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Is HRT right for me? A quick suitability check

Answer a few questions about your age, your periods, your symptoms and your health history. You'll see whether HRT is usually a good option to discuss, needs a careful conversation, or is best reviewed by a specialist first.

Based on menopause guidance from NICE (NG23), the Indian Menopause Society and The Menopause Society. Your answers stay on your phone; nothing is saved or sent unless you choose to WhatsApp us.

1. Your age

Under 40 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65 or over

2. Your periods

I still have periods (even if irregular) My last period was less than 1 year ago They stopped 1–5 years ago They stopped 5–10 years ago They stopped more than 10 years ago They stopped before I was 40 They stopped when I was 40–44 I've had a hysterectomy (womb removed)

3. What's bothering you most?

Tap all that apply.

Hot flushes / night sweats Poor sleep Low mood / anxiety Brain fog Joint aches Vaginal dryness / painful sex Urinary urgency / UTIs Low sex drive Worried about my bones No major symptoms

4. Your health history

Tick anything that applies to you now or in the past. Leave blank if none.

Breast cancer, now or in the past Womb (endometrial), ovarian or another hormone-sensitive cancer Vaginal bleeding that hasn't been explained (e.g. after periods stopped, or between periods) A blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT/PE), or a clotting disorder (thrombophilia) Heart attack, angina or stroke Active liver disease or abnormal liver function I'm pregnant or might be pregnant Migraines or severe headaches (especially migraine with aura) High blood pressure that isn't well controlled BMI over 30 (significantly overweight) I currently smoke Diabetes Gallstones or gallbladder disease Any other type of cancer in the past Mother, sister or daughter had breast cancer (or a known BRCA gene) Close family history of blood clots Fibroids or endometriosis

Please choose your age and your periods answer to see your result.

This is an information guide, not a diagnosis or prescription. Only a doctor who knows your full history can decide whether HRT is right for you.

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Answer the questions to see your result.

Your result

Result

Explanation

Note

Factors

What to discuss with your doctor

Your symptoms and goals

Not keen on hormones, or HRT not suitable?

Non-hormonal options exist: prescription non-hormonal medicines for hot flushes, menopause-specific CBT for sleep and mood, vaginal moisturisers and lubricants, and lifestyle changes. A doctor can match these to your symptoms.

WhatsApp a NuHer doctor Book a consultation

Doctor-led video consults across India · Mon–Sat, 10am–7pm · WhatsApp +91 88799 88776

HRT explained Estrogen in menopause Progesterone in menopause

How this HRT suitability check works

The check asks about your age, when your periods stopped, your main menopause symptoms and your medical history. It then sorts your answers into one of three groups, using the same factors menopause doctors look for in guidance from NICE (UK), the Indian Menopause Society and The Menopause Society (USA): HRT is often a good option to discuss; HRT needs a careful discussion; or HRT is best reviewed by a specialist first. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent unless you choose to share your summary with a NuHer doctor on WhatsApp.

The result is a starting point for a conversation, not a prescription. Only a doctor who has reviewed your full history, blood pressure and screening can decide whether HRT suits you.

What is HRT?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), replaces the oestrogen your ovaries stop making around menopause. Oestrogen can be taken as a patch, gel, spray or tablet. If you still have your womb, it is combined with progesterone or a progestogen to protect the womb lining. If you have had a hysterectomy, oestrogen alone is usually enough. Read more in our guides to HRT and estrogen in menopause.

Who usually can and can't take HRT?

For most healthy women under 60, or within 10 years of their last period, the benefits of HRT for hot flushes, night sweats and bone protection generally outweigh the risks. Women whose periods stop before 40 (premature ovarian insufficiency) or before 45 (early menopause) are usually advised to take hormone treatment until at least the average age of menopause, unless there is a reason not to.

HRT is usually avoided, or only considered by a specialist, if you have had breast cancer or another hormone-sensitive cancer, unexplained vaginal bleeding, a blood clot in a vein, a heart attack or stroke, active liver disease, or could be pregnant. Factors such as migraine, high blood pressure, a BMI over 30, smoking or gallbladder disease do not always rule HRT out, but they can change the type, often towards a patch or gel. Non-hormonal treatments are available for women who cannot or prefer not to take hormones.

Questions women ask

Am I too old to start HRT?

There is no fixed cut-off, but starting after 60 or more than 10 years after your last period carries higher risks of heart disease, stroke and clots, so a doctor will weigh the benefits more carefully.

Does HRT cause breast cancer?

For women under 60, combined HRT (oestrogen with a progestogen) carries a small, rare increase in breast cancer risk, seen mainly with longer use. The type of progestogen matters: micronised progesterone and dydrogesterone appear to carry a lower risk than older progestogens. Your doctor can explain your personal risk.

Are patches safer than tablets?

Oestrogen through the skin (patch, gel or spray) is unlikely to raise the risk of blood clots or stroke above that of women not taking HRT, and carries a lower risk than tablets. That is why it is often preferred for women with a higher clot risk.

Can I talk to a doctor online?

Yes. NuHer is a doctor-led menopause clinic at Nariman Point, Mumbai, offering video consultations across India, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm. Book a consultation or WhatsApp us on +91 88799 88776.

References

NICE. Menopause: identification and management (NG23). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; updated November 2024. nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23
Meeta M, Digumarti L, Agarwal N, Vaze N, Shah R, Malik S. Clinical practice guidelines on menopause: an executive summary and recommendations. Indian Menopause Society 2019–2020. J Midlife Health. 2020;11(2):55. PMC7688016
The 2022 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2022;29(7). PubMed 35797481
British Menopause Society & Women's Health Concern. 2020 recommendations on hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women. thebms.org.uk
NHS. Who can and cannot take or use oestrogen tablets, patches, gel and spray. nhs.uk