Hormone Therapy

“Hormone therapy remains first-line therapy
for management of bothersome vasomotor symptoms,
and the benefits typically outweigh the risks for…”.1

Umbrella

What may the Hormone Therapy Umbrella include?

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

  • Hormone (Replacement) Therapy H(R)T
  • Hormone Medicines
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Hormones
  • Medicines for Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Menopause Hormone Medicines
  • Menopause Medicines

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 and osteoporosis.

U.S. Menopausal Hormone Therapy Labeling To Be Updated, November 2025

In the United States (U.S.) is menopausal hormone therapy labeling to be updated?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press release HHS Advances Women’s Health, Removes Misleading FDA Warnings on Hormone Replacement Therapy, dated 10 November 2025, elaborates on:

“The FDA is initiating removal of the boxed warnings following a comprehensive review of the scientific literature, an expert panel in July, and a public comment period. The agency is working with companies to update language in product labeling to remove references to risks of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and probable dementia. The FDA is not seeking to remove the boxed warning for endometrial cancer for systemic estrogen-alone products”.2

Where may I find Links related to U.S. menopausal hormone therapy labeling to be updated?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

U.S. Menopausal Hormone Therapy Labeling To Be Updated, 10 November 2025

Definition

What is hormone therapy (HT) of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)?

DotS the definition of HT may vary.

In Glossary of Terms: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)/ Hormone Therapy (HT), dated 22 April 2026, the Australasian Menopause Society’s (AMS) definition is:

“MHT also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormone therapy (HT) refers to hormones prescribed to help oestrogen deficiency. This is most commonly prescribed for women around the time of menopause to relieve menopausal symptoms and to prevent osteoporosis. Women with other causes of oestrogen deficiency (such as pituitary gland problems) may also be prescribed hormone therapy”.3

In Hormone Therapy the (United States) Menopause Society’s (formerly the North American Menopause Society) definition is:

“Hormone therapies (HT), sometimes mistakenly called hormone replacement therapy, are the prescription drugs used most often to treat menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), which includes vaginal dryness after menopause”.4

Hormone TherapyOn page four of 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’s definition is:

“MHT supplements the hormones your body stops making after menopause. These hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, are crucial for managing menopause symptoms and protecting your health.

  • Estrogen: The main hormone used in MHT. It helps reduce hot flushes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness
  • Progesterone: This is given to women who still have a uterus (womb). It helps protect the womb lining from growing too much when taking estrogen”.5

5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy

What is the IMS’s The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy?

Hormone TherapyIn World Menopause Day 2024: The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) the IMS elaborate on:

  1. “Who is MHT for?
  2. What is MHT?
  3. When should MHT be started and stopped?
  4. Why is MHT important?
  5. Where can you get MHT?”6

Contraceptive or Not

Is HT a contraceptive?

No. On page five in Contraception for Woman Over 40: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the (British) Women’s Health Concern (WHC) note:

“It is important to realise that HRT is not a method of contraception”.7

Effective or Not

How effective is HT?

On page one in The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy, published October 2024, the Menopause Society note:

“Hormone therapy remains first-line therapy for management of bothersome vasomotor symptoms, and the benefits typically outweigh the risks for most healthy women when initiated younger than age 60 years or within 10 years of menopause onset with appropriate counseling.

Hormone therapy is indicated for the treatment of bothersome vasomotor symptoms,
genitourinary syndrome of menopause, primary ovarian insufficiency, and prevention of bone loss and reduction of fracture risk”.8 

Types

Are there different types of HT?

Yes. In HRT: Which HRT? the WHC explain:

“The type of HRT most suited to a woman will depend on a variety of factors, including her stage in the menopausal process, and whether or not she has had a hysterectomy. Most forms of HRT combine different amounts of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone (synthetic progesterone is called progestogen).

There are over 50 different combinations of HRT currently available. Most women will make their choice whether to take HRT, and which form of HRT to take, with the help of their doctor”.9 

Dose and Duration

What does the (United States) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) note about deciding to use HT?

In Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause? 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”.10

Benefits and Risks

What are the benefits and risks of HT?

