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Menopause hormone therapy is medicine with female hormones. It's taken to replace the estrogen the body stops making after menopause, which is when periods stop for good. This therapy most often is used to treat common menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal discomfort. Menopause hormone therapy used to be called hormone replacement therapy.

Menopause hormone therapy also has been shown to prevent bone loss and reduce broken bones after menopause.

But menopause hormone therapy does have risks. These risks depend on:

• The type of hormone therapy.
• Whether the medicine is taken by mouth or applied on the skin.
• The dose of medicine.
• How long the medicine is taken.
• Your age and personal health risks.

For best results, menopause hormone therapy should be tailored to each person. You also should review your use of hormone therapy regularly with your healthcare professional to make sure the benefits still outweigh the risks.