Radio Free Rhinecliff  
Menopause- A Natural Phenomenon or A Pathology?

Episode 126: Menopause- A Natural Phenomenon or A Pathology?

Has the menopause industrial complex convinced women that everyone should be on menopause therapy and that this transition is a pathological state?

Show notes

In this episode of GynoCurious, Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Dr. Tracey Flum, a board-certified OB-GYN with over three decades of experience, to discuss the complexities of menopause in today's healthcare landscape. Both physicians examine whether the boom in menopause-focused telehealth companies represents genuine progress in women's healthcare or a new revenue stream capitalizing on women's vulnerabilities. Dr. Flum shares how her ADHD drew her to the intense environment of labor and delivery, and discusses her transition from obstetrics to medical gynecology as her body demanded a different pace.
The conversation critically examines what Dr. Flum calls the "menopause industrial complex," challenging the narrative that menopause is a pathological condition requiring aggressive intervention. While both physicians strongly support hormone therapy for appropriate candidates and acknowledge its benefits for hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and vaginal health, they caution against social media misinformation promising hormones as a panacea. Dr. Flum emphasizes that symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and mood shifts are often natural responses to the perfect storm of midlife responsibilities: aging parents, young adult children, career transitions, and confronting one's own mortality. Both physicians advocate for a holistic approach that recognizes menopause as a natural transition rather than a disease. They encourage women to examine patterns of people-pleasing and perfectionism, ask unapologetically for what they need, and find what truly nourishes them. Dr. Flum draws on her global health work to reflect on how resource-poor communities maintain communal support for life transitions that wealthy societies have abandoned for quick pharmaceutical fixes. The episode closes with a call to resist the pathologization of aging and seek out older women who model authentic, purposeful living.

Hosts


Guests

Tracey Flum MD

Tracey Flum MD

View episodes

Subscribe now

Get new episodes of GynoCurious automatically

Subscribe