Menopause care: alternatives to hormone replacement therapy

Key content Healthcare professionals who provide care for women should be aware of alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to enable informed counselling of people who prefer not to take HRT, who do not respond to HRT, where the side effects outweigh the benefits, and where HRT may be cautioned with specific medical conditions. For women who have a hormone-sensitive cancer, menopausal symptoms can be severe and lead to cessation of their cancer therapies. Understanding the evidence base and symptom response behind non-hormonal alternatives facilitates equity of care by enabling patient choice and improves satisfaction with healthcare provision and quality of life. Learning objectives Understand the available evidence base for common and emerging alternatives to HRT, including lifestyle options, complementary therapies, herbal remedies and prescribable medications. Understand symptom‐based alternatives to enhance care of women who prefer to avoid or do not benefit from HRT use.