Perimenopause and menopause can cause uncomfortable symptoms and increase your risk for certain health problems. Penn Medicine gynecologists offer therapies to minimize symptoms, protect your health and help you feel more like yourself again.
What Are Perimenopause and Menopause?
Menopause is a natural phase of life. It occurs when your body no longer makes high levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones. You’re in menopause when you go 12 months without a period. You can no longer get pregnant. Most women reach menopause in their early- to mid-50s.
Perimenopause marks the time leading up to menopause when hormone levels start to drop. Many women enter perimenopause in their mid- to late-40s.
Gynecology Services for Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women
Every woman experiences this life change differently. For some women, menopause symptoms can greatly disrupt life and how they feel, physically and emotionally. Our specialists learn about your unique experience to tailor treatments that help you.
Our services include:
- Symptom management: Menopause symptoms aren’t something you need to endure. We’re experts on the best hormonal and nonhormonal therapies for symptom relief.
- Well-woman exams: You still need pelvic exams, breast exams and Pap smears during the transition to menopause (and sometimes during postmenopause). These exams help your doctor check for sexually transmitted diseases (STDS), cancers and other problems.
- Birth control: Until you go 12 months without a period, you can still get pregnant. This is true even if your periods happen infrequently. We find a safe birth control method that takes into consideration your age, lifestyle and health factors like diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Mental health support: Fluctuating hormones can make you feel depressed or anxious. You may have mood swings. Certain antidepressants can both lift your mood and lessen hot flashes. If you need more focused support, we partner with the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness.
- Care for urinary problems: Problems like leaking urine (urinary incontinence) or other pelvic floor issues aren’t things you need to live with. These problems can get worse as the years go by. You have access to nonsurgical and surgical treatments through our Urogynecology Program.
- Weight management: Menopause can put the brakes on your metabolism, leading to weight gain. Extra pounds increase your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and other problems. We provide nutrition counseling to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Care for Conditions that Affect Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women
Low hormone levels, along with aging, increase your risk for some health problems. We offer care for:
- Bone loss: Low estrogen levels after menopause raise your risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Bone density screenings assess your bone health. We offer treatments to strengthen weak bones.
- High blood pressure and heart disease: Your cholesterol levels and blood pressure may rise, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke. We work with Penn Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program to protect your heart health.
- Menstrual problems: It’s normal for periods to become heavier (or lighter) or periods to happen more or less often. If menstrual issues are affecting your life, we have treatments that can help.
- Sexual issues: When hormones drop, your sex drive may go down, too. Hormonal therapies can revive a lagging libido. We also have solutions for vaginal dryness. This problem (also a result of low hormone levels) can make sex uncomfortable, but treatment helps.
- Sleep troubles: Changing hormone levels can bring on nighttime hot flashes that disrupt sleep. You’re also more likely to experience insomnia. Some menopausal women develop sleep apnea. This sleep disorder causes momentary pauses in breathing, which strains your heart. Experts at the Penn Sleep Centers diagnose and treat this problem.
- Women’s cancers: Your risk for breast cancer, colon cancer and gynecologic cancers like ovarian cancer increase as you get older. We make sure you get the necessary screenings to detect cancer early. Our Gynecologic Oncology Program specializes in cancers that affect the female reproductive system.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs): Falling estrogen levels and thinning vaginal tissue make you more prone to UTIs and other infections. We offer treatments and help you prevent recurring infections.
Convenient Appointments
With more than 20 gynecology locations throughout the Philadelphia region and New Jersey, it’s convenient for you to get care close to where you live and work. For added convenience, we also offer telemedicine appointments
Request an Appointment
To request an appointment, please call 800-789-7366 or complete our online form.