Who Owns The Menopause Space?

Yes menopause is having a moment and yes there is a ton of information floating around in the menoverse. Yes women have access to more resources than ever before. So why is there still so much confusion on where to find help?

For most of us, the first stop is our OB/GYN. But what if your OB/GYN isn’t up on the latest menopause research? What if she wasn’t properly educated in medical school on the stages of menopause?

Statistically, this is very likely. In a recent assessment of menopause education in the US, only 31% of OB/GYNs reported having a menopause curriculum in their residency program.

Many symptoms that creep up in our 40s and 50s may be linked to perimenopause and menopause.

So what happens when a woman’s OB/GYN mistakes some of these common symptoms for something else?

Oftentimes, women are sent to specialists. A rheumatologist for that joint pain that popped up. A neurologist for the frequent headaches that began in her late 40s. A psychiatrist for the mood changes and anxiety.

But what if that specialist hasn’t been properly trained in menopause? Who is manning the mothership?

Do you see where I’m going with this?

It’s creating a sea of confusion and it’s costing women, financially and physically, big time.

A recent Deloitte study showed that working women in the U.S. pay $15 billion more out-of-pocket health expenses than men, with the costs of menopause care specifically called out.

I would love to see a healthcare system in the US where every practitioner treating a woman had menopause training. A healthcare system where the menopause space was a shared one. And I’m not alone.

Last year, a new act was presented to Congress with the aim of introducing legislation that prioritizes menopause. Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), alongside the advocacy nonprofit Let’s Talk Menopause, presented the Menopause Research and Equity Act to Congress. The new bill would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to convene a multidisciplinary team of health professionals to evaluate the status of current menopause research and recommend new, needed studies toward advancing knowledge about perimenopause, menopause, and midlife women’s health.

"This act represents a monumental shift in how we approach women's health, particularly during menopause,” said Robin Noble, MD, a Let’s Talk Menopause board member and the group’s chief medical advisor. “It acknowledges the complexities and varied experiences of menopausal women, paving the way for more nuanced research and healthcare.”

This is all fantastic news for midlife women. Change is on the horizon, but it will take time.

The need for women to advocate for their healthcare has never been greater. It is on us to become educated and ask questions.

It has to be our responsibility to understand what happens to our bodies during this phase of life so that we can make informed decisions. And it is our responsibility to ask our physicians questions and be prepared for our visits.

Dismissed by your doctor? Consider finding a new one. The Menopause Society is a great place to start. Look for a practitioner who is “menopause society certified”. This isn’t a guarantee that the practitioner is the right one for you, but it’s a good place to start.

If you live in Atlanta, please reach out to me as I have some fantastic GYNs that I will happily recommend.

So get out there and dip your toe into the menoverse and remember… you are your best menopause advocate!