Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

The treatment which is given to some women, who have entered the phase of menopause or passed it, is called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It involves intake of 1 or 2 female hormones i.e. progesterone and estrogen. When a woman reaches an age near fifty, she experiences changes in the occurrence of menstrual cycle. Menopause is the phase of a woman’s life in which her menstrual cycle ends completely. Once a woman reaches menopausal phase, she loses her ability to conceive. Until a woman reaches menopause, her ovaries produce progesterone and estrogen in a natural way. Both these hormones are required for smooth functioning of female reproductive system. Estrogen also performs several other functions in the body of women.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is done for replacing estrogen hormone in the body of women. This therapy was developed by researchers in the decade of 1960. The basic reason for which HRT is prescribed by doctors to a lot of menopausal women is to ease the undesirable symptoms offered by menopause. HRT also gives protection to the women from numerous health related risks which may be caused due to menopause.



Various researchers are trying to find out whether Hormone replacement therapy has some negative effects on the health of women or not. This debate is going on for years but nothing has been concluded till now in this regard. Though it is true that numerous women take HRT, but it should also be understood that it may not be the right option for every woman. Before a woman decides to get hormone replacement therapy she should make herself aware about various benefits and risks associated with it.

It is true that HRT protects menopausal women from health risks like osteoporosis. It is also a fact that all women who reach menopause phase do not experience its symptoms. However, those who are troubled by the symptoms of menopause may be benefited by HRT. In U.S, HRT is counted among some of the most commonly prescribed treatments.