In Hormone Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions – Who Should Not Use Hormone Therapy? the Menopause Society note:

“Hormone therapy is not a good choice for every woman. For some, the risks outweigh the benefits, so careful consideration with a healthcare professional is advised. In general, women who have breast cancer, uterine cancer, unexplained uterine bleeding, liver disease, a history of blood clots, and cardiovascular disease should not use hormone therapy”.11

Health Care Provider

What if I to choose to use HT?

In Treatments for Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health explain:

“When using MHT, your doctor will probably suggest you:

  • “Start low” (start with a low dose)
  • “Go slow” (take some time to let the medicine work before increasing the dose)
  • “Review often” (review your dose with your doctor once each year)”.12

Health Topics A-Z

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

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone 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. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  2. Black Menopausal Women Almost 5 Times Less Likely To Be on HRT Than White Women
  3. Bleeding on HRT Explained | Dr Louise Newson Live
  4. Bleeding on HRT: What’s Normal and What’s Not
  5. Busting Brain Myths: The Evolving Story of Menopause Hormone Therapy and Cognitive Health
  6. Can HRT Stop Your Periods?
  7. Can You Have HRT If You Are Overweight?
  8. Can You Have HRT If You Have Had A Clot?
  9. Can You Have HRT With Uterine Fibroids
  10. Can You Start HRT After 60? What the Evidence Shows
  11. Can’t Get Your HRT Patches? What To Do and What To Avoid
  12. Celebrating the Removal But Cautioning the Removal of All Warnings on HRT
  13. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  14. Contraception for the Woman Over the Age of 40: Hormone Replacement Therapy
  15. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  16. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  17. Does HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) Increase Breast Cancer Risk?
  18. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: FDA Decision on MHT Warnings – A Live EMAS Roundtable
  19. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM): Diagnosis and Evidence-Based Management (EN)
  20. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Menopause In Cancer Survivors: Managing Complex Care
  21. Epilepsy, the Menopause and HRT
  22. FDA Direct: Removing Black Box Warnings for HRT (Part 1/2)
  23. FDA Direct: Removing Black Box Warnings for HRT (Part 2/2)
  24. FDA Removes Black Box Warning on HRT- What Does That Mean for the UK
  25. Fact Sheet: FDA Initiates Removal of “Black Box” Warnings From Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy Products
  26. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  27. Find A Practitioner [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  28. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  29. From Cardiovascular Protection To Cardiovascular Risk: The Metamorphosis of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  30. HHS Advances Women’s Health, Removes Misleading FDA Warnings on Hormone Replacement Therapy
  31. HRT
  32. HRT Questions Answered
  33. HRT Types and Doses | Dr Louise Newson
  34. HRT and the Likelihood of Some Medical Conditions. A Discussion Aid for GPs and Patients. Menopause: Identification and Management (NICE Guideline NG23)
  35. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  36. HRT, Breast Cancer and the Real Risks of Not Taking Hormones
  37. HRT, Misinformation and Navigating the Menopause Media Minefield With Kaye Adams
  38. HRT: Benefits and Risks
  39. HRT: How To Find the Right Dose & Type | Dr Louise Newson
  40. HRT: The History
  41. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  42. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  43. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  44. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  45. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Continuous Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets, Capsules and Patches
  46. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Sequential Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets and Patches
  47. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Tibolone
  48. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  49. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen
  50. Hormone Therapy
  51. Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Persons: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
  52. 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]
  53. How Should You Come Off Your HRT?
  54. How Vaginal Hormones Can Transform the Health of Women
  55. IMS Statement: US HHS Revises Black Box Warning for Menopause Hormone Therapy [International Menopause Society]
  56. International Menopause Society (IMS) Recommendations and Key Messages on Women’s Midlife Health and Menopause
  57. Initiation of Hormone Therapy After Age 65 Remains Risky but Still Works for Some Women
  58. 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
  59. Long-Term Cognitive Effects of Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Findings From the KEEPS Continuation Study
  60. Management of Unscheduled Bleeding on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  61. Menopausal Hormone Labels Should Rely on Evidence, Not Opinion
  62. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Does It Cause Vaginal Bleeding?
  63. Menopause Care After Breast Cancer | Dr Louise Newson
  64. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  65. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  66. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  67. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
    Hormone Therapy
  68. Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
  69. Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide
    Hormone Therapy
  70. New Estradot Conti HRT Available
  71. News From the WHI Study. WHI Responds To FDA Removal of Black Box Warning on Hormonal Therapies
  72. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2025: The Burn, the Itch, the Pain, the Urge: GSM In Women
  73. Practical HRT Tips | Dr Louise Newson
  74. Progestin Sensitivity / Progesterone Intolerance
  75. Pros and Cons of HRT Patches
  76. Slynd As Endometrial Protection
  77. Testosterone and Why the UK Is Falling Behind
  78. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  79. The Debate About Hormone Replacement Therapy During Menopause In MS: Rhonda R. Voskuhl, MD
  80. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
    Hormone Therapy
  81. The Removal of the Black Box on HT: Will Women’s Health Improve? [+ Video]
  82. The Role of Topical Vaginal Oestrogen
  83. The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice
  84. The Women’s Health Initiative Trials: Clinical Messages
  85. Understanding Hormone Therapy for Menopausal Symptoms
  86. Update on Menopause Hormone Therapy; Current Indications and Unanswered Questions
  87. Update – Subcutaneous Hormone Implant Therapy
  88. Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary
  89. Updated Labeling for Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  90. Video: Hormone Therapy Protects Bone, Heart, Brain Health During Menopause
  91. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  92. What Are the Benefits and Risks of HRT? [Videos]
  93. What Is Low-Dose Estrogen Therapy?
  94. What Types of Vaginal Oestrogens Are There?
  95. When MS Meets Menopause: Is It Time To Rethink HRT?
  96. Why Understanding Your Hormones Changes Everything
  97. Why You Get An Itch or Thrush on Vaginal Estrogen and What To Do About It
  98. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  99. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  100. World Menopause Day 2024: The IMS White Paper: Menopause and MHT In 2024: Addressing the Key Controversies [Multiply Languages]
  101. Your Daily Dose: Let’s Unpack Menopause

