The basic pro of HRT is that it reduces the symptoms of the menopause, which are wide and varied.

These include night sweats, hot flushes, mood swings,lack of libido, vaginal dryness, skin and hair changes, joint pains and tiredness to name but a few.
When taken for several years it also reduces your risk of heart disease and of developing thinning bones.

The disadvantages are that some women do not like having periods re-introduced if they have stopped, although new preparations now allow for bleed-free treatment.

It would certainly be a good idea to read up further on what is a very large topic. And it is true that there are many pros to taking HRT especially if a woman suffers very badly from the effects of the menopause. In that case it can make all the difference in the world to how she feels and lives her life.

The mention of a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer in some susceptible women over the age of 50 is often highlighted and other side effects can include nausea, weight gain and fluid retention.

Hormone-containing coils seem to be very well tolerated by the vast majority of women who have them fitted. Do discuss things further with your doctor if you are weighing up the pros and cons and use what he says to make a decision along with your own research on this topic.

Until relatively recently, there were only a handful of HRT medicines available, and two of those were made from pregnant mare's urine.

Now, there are a number of preparations, predominantly synthetic variations of human hormones, with a wide range of tablets, patches, gels and creams.
There are also implants available that consist of little pellets of long-acting hormones. They are inserted under the skin of the tummy and can last for six months or more.

As well as conventional treatments, there are also progesterone creams of plant origin and a wide range of complementary therapies, including herbalism, homoeopathy and acupuncture.These can relieve the symptoms of the menopause, but cannot prevent osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). There are on-going research projects in this area.

For women who do not want HRT that will affect all of their body (systemic HRT), there are several different preparations of oestrogen hormone that are used in the vagina to replace natural moisture and lubrication without necessarily having any effect on hot flushes and other symptoms.
These include creams, vaginal tablets and plastic rings – the latter sit in the vagina for up to three months.

There are several medical conditions that would prevent someone from taking HRT, and one of the most important is a history (either in the patient or the patient's family) of blood clots, either in the legs or the lungs.

It is because of considerations like these that it is advisable to have good chat with your medical professional before starting on HRT, to help you to be sure that it is the right step for you.

Much of the discussion about the use and safety of HRT is about assessing and balancing risk.

The problem is that while this may be acceptable in general terms, when we are discussing our own health even balanced risks feel uncomfortable.
HRT certainly has a protective effect against the development of osteoporosis, but women with a personal or family history of Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism, severe varicose veins, obesity, recent surgery or trauma are regarded as having a predisposing risk of DVT and advised not to take HRT.