BECKLEY, W.Va. – Beckley ARH gynecologist Dr. Lisa Skinner recently attended a roundtable discussion in Charleston to discuss menopause medicine research.

The event, which took place at the Kanawha County Public Library, was led by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry.

According to a press release from Sen. Capito’s office, Berry, 58, became an advocate for menopause education and research as a result of her own experience, and is now working alongside legislators as they push forward the bipartisan Advancing Menopause and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act.

“Women have deserved more from our healthcare systems for far too long, but that’s about to change,” Berry said.

If passed, the legislation will strengthen and expand federal research on menopause, healthcare workforce training, awareness and education efforts, and public health promotion and prevention designed to better address menopause and mid-life women’s health issues.

“Menopause is a fact of life for women and something we all deserve to know more about,” Sen. Capito said. “Menopause can impact every aspect of a woman’s life – from their career to their relationships –and for too long it has only been whispered about among our friends and health care providers.

“I’m thrilled to have Halle Berry join us in West Virginia to discuss this important issue that she has so fiercely advocated for through many efforts,” she continued. “Her voice, along with the expertise of the individuals we have heard from at the roundtable, are so valuable as we work together to address the realities that women are facing every day.”

Skinner is an advanced practitioner of menopause medicine, licensed through the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). She said she hopes the long-overdue focus on women’s health will help better the lives of women across the country.

“The first five years after a women’s period ends sets the stage for the longevity and the quality of life for her remaining years,” she said. “That’s when we lose a large percentage of bone density and muscle mass and also when coronary and carotid artery disease take off in incidence. There is very little research and few options for guiding women through this transition.

“Through Halle Berry, and now many female U.S. Senators, legislation is finally going through to better fund research and education for providers,” she continued. “It’s exciting that our government is finally taking women’s health more seriously.”

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According to the Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act, 75 million women in the United States are in perimenopause, menopause or post-menopause, with an additional 6,000 reaching menopause each day.

Despite those numbers, only 30 percent of U.S. medical residency programs offer a formal menopause curriculum. According to a recent survey, 80 percent of OB/GYN residents say they believe they are ill-prepared to discuss menopause with their patients.

For information about the legislation will address the issue, visit https://www.capito.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/118th_senator_capito_menopause_bill_1-pager.pdf.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Skinner, call 304-254-2425.

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Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), is a not-for-profit health system operating 14 hospitals in Barbourville, Hazard, Harlan, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, as well as multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores and retail pharmacies and medical spas. ARH employs approximately 6,700 people with an annual payroll and benefits of $474 million generated into our local economies. ARH also has a network of more than 1,300 providers on staff across its multi-state system. ARH is the largest provider of care and the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virgini