Meet MD, Internal Medicine & Gynecology, Dr. Heather Hirsch
KL: Please introduce yourself.
Heather: My name is Heather Hirsch MD. I am Board certified in Internal Medicine and completed advanced fellowship training in Women’s Health at the Cleveland Clinic.
My specialty practice includes internal medicine and office gynecology with a focus on menopausal hormone therapy, contraception and family planning, breast health, sexual dysfunction, and urinary incontinence.
Fellowship training included an emphasis on scholarly activity, development of women’s health curriculum, clinical research and leadership. My clinical work and research centers around menopausal symptoms reduction.
I currently practice at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston MA
KL: What inspired your focus on women’s health?
Midlife women’s health is currently the most underserved area of women’s health globally. Because the midlife and menopause transition is one of the most understudied areas, we also don’t realize how much we don’t know. But as a menopause specialty physician, I do. And I am not the only one.
While setting out on my advocacy and educational mission, I met countless other brave women forming grassroots organizations of their own. Because of the magic of the internet, these groups were being formed across the globe connecting women from vast backgrounds and income levels, all meeting virtually to say “What is going on? Why does no one hear us or believe our symptoms? Why is no one treating us?
When I saw first-hand the harm inflicted upon women when they are mistreated in menopause, I realized it was the biggest gap in women’s health care, and I could no longer sit back ideally watching
KL: What do you think the most common misconception of menopause is?
Heather: That hormone therapy is “bad” and will “give women breast cancer” which couldn’t be further from the truth. I have a whole podcast on this, “Ten common myths of hormone therapy.”
KL: If you could share one piece of advice for women entering this new phase of their lives, what would it be?
Heather: There is no one size that fits all.
I highly recommend journaling for the best type of care, with a foundation of menopause education that is evidence-based. There are many different treatment options, all of which are safe and effective. I have a podcast with a lot of information “Women’s Health by Heather Hirsch” on iTunes (and everyone place else you get your podcasts), along with an amazing new online course so that you can stop google searching for answers. My full course is available and you can also browse my mini courses here.