How should the decision to continue or discontinue menopause hormone therapy be made?

The decision to continue or discontinue menopause hormone therapy (MHT) should be a highly individualized process, centered on your unique needs, preferences, and health profile. Here at Alloy, we follow the latest guidelines from The Menopause Society, which emphasize that:

There is no absolute time limit for how long you can stay on MHT. You can continue as long as you are benefiting, have no new contraindications, and want to keep going.
The choice to continue or stop should be made through shared decision-making between you and your healthcare provider, considering your symptoms, treatment goals, risk factors, and personal preferences.
If you decide to stop, it’s a good idea to see how you feel off therapy. There is no evidence that stopping provides a health benefit unless you have a specific reason or contraindication.
For women at risk for osteoporosis, continuing MHT can help preserve bone density, and stopping may lead to bone loss.
The most important factor is agency and information—having the facts empowers you to make the best decision for your quality of life.

For more on this topic, check out these helpful resources:

Watch Dr. Sharon Malone discuss why stopping MHT is a personal choice in this YouTube chapter: Stopping Hormone Therapy: Personal Choice
See Dr. Corinne Menn explain individualized care and restarting hormone therapy: Restarting Hormone Therapy and Individualized Care
Read our blog post on the latest Menopause Society guidelines: Great Big News in the Menopause World

If you’re interested in learning more about Alloy’s MHT options, including pills, patches, sprays, and gels, visit our solutions page for detailed product information.

At Alloy, we’re here to support your agency and provide science-backed information so you can make the choice that’s right for you!

This answer was created using the following resources: