Menopause and Aging

Many women now enjoy long lives into their 80s and spend almost a third of their lifetime in their menopausal years. At Montefiore, our doctors have the specialized training to make those years as optimally healthy and comfortable as possible. We offer a wide range of healthcare options and educational opportunities for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.

Vast Experience and Broad Perspective

The doctors who staff Montefiore's Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health are all specialty board-certified or board-eligible. Thanks to decades of experience in the field of menopause, we have a broad perspective on the latest treatment developments. Our commitment to clinical and observational research also means we help establish new treatment standards.

Individualized Care and Patient Education

Many women wonder if their menopausal symptoms are normal and whether treatment will help them. We work in partnership with our patients to help each woman identify whether her specific body changes are due to:

• Menopause
• Unrelated health problems
• Lifestyle changes common in middle age, such as decreased exercise

We also help patients entering this stage of life to recognize and address symptoms of perimenopause—the years preceding menopause—and estimate the date of their final menstrual period. Women can then identify when they no longer need birth control to avoid pregnancy.

Our education program, The Prime of Our Lives, helps empower women over age 45 to manage their own healthcare. This ongoing series of six free lectures covers topics including osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease and mental health.

Identifying the Best Treatment Methods

When patients first visit Montefiore's Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health, we counsel each woman carefully. This focused attention allows us to determine her needs and find the best treatment for her. During the visit, our doctors will:

• Complete a physical exam and full health history
• Ask for a detailed family history
• Refer women for health-assessment tests, such as a colonoscopy or mammogram
• Identify the need for a bone density test
• Ask for a detailed account of menopause symptoms

Because menopause often presents simultaneous symptoms that cannot be treated all at once, we help women identify and address their most bothersome symptoms first.

Managing Treatment Together

We help women weigh the benefits and risks of each treatment option, such as hormone therapy, and create the best plan for their individual health. Conditions that can be reversed through proper care, such as low bone density or osteoporosis, are treated with a specific end goal.

Temporary menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes, generally require treatment for only several years. We help women learn to record their symptoms, for help in identifying when they no longer need medication.

Commitment to Convenience and Care

Offering convenient access to our expert physicians is part of our commitment to providing cutting-edge and specifically tailored care. Our doctors complete many follow-up consultations by e-mail. We can easily track treatment success based on how patients' symptoms have changed, without the necessity of office visits.