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Menopause and Midlife Care

The Women & Infants Hospital Midlife Care Center provides consultative services for patients during the menopausal transition and menopausal years. 
 
While menopause is a natural part of life, we know it can be a difficult transition and everyone’s experience is unique.  Working with the patient, we develop a plan for evidence-based symptom management, preventative care, and wellness.
Contact Information:
Women & Infants Hospital Midlife Care Center
90 Plain Street, 1st Floor
Providence, RI 02903
P: (401) 430-8380
F: (401) 919-5855

No Show Policy 
We have a policy for missed appointments at all Women & Infants physician practices. If you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment, please give us at least 24 hours notice.

Please be advised that this location is a provider-based clinic and both a physician and facility fee will be assessed, which may result in a higher out-of-pocket expense.

Menopause Society Certified Practitioners

The Menopause Society Credential Logo - 2024_465 x 465Our Menopause Society Certified Practitionerners (MSCP) provide consultation on midlife issues related to perimenopause and menopause. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, mood changes, cognitive changes (brain fog), vaginal symptoms, urinary symptoms, pain with sex.  We work with patients to maximize health and wellness and to develop individualized treatment plans.

Services

The providers in our Menopause Program offer the following services:

  • Evaluation and treatment of vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats
  • Evaluation and treatment of vulvovaginal problems such as vaginal dryness, pain, burning and painful intercourse
  • Preventative care and health optimization for mid-life women including, breast health, cancer screenings, bone health, and osteoporosis screening, and behavioral health. 
Appointments

Speak with your primary care provider or gynecologist. If you need the name of a provider, please call Women & Infants Physician Referral Health Line at 1-800-921-9299.

Your primary care provider or gynecologist can refer you to the Midlife Care Center, or call us directly at (401) 430-8380.

Menopause FAQ

What is menopause?
Menopause begins when a woman's menstrual cycles have been absent for a year. This absence indicates the body is no longer making estrogen or progesterone, the hormones that control menstrual cycles and other functions of a woman's body.

Menopause is a completely natural process that occurs, on average, around age 52. Symptoms, however, often begin in the 40s and can last for up to a decade. Women whose ovaries have stopped functioning or have been removed surgically can experience what is commonly referred to as early menopause.
How does your body change during menopause?
Menopause affects different women in different ways. Many of these changes are brought on by decreasing hormone levels.

The first signs of approaching menopause are changes in menstrual cycles. Some women might menstruate more frequently, while others menstruate less. Timing between each cycle can become unpredictable.

Menopause is sometimes accompanied by vaginal changes such as a decrease in moisture and elasticity resulting in vaginal dryness and discomfort during sexual intercourse.

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. These are a sudden sensation of heat that spreads over all or part of the upper body.
How are your emotions affected during menopause?

As your body tries to compensate for its physical changes, there can be emotional changes too. Again, these symptoms vary in intensity from woman to woman.

Some women experience nervousness, irritability, fatigue or mild depression. Brain fog, or difficulty remembering things, is common. Many women report sleep disturbances, including both difficulties falling and staying asleep.

Taking care of yourself during menopause
During - and long after - menopause, you'll need to develop a routine,and keep a close watch on your health. It's important that you develop trust and rapport with your doctor so she or he will be familiar with your medical history.

You should schedule a complete gynecologic and breast exam once a year so health problems can be identified and treated early. The most serious of these - and the most common among post-menopausal women - is heart disease.

There is also an increased risk of osteoporosis (a weakening of the bones) which could lead to fractures, posture problems or back pain.

You can improve your health, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, by eating a balanced diet, following a regular program of exercise, minimizing alcohol intake and quitting smoking. You might also consider hormone replacement therapy.
What is hormone replacement therapy?

If you are having severe problems with menopause, your doctor might evaluate you for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This is a treatment that replaces the estrogen and progesterone lost during menopause. HRT can relieve hot flashes and other menopausal problems.

In healthy women less than 10 years since menopause onset, or younger than 60 years, hormone therapy is a safe, effective treatment option for menopausal symptoms. Women who are 60 or older or at least 10 years postmenopausal are discouraged from starting HRT as this subset of patients appears to be at greater risk of developing cardiac disease.

If you and your doctor decide that HRT is an option, you should be aware that estrogen treatments alone have been linked to uterine cancer. Through the development of new hormone treatments, this increased risk has been eliminated.

Although many women don't notice any side effects with HRT, they do occur in a few women. These can include fluid retention, irritability, swelling of the body, breast tenderness and abdominal cramping.

What can you do if you have signs of severe menopause?

Severe menopause can be helped. You should see your gynecologist and discuss the options that are right for you.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

What is hormone therapy (HT)?

HT is a treatment that is often prescribed to postmenopausal women to help relieve symptoms that accompany menopause: hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and sleeplessness. HT has also been prescribed to prevent some long-term health problems that can accompany menopause, osteoporosis, or bone loss.

Hormonal treatment may consist of estrogen alone, prescribed for women who have had a hysterectomy, or a combination of estrogen and progesterone, for women who still have a uterus and are going through menopause.

If you are a woman in menopause or going through the menopause transition and would like to discuss hormonal and non-hormonal options for you, please contact a member of our team. If you are currently taking HT and would like to discuss options further, please make an appointment with a member of our team to talk about various options.

Meet the Team

Renee R. Eger, MD, FACOG

Renee Eger, MD, FACOG, MSCP, is the director of the Midlife Care Center. A graduate of Brown University and Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr. Eger completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital. She is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. Her areas of interest including perimenopause, menopause, and general gynecologic care.

Watch the video on menopause’s lasting health challenges in Unequal Treatment by Rhode Island PBS Weekly, featuring Dr. Renee Eger
Kate Zaluski, MD

Kate Zaluski MD, FACOG, MSCP completed medical school at Creighton University School of Medicine and her OBGYN residency at St. Francis Hospital in Harford, CT.  She is a board certified OBGYN who also is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner.  Her interests include abnormal uterine bleeding, cervical dysplasia, vulvovaginal health, and menopause care.

Monique Morales

Monique Morales is a Certified Nurse Midwife and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner.  She received a Bachelor's Degree in Community Health from Brown University in 2011, and both her RN and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from the Yale School of Nursing. She was a participant in the National Heatlh Service Corp Scholarship Program and worked at an FQHC in Baltimore before returning to Women and Infants in 2022. Monique is certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) and National Certification Corporation (NCC).