Let’s run through the two main options:
- Combined HRT. This is where estrogen and progesterone are taken together, often in one single treatment. This form of HRT is for women who haven’t had a hysterectomy, and is available to take orally (tablets or capsules) or transdermally (in skin patches).
- Estrogen-only HRT. This is where estrogen is taken alone, typically when there’s no risk of uterus cancer (due to hysterectomy). If you use this but still have a womb, you’ll need to take a separate progestogen (like Prometrium). It’s available orally, transdermally (as skin patches or gels) or locally (as a vaginal treatment that specifically targets symptoms like vaginal dryness).
Within combined HRT, you can take it either continuously (if you’re postmenopausal) or sequentially (if you still get periods).
Prometrium is a little different from a lot of other HRTs in that it’s not used to improve your symptoms per se. The work it does is more ‘under the radar’. It can’t be taken on its own for menopause, but it can only be used alongside estrogen in order to balance out its effects and protect your long-term health.