Gone are the days when women had to navigate menopause in silence. More and more women are stepping up to take control of their health by assembling a powerhouse menopause care team.
Yes, you read that correctly. Menopause is no longer just a gynecologist’s territory.
Today’s approach to navigating this life stage includes a diverse team of specialists who can tackle the wide array of symptoms that come with this confusing period. From hormone imbalances and sleep disruptions to mood swings and bone health, building a menopause care team means looking beyond your OB-GYN to include experts like endocrinologists, mental health professionals, nutritionists and even sleep specialists.
But where do you start, and who do you need on your team to make sure you’re fully supported? We’ve assembled a list of the must-have specialists to guide you through every step of menopause.
Gynecologist
Menopause symptoms vary greatly, and while some women experience few issues, others face a wide array of symptoms, such as irregular and heavy periods.
“For some, periods get shorter, lighter, spaced out and then they politely go away,” explains Dr. Monica Christmas, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago. “There are other people whose periods get heavier, longer and closer together because we’ve got this thing called a ‘loop cycle’ where you ovulate back-to- back.”
A gynecologist is the first specialist you should consult, especially if menstrual changes are your primary symptom during perimenopause.
Heavy periods are caused by the hormonal fluctuations that occur as the ovaries start producing less estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen stimulates the thickening of the uterine lining, while progesterone helps regulate its shedding. Throughout perimenopause, the ovaries may still release estrogen, but with erratic or reduced progesterone production, the lining can build up more than usual. When it finally sheds, it results in heavier, prolonged or irregular bleeding.
Additionally, anovulatory cycles (when ovulation doesn’t occur) are common in perimenopause, contributing to unpredictable and heavy periods. As hormone levels fluctuate, what once was a predictable red dot on your calendar can become a monthly ordeal.
Urologist
As estrogen levels drop, many women experience symptoms like frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder control issues (such as incontinence) and pelvic floor dysfunction, which can affect bladder function and sexual health, making a urologist—a doctor who specialize in the urinary system and pelvic organs—an important member of your menopause care team. Urologists can help manage these symptoms through treatments like pelvic floor therapy, medications or other interventions to improve quality of life during menopause.
“You need someone who understands the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), pain with sex, bladder leakage, recurrent UTI and pain with urination,” Dr. Kelly Casperson, a board-certified urologic surgeon tells Flow Space. “GSM affects 50 to 80% of women in midlife and post-menopause. Don’t forget about the prolapse too!”
Nutritionist
During menopause, many women face changes in metabolism, bone density and fat distribution, which can lead to weight gain, heart disease and osteoporosis. A nutritionist can help optimize your diet to support bone health, manage weight and improve overall well-being.
“When building your menopause team, one key element that I think can often be overlooked is a coach to support women in making changes to their diet and lifestyle,” Elisa Kosonen, a registered holistic nutritionist says. “Especially for those navigating midlife and preparing for menopause now, there’s an enormous amount of learning and unlearning that needs to happen around supporting the body to be at its best through these hormonal changes.”
In fact, as you get closer to midlife, dietary choices become increasingly important, particularly when it comes to taking care of your cognitive health. You can actually enhance brain function and help shield it from age-related conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and still eat a wide variety of healthy foods prepared in flavorful ways.
Nutritionists can also help you reduce processed foods and manage blood sugar levels, which is especially important during this life stage when insulin resistance can become a concern. Their expertise can be instrumental in addressing symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings and sleep disruptions through diet modification.
Mental health specialist
The emotional and psychological changes that occur during menopause, such as mood swings, anxiety and depression, can severely impact daily life. A mental health professional can offer therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques or medications to manage these symptoms.
“It could be anything from anxiety to depression or anhedonia,” says Christmas. Addressing these issues early on can prevent isolation and ensure emotional well-being.
Mental health experts can also assist in addressing the stress and anxiety often triggered by other menopause-related challenges, such as changes in body image, sleep disturbances and sexual health concerns.
“People will say, ‘Oh, I’m not depressed. I just don’t have the energy to do the things I used to,’ or ‘I just feel tired. I don’t want to engage,’ and they’re isolating themselves from friends or family,” Christmas says. “Sometimes we need to differentiate which mood-related symptoms are truly linked to these hormonal fluctuations because the menopause transition is a vulnerable window.”
Personal trainer
Adding a personal trainer to your menopause care team can be a game-changer for managing the physical changes that occur during this stage of life.
When women enter midlife, they are more prone to losing muscle mass, gaining weight and experiencing bone density loss, which increases the risk of osteoporosis. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, doing 30 to 60 minutes of strength training a week can lower your risk of premature aging, heart disease and cancer by 10 to 20 percent. What’s more, lifting weights for at least an hour per week has been shown to significantly reduce women’s diabetes risk.
A personal trainer, especially one knowledgeable about menopause, can help tailor an exercise plan that focuses on strength training, cardiovascular health and flexibility—key components in maintaining muscle mass, improving bone health and reducing weight gain.
Additionally, regular exercise can alleviate common menopause symptoms like sleep disturbances, mood swings and hot flashes. A trainer can also help you incorporate stress-reducing exercises like yoga or Pilates, which support mental well-being alongside physical health.
Cardiologist
As estrogen declines, heart health becomes a growing concern. Heart disease is actually the leading cause of death among women, responsible for nearly 40% of all female fatalities.
“Many people don’t realize that 80% of heart disease is preventable,” says Dr. Stephanie Saucier, director of the Women’s Heart Wellness Program at Hartford Hospital.
A cardiologist can help manage cholesterol, blood pressure and other factors that contribute to heart disease, ensuring you stay on top of your cardiovascular health.
Estrogen has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, helping to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, supporting blood vessel flexibility and reducing inflammation. With the loss of this hormone, women may experience increases in LDL (bad cholesterol), higher blood pressure and an overall increased risk for conditions like heart disease, stroke and atherosclerosis.
A cardiologist can monitor these changes closely and recommend lifestyle adjustments, medications or interventions to reduce the risk of heart disease. They can also help manage related conditions, such as high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, which become more common during menopause. Incorporating a cardiologist into your menopause care team early can ensure that heart health remains a top priority during this life stage.
Neurologist
As estrogen levels decline, many women experience cognitive changes such as memory lapses, difficulty concentrating and brain fog. Some women also become more vulnerable to neurological issues, including mood disorders like depression and anxiety and even long-term cognitive conditions like dementia. This makes a neurologist an important addition to your menopause care team.
“A third of our lives as women will be spent in these post-reproductive years, and yet we have relatively little understanding about how this decline in hormone production shapes the brain,” Dr. Emily Jacobs, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at UC Santa Barbara, said during her TEDx Talk, “How Gender Diversity Drives Scientific Discovery.” “This is especially troubling given that by some estimates women are at twice the risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”
A neurologist can help explore how hormonal changes impact brain health, offering insights into how to maintain cognitive function during and after menopause. They may recommend strategies for protecting brain health, including lifestyle modifications, mental exercises or emerging therapies.