The known unknowns of menopause

Deep Breath In

There have been so many conflicting views in the media lately on the management of menopause, and HRT has barely been out of the press at all in the last couple of years. As a result of the myriad uncertainties around menopause, many women are left feeling like they’re having to fend for themselves, and that their concerns are not being heard by their doctors. Taking segments from The BMJ’s webinar in May on known unknowns of menopause, we discuss the controversies around HRT; how we can give women balanced and realistic information about menopause and managing their symptoms; and how we can reframe the messaging around the menopausal transition in a more positive and hopeful way, in order to help empower women in navigating this normal life stage.

Our guests:

• Martha Hickey is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne. Her clinical and research interest is around menopause.

• Margaret McCartney is a GP in Glasgow, and a freelance writer & journalist.

Resources:

• ‘Therapy for the effects of menopause’ (webinar) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hQX2SGlcvY

• ‘ Normalising menopause’ BMJ 2022;377:e069369