A Seattle menopause specialist who helped Halle Berry navigate the condition is calling for better medical training and earlier support for women experiencing the physical and psychological changes of midlife.
Dr Sarah de la Torre, a double board-certified physician, discussed menopause care during the fifth edition of the “For the Girls: Women on the Rise” series. Her work has also led to a partnership with Berry, who founded the midlife health platform Respin.Health, where Dr de la Torre serves as chief medical officer. ([lumaniwellness.com](https://www.lumaniwellness.com/?utm_source=openai))
The physician said many women are still dismissed when they report symptoms including brain fog, depression, disrupted sleep and changes to bone health. Perimenopause, which precedes menopause, can last for several years as hormone levels fluctuate.
“Residency did not prepare me for taking care of women in perimenopause and menopause,” Dr de la Torre said, describing the amount of formal training in the subject during obstetrics and gynaecology residency as often lasting less than an hour.
She said patients were frequently told their symptoms were caused by stress or were simply a normal part of ageing. Some, she added, had consulted as many as six doctors before finding a clinician prepared to listen.
“If you’re not feeling like yourself, something’s going on and you need a clinician who listens,” she said.
Why menopause hormone therapy remains a personal decision
Dr de la Torre said menopause hormone therapy, commonly known as HRT, should be discussed with every woman, while stressing that the decision to use it must be individual.
“It may be your choice, it may not … but for many women, it can be absolutely life-changing,” she said.
She argued that treatment should not automatically be stopped after a fixed period and that women using hormones need regular medical reviews, particularly when their treatment is being adjusted. Age, personal health and family history should all be considered when assessing whether therapy is appropriate.
For women who cannot or do not wish to take systemic hormones, options can include approved non-hormonal medicines, cognitive behavioural therapy, lifestyle changes and local vaginal treatments.
Dr de la Torre also highlighted inequalities in menopause care, saying Black and brown women can experience perimenopause earlier and may face more severe or prolonged symptoms. She attributed part of the disparity to medical research that historically relied too heavily on male or predominantly white participants.
She urged women of colour approaching their 40s to seek advice early, particularly if they have increased risks of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
The Seattle doctor said menopause should not be treated as the beginning of an inevitable decline. She has appeared alongside Berry in discussions aimed at making the subject less taboo, including a women’s health episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. ([joylux.com](https://joylux.com/blogs/press/halle-berry-dr-sarah-drew-barrymore))
“I want women to understand that culture has described and made us think that menopause is the beginning of a big decline, and I want to push back against that,” Dr de la Torre said.
“With the right support and care and advocacy for yourself, you can thrive in menopause and you can set yourself up for many healthy decades ahead of you.”
