Painful Sex, UTIs, Estrogen Confusion — and What Menopause Might Be Doing to Your Career

✨ Good Morning!

First, I would like to thank you for reading this. I’ve been testing when it’s best to send this and no matter when I do, you open it. 🙏🏼 That feels good. Even better is when you all email me feedback - what you like, what I should do differently, things that are annoying. I want it all.

OK. Let’s get on with it because this was a HUGE week for women’s health…and not because of annoying headlines politicizing our health. 🙄 It’s because menopause-related medical guidelines have been updated. While it might sound boring 🥱 it is actually a game changer 💪 because they are the clearest I’ve ever seen. Posting about this also resulted in the most shared social post I’ve done. That speaks volumes.

It’s also Women’s Health Month - follow on TikTok and Instagram as I post about what you need to know.

Apologies for the menopause-focused newsletter but we also need to discuss what happens to our salaries and careers!

And of course, I end on a fun note regarding what I’m curious about. 😉

Let’s dive in.

🔎 Women’s Health Month - But What is “Women’s Health”

I was recently interviewed on a podcast, and as we prepared, it became clear we needed to define “women’s health.” Interestingly, it was a conversation with women! Given it is Women’s Health Month, I decided to create a post about it!

P.S. What is up with the TikTok filter!? I do not look like this. 🤭

@fempowerhealth

#WomensHealthMonth #FempowerHealth #womenshealthmatters #invisibleillnessawareness #HormoneHealth #womenshealth #endoawareness #autoimmune... See more

‼️ Huge Update for Women’s Health

One of my most-shared posts ever was about something few women have heard of: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).

GSM causes vaginal dryness, pain with sex, urinary urgency, and recurrent UTIs—but it’s been wildly misunderstood, even by clinicians. Many believe an estrogen patch is enough. It’s not.

The new 2025 guidelines set the record straight on what GSM is, how to treat it safely, and why vaginal estrogen is often essential—even for women already on systemic hormones.

🔍 If you’ve been told to “just use a moisturizer” or “wait it out,” this is a must-read.

👉 Get the full breakdown here

🙌🏼 Related: The hot mess over the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) Study….and it’s continuing. Check the WHI site for actual updates or Dr. Jen Gunter for a fun and serious take on the updates.

 🔎 Menopause’s Economic Impact: New Data on the “Menopause Penalty”

A new UCL-led study found that women experience a 10% drop in earnings within four years of menopause — roughly half the “child penalty” associated with becoming a mother.

Key findings:

• The income loss is mainly driven by women leaving work or reducing their contracted hours.

• Women without college degrees suffer the greatest financial impact.

• After diagnosis, claims for disability benefits also rise by nearly 5%.

Why it matters:
Menopause symptoms are more than a private health matter — they’re quietly reshaping women’s careers and economic security.

The researchers found that access to better information and care — including awareness efforts like a Swedish public TV campaign — can reduce the financial and medical fallout, especially for less-educated women.

The study calls for broader workplace support and healthcare access to eliminate the "menopause penalty" and ensure that all women can continue thriving in their careers through this transition.

➡️ Learn more about the study here

NOTE: The study states “menopause diagnosis.” 🙄 I hope we get past this term as it presumes this phase of life is an illness!

🙌🏼 Let’s talk: Head to the Slack channel and share your workplace experience. Haven’t joined yet? Learn more about the Slack Community.