Making menopause mainstream: A conversation with Monica Christmas, MD, FACOG, MSCP

Key takeaways:

• The Menopause Society appointed Monica Christmas, MD, FACOG, MSCP, as associate medical director.
• The new role reflects rapid membership growth and increased interest in menopause certification from clinicians.

Interest in menopause and all things related to midlife women’s health continues to grow, and The Menopause Society is expanding to meet the demand.

The Menopause Society recently announced that Monica Christmas, MD, FACOG, MSCP, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Center for Women’s Integrated Health and the menopause program at the University of Chicago, will serve as the organization’s new associate medical director. Christmas, who will serve alongside medical director Stephanie S. Faubion, MD, MBA, MSCP, IF, will work closely with The Menopause Society’s leadership to further its mission of empowering health care professionals to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond.

The appointment marks the first time that The Menopause Society has appointed an associate medical director, a signal that the organization has grown in recent years.

According to The Menopause Society, membership has doubled in the past 2 years along with a record number of applications for the organization’s competency examination. Those who pass the examination earn the credential of a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP).

Healio spoke with Christmas about the increased visibility of menopause as a topic in the media, the top health issues facing midlife women and how best to dispel social media misinformation about menopause and midlife health.

Healio: There seems to be greater interest in menopause now more than ever. What has changed?

Christmas: Midlife women’s health, and menopause in particular, has been in the forefront of the media in recent years. A big reason for that is the rise of social media, providing not just resources for people but also a community. Now, what once was a taboo or even stigmatized topic — menopause — is more normalized. People feel more empowered to seek information. The first source of that information is, hopefully, a person’s health care team. Our mission at The Menopause Society is empowering healthcare professionals to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond, through development of evidence -based resources and the promotion of cutting-edge menopause research.

Healio: This is the first time The Menopause Society has appointed an associate medical director. How has the organization grown recently and what might be contributing to its growth?

Christmas: There was a lull among providers when it came to menopause education. We always cite the findings from the landmark Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial published in 2002, which suggested hormone therapy (HT) may increase CVD and cancer risk. Later analyses demonstrated that risk depended on factors including age and time since menopause onset, but at that time, news about menopausal HT was sensationalized and frightened women from wanting to use HT. Clinicians, too, were afraid to prescribe HT. For many years after the WHI, menopause was not taught in curriculums for medical students and residents, across all disciplines. Today, that is changing for the better. Many credentialing boards for our residency programs now include learning objectives that speak to introducing menopause and, for qualifying exams, making sure that there are questions to test menopause knowledge.

Clinicians that did not have adequate training on managing menopause-related symptoms recognize the deficit and are actively trying to address knowledge gaps. Interest in The Menopause Society's Menopause 101 Course, sitting for the certification exam and increased demand for learning materials such as our A-to-Z slide deck illustrate the importance clinicians are placing on gaining evidence-based skills. This year was the first time ever we had to close registration for our annual scientific meeting. The rise of menopause in the media is driven by midlife women who have symptoms and want answers. That is also driving health care professionals to become certified and trained.

Healio: What are some of the top issues in menopause care right now that need more attention or perhaps are the subject of the most misinformation?

Christmas: I am glad you use the word misinformation. Back in the early 2000s, people ran with the negative aspects of HT. The Menopause Society recently issued a position statement regarding misinformation around hormone therapy indications, benefits and risks. There are many claims out there, ranging from HT is dangerous and can increase risk for breast cancer to saying everyone should be on HT, even if not symptomatic, to help prevent certain comorbidities like CVD or dementia. The Menopause Society strives to put out reliable, evidence-based, up-to-date information for clinicians and patients. Some of that will change as new research, new techniques or medications become available.

Healio: How do you hope to influence the future of menopause care in your new role?

Christmas: My goals for when I see patients is to help them lead their healthiest, happiest lives. That may sound hokey, but it really is true.

One of the difficult issues with menopause is determining what is truly due to menopause vs. what is due to the aging process. Everyone comes to this phase of life differently. Some women are relieved to be in menopause and feel free. In some cultures, you are looked at with respect and esteem; there is wisdom associated with aging. In other cultures, people feel dismissed and do not know what their place is. There are many issues around the end of the reproductive lifespan, and what that could mean for someone who did not complete their childbearing desires. Not to mention the bothersome symptoms that can significantly impact quality of life. All of those things make managing midlife and aging women more complex than at the start of the reproductive spectrum, which gets much more attention.

In this new role, I plan to continue to move the discussion of midlife women’s health to the mainstream. The Menopause Society has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge research and is considered a definitive resource in midlife women's health. I'm honored by the opportunity to promote new initiatives that advance treatment of menopause related symptoms, improve health outcomes of midlife women, and raise awareness around racial, ethnic, and gender diverse priorities. Because at the end of the day, I'm committed to helping people live their healthiest, happiest lives.

Reference:

• The Menopause Society appoints Dr. Monica Christmas as associate medical director. https://menopause.org/press-releases/the-menopause-society-appoints-dr-monica-christmas-as-associate-medical-director. Published Oct. 1, 2024. Accessed Oct. 16, 2024.

For more information:

Monica Christmas, MD, FACOG, MSCP, can be reached at mchristmas@bsd.uchicago.edu; X (Twitter): @drmonicaxmas.