Dr. Karen Adams, obstetrician/gynecologist and Farwell Family Director of the Stanford Program in Menopause and Healthy Aging, studies menopause and, perhaps more importantly, perimenopause – the critical years preceding it. During this time, hormone-related symptoms like mood instability, sleep disruption, hot flashes, and joint pain can be severe even though periods continue. Adams explains that perimenopausal symptoms are often misdiagnosed and improperly treated. She says hormonal therapies are safe and effective in perimenopause and menopause, and can even have heart and bone b...
Dr. Karen Adams, obstetrician/gynecologist and Farwell Family Director of the Stanford Program in Menopause and Healthy Aging, studies menopause and, perhaps more importantly, perimenopause – the critical years preceding it. During this time, hormone-related symptoms like mood instability, sleep disruption, hot flashes, and joint pain can be severe even though periods continue. Adams explains that perimenopausal symptoms are often misdiagnosed and improperly treated. She says hormonal therapies are safe and effective in perimenopause and menopause, and can even have heart and bone benefits. “Menopause is inevitable, but suffering is not,” Adams tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.
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Episode Reference Links:
- Stanford Profile: Karen Adams
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- Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Karen Adams, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University.
(00:02:11) Path into Menopause Medicine
How Adams built one of the first clinical programs focused on women over 40.
(00:04:19) Menopause and Perimenopause
What menopause is and how the hormonal transition often begins years earlier.
(00:06:19) Beyond Hot Flashes
The wide range of symptoms that can appear during perimenopause.
(00:11:09) Pregnancy Risk During Perimenopause
Why contraception can still matter until a full year without a period.
(00:11:11) Unpredictable Symptoms
Why perimenopausal symptoms can be harder to recognize than PMS.
(00:13:37) Hormone Therapy
How treatment differs during perimenopause and after menopause.
(00:22:57) The Women’s Health Initiative
What the landmark hormone therapy study showed.
(00:27:53) Sexual Health and Vaginal Estrogen
Why local estrogen can safely treat genitourinary symptoms for many women.
(00:30:36) Future In a Minute
Rapid-fire Q&A: menopause care, women’s health, and better clinical support
(00:32:58) Conclusion
Connect With Us:
Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon
Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook
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