Menopause kits can be helpful but don’t replace a clinical diagnosis
Seeing an experienced clinician is necessary to address concerns, says UCI Health women’s health expert
IN THE NEWS: Many women might turn to menopause kits to find out if they are in perimenopause or menopause between their 30s and 50s.
The over-the-counter kits assess different levels of female sex hormones which help women understand what stage of the menopausal transition they’re in.
Dr. Rebecca M. Sauer, an obstetrician-gynecologist at UCI Health, recently spoke with Yahoo Life about why these tests can’t replace a clinical diagnosis.
“The tests can provide information which might be helpful for a woman to see the fluctuations in hormones, which is common in reproductive-aged women and perimenopausal women.
“It’s important to see a healthcare provider who is experienced in perimenopause and menopause — which can be located through the Menopause Society, for example — to address concerns.”
Sauer’s clinical interests include abnormal uterine bleeding and fibroids, hormone replacement therapy, menopausal symptoms, adolescent gynecology and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. She is an assistant professor in the UC Irvine School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her research interests include perimenopausal bleeding and screening for cervical cancer in homeless women.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.