Estrogen Replacement Therapy: Benefits, Types & What to Know

Estrogen is a hormone produced by the ovaries in women, but with the onset of menopause, the ovaries slowly stop production. Some doctors prescribe estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for women to prevent menopause symptoms and bone loss.

Effects

• Estrogen replacement can help prevent bone loss

  The effects of ERT vary, but women on ERT have a reduced incidence of heart disease, bone loss and stroke.

Types of Estrogen Replacement

• There are several types of estrogen administered to women. A common form is conjugated estrogens, which are products made up of a number of different estrogens obtained from multiple natural sources.

Additional Estrogen Types

• In addition to conjugated types, there are also products that contain only a single estrogen. There is also an estrogen patch available.

Herbal Treatment

• Herbal treatment may help

  Many women who seek more natural estrogen replacement turn to herbal therapy. Plants such as black cohosh, red clover, wild yam or soy plant products containing isoflavones or phytoestrogens can be effective.

Side Effects

• Possible side effects from using estrogen replacement therapy include blood clots, stroke, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and gallstones.