Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help balance estrogen and progesterone levels during or near menopause. There are also many other reasons why a doctor might prescribe supplementary sex hormones.

Also known as menopausal hormone therapy, HRT can help relieve sweating, hot flashes, and other symptoms of menopause. It can also reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Some types of HRT contain both progesterone and estrogen, while others contain only estrogen. Sometimes they contain testosterone.

Menopause
Menopause is not an illness. It is a natural transition from the years in which a female can reproduce to the next phase of life.

Many people go through menopause without requiring any treatment. However, if the transition causes troubling or distracting symptoms, a variety of treatment approaches are available.

Hormones and menopause
Levels of progesterone and estrogen fluctuate throughout each month, in females, contributing to the menstrual cycle.