Best Hormone Replacement
Therapy & Cost in India

Hormone Replacement
Therapy India

Hormones are chemicals inside the body that are responsible for controlling the activities of certain target organs and cells. These hormones, naturally produced by certain glands or organs, move freely through the bloodstream and are mainly responsible for growth & development, apart from aiding in numerous other biological functions. Estrogen & Progesterone are the two female hormones produced in the majority, playing a major role in menstruation. At menopause, the level of these hormones descends, leading to aggravation of menopausal symptoms.

“It is important to note that Hormone Therapy is different from Hormone Replacement Therapy in the way that Hormone Replacement Therapy is used to manage menopausal symptoms, whereas hormone therapy treatment is related to the treatment of cancer, especially breast cancer or ovarian cancer, or prostate cancer in men.”

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopause?

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopause is a form of symptom management using medications containing hormones specific to women. By taking these medications, the estrogen and progesterone hormones are replaced inside the body as estrogen and progesterone production decreases slowly and stops as a woman approaches menopause. Hormone Replacement Therapy is mainly used for managing uncomfortable symptoms associated with menopause.

What are the Symptoms Treated by HRT?

Menopause is the stage at which the menstrual cycle in women stops at a certain age. Usually, all menstruating women between the ages of 45 and 55 experience menopause, but it may occur earlier. The loss of estrogen and progesterone hormones can have a huge impact on the body as the production of these hormones may stop with the end of menstruation in older women, leading to various uncomfortable symptoms.

Hormone Replacement Therapy can help to treat and manage symptoms of menopause that may cause discomfort, such as:

Hot flashes
Mood swings
Vaginal dryness
Discomfort during intercourse
Urinary urgency
Night sweats and/or cold flashes
Sleeping problems
Anxiety and mood changes
Dryness of the skin, eyes, and mouth

Hormone Replacement Therapy can be mainly used to boost hormone levels in the body at menopause and provide relief from the symptoms of menopause. There are many benefits as well as risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy. It is advisable to discuss with a certified healthcare provider to weigh the chances of complications before starting Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) primarily focuses on replacing the type of hormones that the body does not produce anymore. There are two types of Hormone Replacement Therapy in India:

Estrogen Therapy : Estrogen therapy may be recommended by a doctor when the body is low in estrogen production only. Estrogen may be recommended in low doses to make up for the lost estrogen in the body.
Estrogen Progesterone/ Progestin Hormone Therapy (EPT) :This type of therapy is also known as combination therapy, as it replaces the production of both estrogen and progesterone through Hormone Replacement Therapy. Progesterone may be provided to the body using synthetic progesterone, which is called progestin.

How is
Hormone Replacement Therapy Administered?

Hormone Replacement Therapy treatment may be administered in two ways:

Systemic Hormone Therapy : Hormone Replacement Therapy may be administered via pills, skin patches, gels, rings, creams, or spray for replacing estrogen in high doses to be absorbed by the skin throughout the body. This type of hormone therapy treatment may be used to treat common symptoms of menopause.
Low-Dosage Vaginal Products : Estrogen may also be given in low doses in tablet, cream, or ring form, which is usually required to treat vaginal and urinary symptoms of menopause. Progestin may be recommended along with estrogen as estrogen, when not balanced by progesterone, may cause the growth of the uterine lining, which can increase the risk of uterine cancer.

Side Effects of
Hormone Replacement Therapy

Although quite beneficial, the Hormone Replacement Therapy procedure may also have certain side effects. Some of the most common side effects of HRT may include:

There may also be other side effects of HRT, although less common, including:

In many cases, the side effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy may be mild and not interfere largely with the normal functioning of the body or cause ample discomfort in the patient. However, if the symptoms become bothersome, it is best to consult the treating doctor or healthcare provider to adjust/change the dosage or alter the form of treatment to reduce the side effects. It is advisable not to stop Hormone Replacement Therapy without consulting the doctor first.

