Health centre dedicated to menopause in the works for Nova Scotia
The Menopause Centre of Excellence would be the first clinic of its kind in Atlantic Canada — an election promise made by Tim Houston's Progressive Conservatives.
"It's definitely overdue, by a long time. Decades, I would say," said Shawna O'Hearn, the co-founder of the Menopause Society of Nova Scotia.
"Women are starting to stand up and say we need to be heard, we need to be treated, we need to be supported."
According to briefing notes from the department, there are about 350,000 people in Nova Scotia who are either approaching or managing menopause, plus post-menopausal patients.
"Traditionally, these women have not received the attention they deserve from our health-care system," the document reads.
Consultations are underway to determine how to make the centre work. The Menopause Society has been involved in the process since the beginning, O'Hearn said.
She said ideally, the centre would have a multi-disciplinary team including physicians, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists and dietitians. There would also be a research component to their work.
O'Hearn said there's so much questionable information online, so this centre would provide Nova Scotians with an evidence-based resource to seek treatment.
"Women have not been trained or taught about the transition to menopause. People don't know that for up to 10 years they may experience symptoms associated with perimenopause," she said.
"Many women are suffering when it's not necessary. We have treatments, we have options for women."
A statement from the Health Department said it doesn't have a timeline to open the centre at this point, but a project team has been established including members of the society, Nova Scotia Health and the IWK Health Centre.
"These discussions will help government better understand the landscape of women's health in the province, best practices and cultural competence to address gaps in women's health in Nova Scotia," the department said.
For O'Hearn, one key aspect of the clinic will be accessibility. She wants to make sure anyone can use it as a resource, not just those who live nearby.
"I can just see so many Nova Scotians feeling heard and feeling well," she said of the care this centre will potentially provide.
While she waits for updates on the centre, O'Hearn and her peers at the Menopause Society are working on a different forum to offer the latest medical advice and support.
They're hosting the first menopause convention in Halifax in October.
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