Why Might I Need Hormone Replacement Therapy After The Menopause?

At the menopause, which happens when women are in their late 40s or early 50s, the ovaries stop working. They stop producing eggs and they also produce lower amounts of the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

This can lead to some very difficult times with troublesome symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats, depression or anxiety and insomnia, problems with the bones and an increased risk of heart disease. Oestrogen prevents reabsorption of bone so, once its levels fall, the bones can become brittle and break more easily. This condition can be severe and is called osteoporosis.

Hormone replacement therapy can help women with particularly bad menopausal symptoms cope better with life. The hormones replace the natural hormones so that the body is fooled into thinking the ovaries are working again. The hormones can be taken as tablets, implants or skin patches. They are prescribed quite often these days and can be taken almost indefinitely to enhance women's health throughout middle and old age.

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