Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a treatment that helps people with symptoms of menopause. As women reach menopause, they might suffer from many uncomfortable symptoms. HRT can provide relief to women. Sometimes, it is used interchangeably with Hormone Therapy (HT). While Hormone Replacement Therapy generally refers to menopause, HT is a broader term that may include other treatments involving hormones.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), once viewed with caution due to past safety concerns, is steadily regaining ground in women’s health. With newer formulations, improved screening, and better understanding of menopausal physiology, specialists say that HRT today is safer, more effective, and more tailored to the patient.
In an interaction with TV9 English, Dr Shruthi Kalagara, Consultant -Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Sarjapur, Bangalore, spoke about how hormone replacement therapy has become safer over the years.
HRT supplements estrogen, progesterone, or both to ease symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep disruption, and vaginal dryness. For many women, treatment can restore comfort, improve confidence, and support day-to-day functioning. Specialists note that menopause is no longer viewed as something women simply have to ‘put up with,’ but as a stage where medical support can genuinely enhance quality of life.
How is HRT safer today?
The primary reason HRT is safer today is the move away from the rigid, high-dose synthetic protocols of the past and the utilisation of bioidentical hormones (structurally identical to those produced by the human body) and advanced delivery systems. Unlike the oral tablets used in the early 2000s, modern patches, gels, and sprays deliver estradiol (the most potent estrogen) directly through the skin. This reduces the risk of blood clots and stroke significantly.
Data now show that when HRT is initiated in women under 60 or within 10 years of menopause onset, the cardiovascular benefits are substantial. Clinical reviews have reaffirmed that early intervention can reduce all-cause mortality and the risk of coronary heart disease. It can also decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity and provides 50–60% protection against osteoporotic fractures.
Reassessing the Risks
While no medication is without risk, the absolute risk of breast cancer associated with modern HRT is much lower than previously messaged. Furthermore, estrogen-only therapy (for those without a uterus) has actually been shown in long-term follow-ups to decrease the risk of breast cancer diagnosis.
Modern HRT options are customised, low-risk, and life-improving when monitored correctly. They significantly reduce hot flashes, mood swings, bone loss, and vaginal dryness. Whether one should consider taking HRT is a discussion to have with a professional. You should discuss the risks and benefits of hormone therapy with your doctor and determine if it’s right for you.
