04-03-2025
Why menopause care is still a challenge in Washington state
Menopause is something every woman goes through, but doctors — even OB-GYNs — aren't required to learn much about it.
Why it matters: Millions of women don't get the care they need — and some are getting misinformation at the doctor's office.
Catch up quick: In 2002, research from the Women's Health Initiative found hormone therapy increased a woman's risk of heart disease and breast cancer, upending conventional medical recommendations about the treatment.
But in recent years, the research was put into context: The risks weren't as great as originally thought and the data was weighted toward women 60 and older. The average age of a menopausal woman is 51.
Since then, researchers and health professionals have tried to correct the messaging, noting the benefits of hormone therapy for treating hot flashes and preventing bone loss.
What they're saying: "It's such an uphill battle to not just teach people about it, but to undo all the damage of the last 20-plus years," Deborah Gomez Kwolek of the Mass General Women's Health and Sex and Gender Medicine Program tells Axios.
Stunning stat: Only about 7% of OB-GYN residents reported feeling adequately prepared to manage menopause, according to a 2019 survey published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
More than one in five OB-GYN residents (about 20%) reported receiving no menopause lectures during residency.
Symptoms vary widely. Perimenopause, the phase leading up to menopause, can begin six to 10 years earlier and trigger all sorts of hormonal chaos. Menopause is officially marked after a woman has gone one year without a period.
Seattle-based physician Nora Lansen, the chief medical officer for Elektra Health, has a message for perimenopausal patients: "You're not crazy."
"There are so many different symptoms and they manifest in different ways and at different times of life. So it could be: 'I can't remember my kid's teacher's name' this year but then, two years from now, it's, 'My libido's tanking.'"
Zoom in: One way health professionals can signal they've undergone additional menopause training is by passing a certification exam offered by The Menopause Society.
In Washington, about 100 have this credential.
The bottom line: "Women don't have to suffer," says Stephanie Faubion, The Menopause Society's medical director — but they have to find a physician who knows enough to help.
