Menopause is when the ovaries stop to produce female hormones (estrogens and progestagens). Thereafter women have low levels of estrogens. However, after menopause the ovaries continue to produce androgens as before.  Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is taking hormones in order to compensate the deficit, similar to glasses which can become necessary to read.

HRT requires individualisation, which needs a profound knowledge of endocrinology. 

The many advantages of Hormone replacement therapy comprise the brain,  the support tissue,  the heart and vessels,  50% less bowel cancers, less cancers of the uterus. There is not evidence that HRT cause breast cancer, but existing breast cancers grow faster with an earlier diagnosis  which  is often erroneously  considered more cancers by non-experts. read recent review