Why Traditional Healthcare Overlooks Women in Perimenopause—and What to Do About It
As women approach menopause, they enter a complex, transitional phase that affects everything from sleep and mood to metabolism and sexual health. But despite the profound physical and emotional changes this stage brings, traditional healthcare systems often fall short in addressing the unique needs of women. If you've ever felt like you've been reduced to just another checkbox on your provider’s patient list for the day, you're not alone. In fact, a lack of personalized care during menopause is a widespread issue that leaves many women feeling overlooked and underserved.
The Problem with the Standard Approach to Menopause
While menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, it also marks the beginning of a new opportunity to optimize a woman’s health, longevity, and happiness in significant ways. Yet, traditional healthcare often treats it as a single-phase condition, focusing only on quick fixes for symptoms like hot flashes or mood swings. Typically, healthcare providers are just not allotted enough time during visits to discuss the whole-body impacts of menopause, so the conversation is reduced to surface-level symptom management. As a provider who has worked in large academic medical institutions that only allowed for 20 minutes per patient appointment; I understand this struggle. It’s as frustrating for us as the provider, as it is for you as the patient.
But it’s been well established thta menopause is a multifaceted experience in a woman’s life, impacting mental health, cardiovascular health, and even cognitive function. So, behind just limited appointment times, why is there such a lack of focused attention and information about this significant stage in a woman’s life? For one, menopause is still widely misunderstood—even by some healthcare professionals. Medical training has historically emphasized women’s health in terms of fertility and pregnancy, with limited education on the intricacies of menopause. Additionally, prior studies like the Women’s Health Initiative in 1991 were poorly designed to truly assess the safety and efficacy of hormone therapy in menopause resulting in fear-based messaging and widespread confusion among women and healthcare providers alike. This led to decades of reluctance around hormone therapy, leaving many women to struggle with untreated symptoms and misconceptions about the risks and benefits of hormonal support during menopause.
Every woman deserves a healthcare approach that values her whole experience, not just her symptoms.
Does Any of This Sound Familiar? Common Gaps in Women’s Healthcare:
Band-Aid Solutions for Symptoms
Many women find themselves cycling through temporary solutions like supplements or antidepressants, often prescribed with minimal context or follow-up. These treatments may alleviate symptoms temporarily but fail to address underlying hormonal and metabolic changes.A One-Size-Fits-All Mentality
Every woman’s menopause journey is unique, but traditional healthcare frequently fails to acknowledge this diversity. The “one-size-fits-all” approach to hormone fluctuations in perimenopause disregards individual differences in lifestyle, genetics, and specific symptoms, leaving many women feeling isolated and unsupported.Inadequate Focus on Mental Health
Anxiety, depression, and brain fog are known to significantly increase in the years leading up to menopause, yet mental health support is often underemphasized. Many women face mental health struggles alone, despite the fact that their challenges are directly related to hormone fluctuations.Lack of Preventive Care and Education
Most women aren’t educated about the implications of menopause on their long-term health, including heart disease and bone density. This lack of preventive care leads to missed opportunities to optimize health during a critical time.
A Personalized Approach: What You Need—and Deserve
Addressing these gaps starts with a shift toward more personalized, holistic care. Rather than only focusing on symptom relief, a comprehensive approach to perimenopause includes in-depth evaluation and tailored strategies that address each woman’s unique physiology and goals.
Comprehensive Lab Testing
Comprehensive lab testing provides a full picture of hormonal, metabolic, and nutritional health. This approach helps identify the exact hormonal and imbalances and nutritional deficiencies affecting you, leading to personalized treatment plans that go beyond symptom suppression.Integrative Therapies and Lifestyle Support
Menopause management should consider not only hormones but also lifestyle factors, stress management, and gut health. Working with a provider who can recommend dietary adjustments, supplements, and stress-reduction techniques empowers you to take control of your health in meaningful ways.Focused Mental Health Support
Mental wellness should be at the forefront of menopause care. A comprehensive provider will understand the intricate relationship between hormones and mental health, providing strategies for mood management and support for emotional resilience.Preventive Guidance and Education
Knowing what to expect and how to maintain optimal health during menopause is critical. Preventive care can equip you with knowledge about bone density, cardiovascular health, and metabolic wellness, allowing you to enter the next phase of life with confidence and control.
Breaking the silence around perimenopause starts with recognizing the power in being seen, heard, and truly supported
The Future of Menopausal Care
Healthcare systems are beginning to recognize the importance of menopausal health, but change can be slow. Until then, seeking a provider who understands the unique needs of women in menopause—and who offers personalized, integrative care—can make all the difference. Every woman deserves to feel heard, supported, and empowered through this life transition.
If you’re tired of being overlooked, know that the right kind of support is out there. As a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Menopause Society Certified Provider, my mission is to empower you with personalized, evidence-based care that addresses your unique needs and goals. I’m here to provide the guidance, understanding, and tools you need to navigate this stage of life with confidence and vitality. You deserve to feel heard, supported, and equipped to thrive—not just survive—through menopause and beyond.
Ready to experience a new standard in women’s care? Let’s connect!
Check out our FREE Perimenopause Playbook to learn quick tips you can begin to implement immediately. Then, let’s partner together to create a customized plan of care to get you feeling like yourself again.