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Overview

Menopause is an inevitable life stage for half the population, yet it remains one of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated areas of primary care. Rachel Rubin, MD, has emerged as a leading national voice in menopause care, reframing how clinicians approach midlife women’s health, sexuality, and evidence-based hormone therapy. In this keynote, Dr. Rubin will examine how historical gaps in education and misinterpretation of early data — particularly from the Women’s Health Initiative — have shaped persistent fear and confusion around menopause hormone therapy.

Dr. Rubin will provide a practical, evidence-based framework for understanding the physiologic changes of menopause, with special attention to genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and sexual health — areas frequently overlooked in routine care. This session will equip primary care clinicians with the knowledge and confidence to initiate meaningful conversations, dispel outdated myths, and integrate modern menopause care into everyday practice to improve quality of life, comfort, and sexual well-being for midlife and aging women.
You will gain a practical framework for recognizing menopausal symptoms, initiating patient-centered conversations about sexuality, and understanding the evolving evidence around hormone replacement therapy. Informed by Dr. Rubin’s clinical expertise and advocacy, this session will prepare you to integrate menopause care into routine practice with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the physiologic effects of menopause on the body, including the genitourinary tract and sexual function
  • Recognize common but underreported symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and their impact on quality of life
  • Explain the historical context of the Women’s Health Initiative and how updated evidence informs current individualized hormone therapy decisions
  • Apply the five key tenets of menopause management — estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, GSM treatment, and sexual health — in primary care practice
  • Initiate patient-centered conversations about menopause and sexuality with greater confidence and clinical clarity