The Inside Skinny on Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)

MHT used to be called HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) – and it's the gold standard for symptom relief.

MHT replaces the hormones your body's winding down. It can ease hot flushes, brain fog, mood swings, vaginal dryness, sleep issues, and more.

How it's delivered

Pills, patches, gels, creams – your choice. The dose, delivery, and hormone combo can all be tailored to suit your body and your symptoms.

The baggage

You've probably heard whispers (or screams) about cancer risks. That stems from older studies that used outdated hormone types and didn't paint the full picture. The result? Decades of fear, confusion, and women being told to just put up with it.

The study that shaped the narrative

In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) — a large U.S. study — released results suggesting that hormone therapy increased the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The media ran with it. Women panicked. GPs stopped prescribing it. And millions were left to suffer through severe menopause symptoms with no support.

What went wrong? A lot, actually:

Most participants were well past menopause — average age 63, many over 70. But hormone therapy is most effective and safest when started closer to menopause (before 60 or within 10 years of your final period). So, the study didn't reflect the women most likely to seek treatment.

The study used older, synthetic hormones — namely conjugated equine oestrogens (made from horse urine) and a synthetic form of progesterone (medroxyprogesterone acetate). These aren't the same as the body-identical hormones commonly used today, which behave much more like your body's own.

The risks were overstated for individuals. For example, the slight increase in breast cancer risk was similar to that from drinking a glass of wine each night. But the media reported it in ways that made it sound catastrophic.

Benefits – like reduced risk of osteoporosis, improved quality of life, and relief from debilitating symptoms – were barely mentioned.

Where we are now

Newer, better-designed studies show that for most women under 60 (or within 10 years of menopause), MHT is safe, effective, and offers powerful protection. That said, it's not your only option. The next section of this booklet covers alternative and natural therapies, if you fancy taking a different path.