Vaginal Dryness After Menopause: How To Treat It?
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- Video Series-2022: Perimenopause, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
- Video Series-2023: Lifestyle Modification and Prevention of Breast Cancer
- Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Video Series-2023: Premature and Early Menopause
- Video Series-2024: Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
- Video: Leslie Cho, MD, Discusses CV Risks, Benefits of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
- 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 – Approach To Bone Health In the Perimenopause and Postmenopause?
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause? Content Current As of: 14 December 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/menopause Accessed: 14 February 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Is MHT? Last Updated: 19 December 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Page Last Reviewed: 08 February 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/benefits-and-risks-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 14 February 2024
- Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Are the Risks of Using Hormone Therapy? Content Current As of: 14 December 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/menopause Accessed: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT? Last Updated: 19 December 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- Menopause: Hormone Therapy – Who Should Not Take Hormone Therapy for Menopause? Content Current As of: 14 December 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/menopause Accessed: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Abstract. Menopause, Volume 29, No 27, 2022:767. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 14 February 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – What Are the Risks of MHT? Last Updated: 19 December 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 14 February 2024
- Menopause: Hormone Therapy – How Long Should I Use Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms? Content Current As of: 14 December 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/menopause Accessed: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- 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: 14 February 2024
- Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause? Content Current As of: 14 December 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/menopause Accessed: 14 February 2024