Is HRT safe?

FemTech World explores whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is safe or not, its benefits and contraindications.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment that relieves symptoms of the menopause and replaces hormones that are at a lower level as women approach this hormonal phase.

There are numerous ways of taking HRT, including tablets, skin patches, gels and vaginal creams, pessaries or rings. Most women take a combination of the hormones oestrogen and progestogen, although women who do not have a womb can take oestrogen on its own.

What are HRT benefits?

The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most of the menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness and reduced sex drive.

This therapy can also help prevent weakening of the bones which is more common after the menopause.

What are HRT risks?

According to the NHS, the benefits of HRT usually overweigh the risks for most women. 

HRT’s effects depend on the types of hormone used, the form in which it is given and the timing of first use. Body mass index can also make a difference. 

The main concerns around HRT use are breast cancer, blood cloths and heart diseases and strokes.

There is little or no change in the risk of breast cancer if using oestrogen-only HRT but the increased risk is related to how long you take the treatment, and it falls after the user stops taking it.

HRT can increase the risk of blood clots and heart diseases but the risk remains small.

What are HRT alternatives?

Most doctors and scientists agree that HRT is good for menopausal symptoms. 

None of the alternatives have been shown to be as effective as HRT at controlling symptoms such as hot flushes. 

Bioidential hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is currently used to treat menopausal symptoms but the debate about whether it is effective or not still rages.

BHRT is the use of hormones that are identical on a molecular level with endogenous hormones in hormone replacement therapy.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the hormones marketed as Bioidentical and natural aren’t safer than hormones used in traditional hormone therapy.