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy. 2024:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TMS-statement-on-HT-Misinformation.pdf Accessed: 07 May 2026
  2. HHS Advances Women’s Health, Removes Misleading FDA Warnings on Hormone Replacement Therapy. 10 November 2025. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-advances-womens-health-removes-misleading-fda-warnings-hormone-replacement-therapy.html Accessed: 07 May 2026
  3. Glossary of Terms: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)/ Hormone Therapy (HT). 22 April 2026. Australasian Menopause Society’s https://hub.menopause.org.au/Play?pId=b474d931-428c-4cf7-a80a-74ff4287b33d Accessed: 07 May 2026
  4. Hormone Therapy. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hormone-therapy Accessed: 07 May 2026
  5. Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. What Is MHT? 2024:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 07 May 2026
  6. World Menopause Day 2024. 2024. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 07 May 2026
  7. Contraception for Women Over the Age of 40: Hormone Replacement Therapy. Reviewed: December 2025:5. British Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/04-NEW-WHC-FACTSHEET-Contraception-for-women-over-the-age-of-40-DEC2025-A.pdf Accessed: 07 May 2026
  8. The Menopause Society. October 2024:1. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TMS-statement-on-HT-Misinformation.pdf Accessed: 07 May 2026
  9. HRT: Which HRT? Publication Date: November 2021. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/09-WHC-FACTSHEET-HRT-NOV2022-B.pdf Accessed: 07 May 2026
  10. Menopause: Hormone Therapy – What Is Hormone Therapy for Menopause? Content Current As of: 14 December 2023. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/WomensHealthTopics/ucm117978.htm Accessed: 07 May 2026
  11. Hormone Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions – Who Should Not Use Hormone Therapy? 2024. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hormone-therapy Accessed: 07 May 2026
  12. Treatments for Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT). Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/treatments-for-menopause/ Accessed: 07 May 2026
Topic Last Updated: 07 May 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 07 May 2026

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