Jancee Dunn, a health writer for the New York Times and author of "Hot and Bothered," dives into the complexities of menopause. She discusses the FDA's new non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes, opening the conversation on this often-taboo topic. Dunn highlights the lack of resources compared to pregnancy and the need for more dialogue around women's health. Emphasizing personal experiences, she reveals how emotions intertwine with physical sensations during menopause, calling for greater awareness and understanding of this life transition.
The lack of education and awareness surrounding menopause in both medical schools and society hinders progress in understanding and managing the symptoms.
The generational shift towards open conversations about menopause brings hope for a more transparent and supportive approach to this natural biological process.
Deep dives
Understanding Menopause: Common Symptoms and Lack of Conversation
Menopause, a natural biological process, is often misunderstood or not openly discussed. Perimenopause, the phase leading up to menopause, can last for several years and is characterized by symptoms such as hot flashes, irregular periods, mood swings, decreased libido, and vaginal dryness. The actual menopause is defined as going 12 consecutive months without menstruation. The average age of menopause is 51, and after that, women enter the post-menopausal stage. Despite the significant impact on women's lives, discussions about menopause have been limited. Generational shifts are now breaking the silence, with younger generations normalizing open conversations about menopause. Hormone therapy can be an option for managing symptoms, with systemic hormones and topical estrogen providing relief for vaginal dryness. However, the lack of education and awareness surrounding menopause in medical schools and society as a whole still hinders progress.
The Need for Open Conversations and Medical Education
The silence and lack of conversation surrounding menopause is perplexing, especially considering how openly discussions about periods and pregnancy occur. Rituals and talks for life transitions like puberty and pregnancy often exist, but menopause remains largely invisible. The hesitancy to address women's issues seems to be generational, with younger generations striving to break the silence and normalize conversations around menopause. Encouraging open dialogue can help women navigate their own experiences and seek medical advice when necessary. Family communication about menopause can provide valuable health history information for individuals and their doctors. By challenging taboos and increasing awareness, the generational shift brings hope for a more transparent and supportive approach to menopause.
Improving Medical Training and Shifting Perspectives
Medical education around menopause is lacking, with gynecologists only receiving approximately an hour of training on the subject. This deficiency reflects the historic hesitancy to openly discuss women's health issues. In contrast, countries like the UK have incorporated menopause education into school curricula. Hormone therapy, although previously associated with breast cancer risks, is now considered an option for managing menopausal symptoms. Systemic hormones, such as patches or pills, and topical vaginal estrogen can help alleviate symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and painful sex. However, misinformation and dismissive attitudes from healthcare providers still persist, emphasizing the need for improved medical training and a more comprehensive understanding of menopause.
Earlier this year the FDA approved a game-changing drug to treat hot flashes, a symptom of menopause. But menopause is much more than just hot flashes, as health writer Jancee Dunn explains. We talked to her in May about why a transition that happens to half the world’s population still feels like a mystery.
This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Michael Raphael, and hosted by Noel King.
