CINCINNATI — People experiencing symptoms of menopause can now seek specialized treatment at Planned Parenthood health centers in Cincinnati and Dayton, the organization announced at an October 1 press conference.
The new service offers patients a provider who will work with them using evidence-based information to build a personally tailored treatment plan for menopause, perimenopause, and related symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, and mood changes. Dr. Gwynne Perry, assistant medical director of the Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region, said many patients with these symptoms have been dismissed, belittled, or minimized so often that they stop asking for care because providers are not listening.
Nan Whaley, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio ACT, the organization’s advocacy arm, joined Perry at the announcement, framing the expansion as a response to a gap in women’s health care across the entirety of a woman’s life.
But access is only part of the battle, said State Rep. Ashley Bryant Bailey of Cincinnati, who appeared at the event. In March she introduced a bill alongside Rep. Anita Somani of Dublin — the Menopause, Perimenopause, and Hormone Therapy Coverage Act — that would require insurance and Medicaid coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of menopause, perimenopause, and related symptoms, aiming to eliminate inconsistent coverage barriers.
Bryant Bailey called the issue not only a health care matter but a workforce and economic one. The service is available now at Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio health centers in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.