HRT preparations now available in the market have increased rapidly during the last 10 years.

HRT comes in the following mediums:

- tablets
- patches and implants

And less common in the UK :

- injections
- suppositories
- gels
- pessaries


It is possible to receive treatments that come as combinations of oestrogen and progestogen or you can get them packaged individually. There is a large degree of flexibility involved as both oth of these hormones are available in different strengths, from different brands and different pharmaceutical companies.

Once you and your doctor have agreed that HRT would be the best form of treatment for you, it is important to consider whether it is best to take HRT in oral form (ie as in a tablet) or a non-oral form (such as patches, implants or cream).

Oral HRT is the most common way for HRT to be prescribed to patients. Its not necessarily the best way to take HRT but it does have the advantage that it can be stopped at any time (unlike transplants) and is a lot cheaper compared to the other treatments.

Its only major disadvantage is that the pill itself needs to contain quite a large amount of the hormone because up to 80% could be lost as it transgresses the digestive system and before it gets into the bloodstream. Another complication could arise from this hormone having to pass through the liver where there is a strong possibility it could cause other problems. Therefore, for women who already experience problems with their liver, oral-HRT may not be the best bet. In such a situation, the doctor will then go on to prescribe either a cream or patch.

A minor disadvantage for some women taking oral HRT is that some of them will find it a bit of a bother to remember to take a daily tablet.


The patch, also known as transdermal HRT is a round piece of plaster that is stuck to your body, preferably somewhere fleshy. Inside this patch is a reservoir of oestrogen which gets transported through the skin surface in an alcohol base. In this way the oestrogen is absorbed across the skin.