Menopause- A Natural Phenomenon or A Pathology?

About this episode

The episode discusses the complexities of menopause and challenges the narrative of it being a pathological condition.

In this episode of GynoCurious, Dr. Amy Novatt welcomes Dr. Tracey Flum, a board-certified OB-GYN with over three decades of experience, to discuss the complexities of menopause in today's healthcare landscape. Both physicians examine whether the boom in menopause-focused telehealth companies represents genuine progress in women's healthcare or a new revenue stream capitalizing on women's vulnerabilities. Dr. Flum shares how her ADHD drew her to the intense environment of labor and delivery, and discusses her transition from obstetrics to medical gynecology as her body demanded a different pace. The conversation critically examines what Dr. Flum calls the "menopause industrial complex," challenging the narrative that menopause is a pathological condition requiring aggressive intervention. While both physicians strongly support hormone therapy for appropriate candidates and acknowledge its benefits for hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and vaginal health, they caution against social media misinformation promising hormones as a panacea. Dr. Flum emphasizes that symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and mood shifts are often natural responses to the perfect storm of midlife…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Amy Novatt

Guest: Dr. Tracey Flum

Topics covered

• menopause
• women's healthcare
• hormone therapy
• telehealth
• midlife challenges
• holistic health

Keywords

• menopause
• hormone therapy
• telehealth
• women's health
• ADHD
• midlife
• holistic approach
• symptoms
• social media misinformation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: GynoCurious, Radio Free Rhinecliff

More episodes of GynoCurious

• A Cervical Cancer Review · June 11, 2026 · 47 min
• Mindfullness in Iceland · May 29, 2026 · 25 min
• Get Rooted with Robyn Moreno · May 16, 2026 · 59 min
• Trauma and Cultural Context · April 30, 2026 · 43 min
• Ancient Medicine, Modern Healing with Debbie Kadagian · April 16, 2026 · 50 min
• Sexual Dysfunction According to The Experts · March 19, 2026 · 14 min