Hormone Replacement Therapy - Types and Forms

Types and Forms of HRT

Different types of HRT are available to cater to the different symptoms experienced by women during menopause. The specialist is equipped to help women with the best mode of treatment. Some of the types of HRT are as follows:


Continuous Sequential HRT

Women who have not undergone a hysterectomy need to take HRT that combines both Estrogen and Progesterone. Doctors usually prescribe sequential HRT to women who are still menstruating - which means they take Estrogen every day and take Progesterone for a prescribed number of days each month.

Estrogen-only HRT

This type of HRT is meant for women who have undergone a hysterectomy and hence do not carry risk of endometrial cancer.

Continuous Combined HRT or Period-Free HRT

This treatment is usually given to women whose periods have not occurred for a year. The specialist prescribes a combination of Estrogen-Progesterone to be taken daily with the dosage adjusted in such a way that once the treatment progresses the monthly bleed stops. This treatment protects the uterus, provides estrogen supplements to the body and also makes the woman period-free.

It is important to arrive at the best combination of estrogen and progesterone as well as choose the most suitable form of HRT.

Different forms of HRT are available:

Tablets with varied combinations of estrogen and progesterone are available.

Vaginal creams and vaginal rings are available. Rings can be inserted into the vagina and creams can be applied to bring relief for the vaginal symptoms of menopause.

Skin patches containing hormones are available which are absorbed by the skin.

Gels containing estrogen are also available which when applied to the skin gets absorbed into the blood stream.

Estrogen Implants which resemble pellets are inserted into the skin. These pellets slowly release estrogen into the bloodstream for a stipulated period of time.

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