For years, menopause has been the subject of rumor and myth. At one time, it was believed that menopause was a disease. It was also thought that menopausal women were constantly depressed and just stopped having sex. They were treated as if their lives had ended.
Thankfully, attitudes towards menopause have changed for the better. Menopause is seen as a perfectly natural part of life, and it is an easy transition for some and a more difficult one for others.
Through a new openness to talk about menopause, there's more help available to women who are having difficulty coping with this time in their lives.
Please be advised that this location is a provider-based clinic and both a physician and facility fee will be assessed, which may result in a higher out-of-pocket expense.
Women & Infants Hospital Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology Care
2 Dudley Street, 5th Floor
Providence, RI 02905
P: (401) 274-1122, ext. 42721
Women & Infants Hospital Center for Reproduction and Infertility
90 Plain Street, 4th Floor
Providence, RI 02905
Women & Infants Hospital Gynecologic Specialties Center
90 Plain Street, 1st Floor
Providence, RI 02905
P: (401) 430-2723
No Show Policy
We have a policy for missed appointments at all Women & Infants physician practices. If you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment, please give us at least 24 hours notice.
Our Menopause Society Certified Practitionerners (MSCP) provide consultation on midlife issues related to perimenopause and menopause. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, mood changes, cognitive changes (brain fog), vaginal symptoms, urinary symptoms, pain with sex. We work with patients to maximize health and wellness and to develop individualized treatment plans.
The providers in our Menopause Program offer the following services:
Speak with your primary care provider or gynecologist. If you need the name of a provider, please call Women & Infants Physician Referral Health Line at 1-800-921-9299.
Your primary care provider or gynecologist can refer you to the Menopause Program, or call us directly at (401) 274-1122, ext. 42721.
Medically defined, menopause is said to have begun when a woman's menstrual cycles have ended for a year. The reason for this change is a decrease in the production of estrogen and progesterone. These are the hormones that control menstrual cycles and other functions of a woman's body.
Menopause is a completely natural process that occurs, on average, around age 50. Symptoms, however, often begin in the 40s and can last for up to a decade. Women whose ovaries have stopped functioning or have been removed surgically can experience what is commonly referred to as early menopause.
Menopause affects different women in different ways. Many of these changes are brought on by decreasing hormone levels.
The first signs of approaching menopause are changes in menstrual cycles. Some women might menstruate more frequently, others less. Timing between each cycle can become unpredictable.
Menopause is sometimes accompanied by vaginal changes such as a decrease in moisture and elasticity resulting in discomfort during sexual intercourse.
Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. These are a sudden sensation of heat that spreads over all or part of the upper body.
As your body tries to compensate for its physical changes, there can be emotional changes too. Again, these symptoms vary in intensity from woman to woman.
Some women experience nervousness, irritability, fatigue or mild depression. Hot flashes can cause trouble sleeping which, in turn, can result in memory loss and mood swings. But these emotional changes are a normal and natural consequence of sleep pattern disturbances.
During - and long after - menopause, you'll need to develop a routine, and keep a close watch on your health. It's important that you develop a trust and rapport with your doctor so he or she will be familiar with your medical history.
You should schedule a complete gynecologic and breast exam once a year so health problems can be discovered and treated early. The most serious of these - and the most common among post-menopausal women - is heart disease.
There is also an increased risk of osteoporosis (a weakening of the bones) which could lead to fractures, posture problems or back pain.
You can improve your health, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, by eating a balanced diet, following a regular program of exercise, and quitting smoking. You might also consider hormone replacement therapy.
If you are having severe problems with menopause, your doctor might evaluate you for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This is a treatment that replaces the estrogen and progesterone lost through menopause. HRT can relieve hot flashes and other menopausal problems.
Depending on when HRT is started, it may increase a woman’s risk of developing heart disease. Women who are over the age of 59 or at least 10 years postmenopausal are discouraged from starting HRT as this subset of patients appear to be at greater risk of developing cardiac disease.
If you and your doctor decide that HRT is an option, you should be aware that estrogen treatments alone have been linked to uterine cancer. Through the development of new hormone treatments, this increased risk has been eliminated.
Although many women don't notice any side effects with HRT, they do occur in a few women. Side effects include fluid retention, irritability, swelling of the body, breast tenderness and abdominal cramping.
HRT is a treatment that is often prescribed to postmenopausal women to help relieve symptoms that accompany menopause: hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and sleeplessness. HRT has also been prescribed to prevent some long-term health problems that can accompany menopause, such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis or bone loss.
Hormonal treatment may consist of estrogen alone, prescribed for women who have had a hysterectomy, or a combination of estrogen and progesterone, for women who still have a uterus and are going through menopause.
If you are a woman in menopause or going through the menopause transition and would like to discuss hormonal and non-hormonal options for you, please contact a member of our team. If you are currently taking HRT and would like to discuss options further, please make an appointment with a member of our team to talk about various options.
Renee Eger, MD, is director of the Menopause Program and medical director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Care Center. A graduate of Brown University and Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr. Eger completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a Certified Practitioner of the Menopause Society.
Jessica Pineda, MD, sees patients at Women & Infants’ Center for Primary Care and Center for Women’s Behavioral Health. A graduate of Luther College and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, she completed an internship and residency at the University of Cincinnati in psychiatry and family medicine.
Kate Zaluski MD, FACOG, MSCP completed medical school at Creighton University School of Medicine and her OBGYN residency at St. Francis Hospital in Harford, CT. She is a board certified OBGYN who also is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. Her interests include abnormal uterine bleeding, cervical dysplasia, vulvovaginal health, and menopause care.
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