Benefits of
Hormone Replacement Therapy

The primary benefit of HRT is that it is quite effective at relieving most menopausal symptoms, such as:

Hormone Replacement Therapy also has other health benefits in menopausal women, including:

Reduced risk of developing osteoporosis
Reduced risk of bone fractures
Improvement in pain in the bone joints
Reduced rate of tooth loss
Overall improvement in mood and mental well-being
Lower risk of diabetes and colon cancer

What are the major risks of
Hormone Replacement Therapy?

While Hormone Replacement Therapy can be helpful to many menopausal women, the treatment carries certain risks, which have low chances of occurring if taken at a top healthcare facility like Wockhardt Hospitals, including:

Breast and Endometrial Cancer : Hormone Replacement Therapy may slightly increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer, especially in females who have had breast cancer and are in remission. The longer the therapy is continued the more the risk increases. The risk of having breast cancer with HRT may also increase if taken at an older age. The risk falls once the therapy has been stopped. When estrogen therapy is administered, there may be little to no risk of breast cancer at all. HRT might increase the chances of endometrial cancer if progestin is not administered along with estrogen.
Blood clots : Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) might increase the chances of forming blood clots, but such risk is also low. Although, when Hormone Replacement Therapy is administered through patches or through gel and spray form, it may be safer than other forms of administration as estrogen, when absorbed by the skin, tends to be safer.
Stroke : HRT given in tablet form may slightly increase the risk of stroke, but the risk is still low for women under 60 years of age.
Alzheimer's and Dementia : If Hormone Replacement Therapy is started at an older age, it may increase the likelihood of developing dementia. On the contrary, when HRT is started at an earlier age, it has been associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's and dementia.
Gallstones : Hormone Replacement Therapy might increase the chances of having gallbladder problems, including the formation of gallstones.

How to Reduce the Risk of Hormone Replacement Therapy?

It is important to discuss the form and duration of treatment with the consulting doctor to reduce the risk of Hormone Replacement Therapy. Taking these steps may help minimize the chances of risks associated with HRT:

How Long
Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Be Taken?

In general, there is no fixed time limit up to which Hormone Replacement Therapy can be or should be taken. Regular follow-up check ups may help determine how much longer the therapy may be required to be continued.

Are there
Alternatives for HRT?

Hormone Replacement Therapy in India may not be suitable for everyone. For such individuals, managing menopausal symptoms can be done by opting for making lifestyle changes. If suffering from hot flashes, the patients can limit caffeine and alcohol intake and drink cool liquids instead. Practicing breathing or other relaxation techniques may also help to manage other symptoms of menopause, like mood swings and anxiety.

For skin concerns such as dryness, staying hydrated and moisturized by using a heavy-duty moisturizer may be helpful. For vaginal concerns such as dryness, using lubricants may be beneficial. To address any other concerns, the patient may benefit from consulting a doctor to look for alternatives to manage menopausal symptoms.

Although there are risks to Hormone Replacement Therapy, the benefits can outweigh the risks in an otherwise healthy person. What has been understood from research, the risks of serious side effects from HRT are very low. However, it may not be suitable for everyone. Therefore, it is advisable to discuss with the top healthcare providers at Wockhardt Hospitals at length the risks and benefits that the individual patient may face. They will consider several factors, such as medical history, severity of symptoms, family history, and age, among others, for better results.

It is also advisable to discuss alternatives with the healthcare provider for Hormone Replacement Therapy in terms of lifestyle changes such as making dietary changes, weight management, exercising, meditation, and other alternative activities.

Why Choose
Wockhardt Hospitals?

At Wockhardt Hospitals, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality of diagnostic and clinical services for a wide range of health conditions in patients. With the primary goal of patient comfort and cure in mind, our team of highly qualified gynecology specialists is working tirelessly to provide the most appropriate diagnosis of gynecological symptoms as well as providing the most appropriate treatment backed by state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities for Hormone Replacement Therapy and other gynecological treatments to ensure proper management of symptoms and side effects.

Talk with our expert

Life Wins Stories

The vision and leadership of Wockhardt’s founders have been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s ethos of providing high-quality and affordable healthcare services to patients worldwide. Read and listen to the heartfelt experiences of our patients as they share their stories about the exceptional care they received at Wockhardt Hospitals.