Hormone Therapy Types

“The type of HT your provider prescribes may depend on
what menopause symptoms you have. For example, pills or
patches can treat night sweats. Vaginal rings, creams or…”.1

Umbrella

What may the Hormone Therapy Types Umbrella include?

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

  • Combined/Combination HT/HRT
  • Continuous HT
  • Continuous Oestrogen and Progestogen Combinations
  • Cyclical/Sequential HT/HRT
  • Estrogen Therapy (ET)
  • Estrogen-Progestogen Therapy (EPT)
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Hormone Therapy Forms
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Oestrogen Only HT/HRT/Therapy
  • Oestrogen and Progestogen Combination HRT
  • Progestin/Progestogen

Date

What can it be important to be clear about with hormone therapy (HT) information?

It can be important to be clear about the date of all information including the date of HT information, because this information may have been updated.

Symptoms or Chronic Conditions

What can it also be important to be clear about with HT information?

It can also be important to be clear about whether HT 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.

Types

What are types of hormone therapy (HT)?

In Treatments for Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Types of MHT: Oestrogen and Progesterone Therapy the (Australasian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“Oestrogen is the main hormone prescribed to relieve menopausal symptoms. If you’ve had a hysterectomy, this may be all you need.

If you haven’t had a hysterectomy, oestrogen and progesterone are used together, as progesterone reduces the risk of endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterus).

Depending on your situation, your doctor may recommend other combinations of oestrogen and progestogen (including progesterone and other progesterone-like hormones)”.2

In Hormone Therapy: Types of Hormone Therapy the Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society) elaborate on:

“Systemic and low-dose are the two main types of hormone therapy.

  • Systemic therapy: When hormones are delivered throughout the body via pills, patches, sprays, gels, or a vaginal ring, this is known as systemic therapy. Systemic doses are absorbed into the bloodstream at high-enough levels to have significant effects in widespread areas, which is needed to treat symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes
  • Low-dose therapy: Also called vaginal estrogen therapy (ET) for GSM after menopause, this therapy is administered into the vagina and is effective for both moisturizing and rebuilding tissue. Very little goes into blood circulation, so the risks are far lower”.3

Different Types

What are some different types of HT?

In Types of Hormone Therapy: Forms of Hormone Therapy the (United States) MedlinePlus elaborate on:

“The type of HT your provider prescribes may depend on what menopause symptoms you have. For example, pills or patches can treat night sweats. Vaginal rings, creams, or tablets help relieve vaginal dryness”.4

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

“MHT can be taken in different forms which include:

  • Tablets: Easy to take, but may have higher risks of blood clots
  • Patches, sprays, and gels: Absorbed through the skin and are often safer for women with certain risk factors
  • Vaginal creams, gels, tablets and rings: Often used for vaginal symptoms like dryness or discomfort during sex”.5

Uterus or No Uterus

Is the type of HT prescribed for women with a uterus different from the type of HT prescribed for women without a uterus?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use, published February 2025, the Menopause Society (formerly  the North American Menopause Society) explain:

“Hormone therapy involves taking estrogen in doses high enough to raise the level of estrogen in your blood in order to treat hot flashes and other symptoms. Because estrogen stimulates the lining of the uterus, women with a uterus need to take an additional hormone, progestogen, to protect the uterus”.6

Vaginal Dryness

What type of HT may be prescribed for women with vaginal dryness?

Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use the Menopause Society also note:

“If you are bothered only by vaginal dryness, you can use very low doses of estrogen placed directly into the vagina. These low doses generally do not raise blood estrogen levels above postmenopause levels and do not treat hot flashes. You do not need to take a progestogen when using only low doses of estrogen in the vagina”.7

Health Care Provider

How do I find out what type of HT to use?

In Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Therapy the (United Kingdom) NHS elaborate on:

“The type of HRT that’s best for you depends on different factors, like if you’ve had a hysterectomy, what stage of menopause you’re at, and your personal preferences.

If you’re considering taking HRT, talk to a GP about the options suitable for you”.8

In Treatments for Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – How Do You Take MHT? the JH also note:

“You may need to try different dosages or methods to find what works best for you. Your doctor should help manage this process”.9

Health Topics A-Z

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

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy Types?

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. BMS Statement on Testosterone
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  10. British Menopause Society Statement on HRT Dosages
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  24. HRT: How To Find the Right Dose & Type | Dr Louise Newson
  25. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  26. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  27. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Continuous Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets, Capsules and Patches
  28. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray
  29. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Sequential Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets and Patches
  30. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  31. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Tibolone
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  34. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen
  35. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen – About Vaginal Oestrogen
  36. 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]
  37. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  38. Index To Drug-Specific Information [United States]
  39. Joint BMS FSRH RCGP RCOG SfE and RCN Women’s Health Forum Safety Alert
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    Hormone Therapy Types
  46. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
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  48. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  49. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  50. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  51. Menopause and HRT: Fact and Fiction
  52. Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause?
  53. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
    Hormone Therapy Types
  54. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
  55. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  56. Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy [2024]
  57. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  58. Q&A – Doses and Types of HRT | Dr Louise Newson [04 January 2025]
  59. Risks and Benefits of MHT
  60. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  61. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
    Hormone Therapy Types
  62. The Role of Topical Vaginal Oestrogen
  63. The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice
  64. Tibolone As Menopausal Hormone Therapy
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  66. Types of Hormone Therapy
  67. UCalgary Research Reveals Importance of Route of Administration of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  68. Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary
  69. Vaginal Dryness
  70. Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  71. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  72. Webinars: Previous – IMS & ISE Symposium: What’s Hot? Options for Treatment of Hot Flushes 2025
  73. Webinars: Previous – The Burn, the Itch, the Pain, the Urge: GSM In Women
  74. What Types of Vaginal Oestrogens Are There?
  75. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  76. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  77. Hormone Therapy Types 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

  1. Types of Hormone Therapy: Forms of Hormone Therapy. Review Date: 31 March 2025. MedlinePlus https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000695.htm Accessed: 04 October 2025
  2. Treatments for Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Types of MHT: Oestrogen and Progesterone Therapy. Last Updated: 13 May 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 04 October 2025
  3. Hormone Therapy: Types of Hormone Therapy. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hormone-therapy 04 October 2025
  4. Types of Hormone Therapy: Forms of Hormone Therapy. Review Date: 31 March 2025. MedlinePlus https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000695.htm Accessed: 04 October 2025
  5. Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. What Is MHT? Types of HT. 2024:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 08 January 2025
  6. 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: 04 October 2025
  7. 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: 04 October 2025
  8. Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy Options (HRT). Page Last Reviewed: 09 March 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/types-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 04 October 2025
  9. Treatments for Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – How Do You Take MHT? Last Updated: 13 May 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 04 October 2025
Topic Last Updated: 04 October 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 04 October 2025

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