What is the purpose of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is primarily aimed at alleviating symptoms associated with menopause. During menopause, a woman's body undergoes significant hormonal changes, particularly a decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels. This can lead to a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. HRT involves administering hormones to restore the levels of these hormones to provide relief from these symptoms, thereby improving the quality of life for many women experiencing menopause.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of HRT. Increasing muscle mass is more commonly associated with anabolic steroids rather than HRT aimed at menopausal symptoms. Stimulating egg production typically involves fertility treatments rather than HRT, which focuses on symptom relief rather than reproductive function. Treating hormonal cancers is a specific medical intervention that may involve hormone therapy but diverges from the typical focus of HRT, which is more general symptom management related to menopause. Thus, the primary goal of HRT is indeed to alleviate the symptoms of menopause experienced by women during this transition.