Menopause management and assessment

This session, hosted by Dr Giselle Darling, general practitioner and women’s health consultant from the Royal Women’s Hospital, will help health professionals to better assess and manage menopause. It will cover when it is appropriate to use and cease menopause hormone therapy (MHT) with consideration of symptoms, risks and contraindications.

Dr Giselle Darling is a women’s health consultant at the Royal Women’s Hospital. This one-hour webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of current evidence for best practice of menopause management including symptoms of menopause, pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. 

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) will be discussed in detail including types, indications, contraindications, when to cease therapy and important considerations for patients who have had, or currently have, breast cancer. 

During the session, there will be opportunities to ask questions to address any knowledge gaps. 

Speaker

Dr Giselle Darling, women's health consultant - Royal Women's Hospital

Dr Giselle Darling consults in the areas of contraception, abortion, sexual health, menopause and menopause after cancer. 

She has previously worked as the Menopause Research Fellow at the Royal Women's Hospital and the Slezak Research Fellow at Jean Hailes, She has co-authored several publications regarding menopause. Her current clinical focus is the management of women who: 

• develop menopause as a consequence of the management of cancer (for instance, post- chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery)
• are diagnosed with a hormone-receptor positive cancer which precludes the routine use of MHT, or
• are at high risk of cancer and are considering, or have had, risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Define what is a ‘normal’ menopause transition and assess menopause symptoms.
• Evaluate options for menopause management including hormone therapies and non-pharmacological interventions in a holistic way.
• Assess risk factors and contraindications to MHT and provide appropriate specialist referral when needed.