The Menopause and Women's Sexual Health Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota is recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative approach to treatment of women with menopausal hormonal and sexual health concerns.
Our women's health experts provide a range of services using a team-based approach to care. Services include consultations for menopause, sexual health, stress management and cancer survivorship, physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction, and meetings with a nurse educator.
Your care team may include a doctor, an advanced practice provider, a psychologist, a sex therapist, a physical therapist and a nurse educator. The team creates an accepting, kind atmosphere where you can discuss your concerns confidentially. Together, you'll develop an individualized care plan based on your needs and preferences and the team's extensive knowledge of scientific evidence.
Innovative research for better treatments
Experts of the Menopause and Women's Sexual Health Clinic engage in clinical trials and innovative research that contribute to understanding the science and treatments related to menopause and sexual health. They publish their work in medical journals for the benefit of women everywhere and are also frequent speakers at local, national and international conferences. Learn more about the Women's Health Research Center.
Talk with your doctor about whether any of the clinic's many menopause and sexual health-related clinical trials might be right for you.
Services
You might benefit from a range of services, based on your needs and concerns:
- Menopause consultation. During a menopause consultation, you talk with a women's health specialist about your menopausal hormonal symptoms. This type of consultation may be right for you if your symptoms are related to natural or surgical menopause, primary ovarian failure, premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, menstrual migraines, or induced menopause resulting from chemotherapy or radiation during cancer treatment.
- Sexual health consultation. During a sexual health consultation, you talk with a women's health specialist with expertise in evaluating and treating low libido and issues around sexual arousal and response. The initial evaluation includes a medical assessment of sexual health concerns. Many conditions can affect sexual response. For example, dyspareunia (or pain with penetrative sexual activity) may be related to vulvodynia, vaginismus, pelvic floor dysfunction and vaginal atrophy. And a cancer diagnosis and treatment may result in sexual health issues.
Your health care provider may recommend additional services offered through the Menopause and Women's Sexual Health Clinic, such as:
- Cancer survivorship consultation. During a cancer survivorship consultation, you talk with a women's health specialist about menopausal symptoms and sexual health issues related to your cancer diagnosis and treatment. Our team of providers is available to support you through the many physical and emotional side effects of cancer treatment.
- Stress management consultation. Management of stress and mood can play an important role in decreasing symptoms related to menopause and sexual health. The Menopause and Women's Sexual Health Clinic also offers a specialty consultation for stress management.
- Mood issues consultation. Mood issues may become more prominent during menopause, especially in cancer survivors. You may meet with a certified psychiatric nurse specialist, who will address any mood issues and available treatments.
- Sex therapy consultation. A consultation with a sex therapist might be right for you if you have concerns such as low libido, difficulty with arousal or sexual response, or pain with sexual activity. You talk confidentially with a sex therapist with specialty training, either alone or with your partner.
- Meeting with a nurse educator. Nurse educators offer you opportunities to learn more about topics important to you and your well-being. Educational offerings include bone health, vaginal health, hot flash triggers, hormone therapy and pelvic floor exercises. You may also ask to meet with a nurse educator before undergoing sexual therapy, a stress management consult or pelvic floor therapy, so that you understand what to expect.
Conditions treated
Conditions treated by menopause and women's sexual health specialists include arousal and orgasm concerns, early menopause, female sexual dysfunction, hot flashes, low sex drive in women, menopausal and sexual health issues related to a cancer diagnosis, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), pelvic floor dysfunction, persistent genital arousal disorder, primary ovarian failure, surgical menopause, vaginal atrophy, vaginismus, and vulvodynia.
Learn more about Mayo Clinic Women's Health.