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Sexual Health, Midlife and South Asian Women: Breaking the Silence

In this episode of the MenopauseWize Podcast, Dr. Sukhpreet Patel is joined by Dr. Sadaf Lodhi. Dr Lodhi is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist who has been practicing in New York for over 20 years. Dr. Lodhi’s work is centered around empowering and educating women, with a special focus on sexual health, menopausal care, and intimacy coaching.

She currently runs a concierge medical practice serving patients in New York and also provides telehealth care to women in Michigan. While she supports women across all aspects of female health, her clinical passion lies in helping women navigate midlife, sexuality, and hormonal transitions with confidence and clarity.

Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Lodhi is also the host of The Muslim Sex Podcast, where she explores conversations around intimacy and women’s health in culturally nuanced spaces. You can also find her on Instagram at @drsadafobgyn, where she continues to break stigma and educate women about sexual and menopausal health.

Sexual health in midlife is rarely discussed openly, and when we add the cultural context of South Asian communities, the silence often becomes even deeper. Many women grow up without language around pleasure, intimacy, or the physical changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause.

In this conversation, Dr. Lodhi and Dr. Patel explore how hormonal changes during midlife affect sexual health, including painful intercourse, low libido, and shifts in arousal and pleasure. They also discuss the cultural layers that shape how South Asian women experience and talk about these changes — from normalization of discomfort to hesitation around seeking treatment.

The discussion also examines how cultural expectations, communication patterns within marriages, and longstanding beliefs about modesty and duty can influence whether women seek help or simply endure symptoms.

Importantly, this episode also highlights that many of these concerns are both common and treatable. From vaginal estrogen and lubricants to pelvic floor therapy and improved communication, there are evidence-based options that can significantly improve comfort and sexual well-being.

The episode concludes with practical advice for South Asian women navigating midlife sexuality and reflections on whether the next generation may be entering menopause with a more open understanding of sexual health.

This conversation aims to break stigma, provide clarity, and remind women that sexual health is an important part of overall health.

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The information provided in all episodes of the MenopauseWize podcast, including content shared by Sukhpreet Patel or any guest or representative, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or a substitute for professional healthcare consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment decisions.

SheRise Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., MenopauseWize, Sukhpreet Patel, or any representative will not be held responsible or liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use or reliance on the information provided in this podcast. Listeners are encouraged to use the information at their own discretion and always seek advice from a licensed medical professional before making any healthcare decisions.

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Episode 27: Hormone Therapy After Breast Cancer: What Does the Evidence Say?

In Episode 27 of the MenopauseWize Podcast, Dr. Sukhpreet Patel is joined by Dr. Corinne Menn, a board-certified OB-GYN, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and a 24-year breast cancer survivor, to explore one of the most complex and emotionally charged topics in menopause care: hormone therapy after breast cancer.

For many women, surviving breast cancer is only part of the journey. The very treatments that save lives can abruptly trigger menopause — often with severe hot flashes, sleep disruption, anxiety, sexual pain, vaginal dryness, and profound changes in quality of life. Yet when it comes to hormone therapy, the conversation often ends quickly with a simple and definitive “no.”

But is the evidence truly that black and white?

In this thoughtful and evidence-based discussion, Dr. Menn helps us unpack:

• The difference between ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer
• Why estrogen is intentionally lowered or blocked in certain cancers
• How chemotherapy, ovarian suppression, tamoxifen, and aromatase inhibitors induce menopause
• The difference between tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors — and why it matters
• The real-world impact of abrupt, treatment-induced menopause
• The history behind avoiding systemic hormone therapy
• The HABITS and Stockholm trials — what they showed and why their results differed
• Whether the safety discussion differs for women on tamoxifen versus aromatase inhibitors
• The severity of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause in breast cancer survivors
• What the evidence says about low-dose vaginal estrogen after breast cancer
• How to approach nuanced, individualized risk–benefit discussions

Dr. Menn brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to this conversation as a breast cancer survivor and BRCA carrier. Through her telehealth practice and educational platform, she focuses on menopause management and the unique healthcare needs of female cancer survivors and women at high risk for breast cancer.

This episode reinforces an essential message: the answer is not simplistic. It depends on receptor status, type of endocrine therapy, timing, symptom severity, and individual risk. Most importantly, it requires informed, shared decision-making.

Breast cancer survivors deserve not only longevity — they deserve quality of life.

You can follow Dr. Corinne Menn on Instagram at @drmennobgyn, where she shares thoughtful, evidence-based insights on menopause and survivorship care.

As always, this episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute individual medical advice. Please consult your healthcare team for personalized guidance.

Join us for this important and nuanced conversation.

Support the show

The information provided in all episodes of the MenopauseWize podcast, including content shared by Sukhpreet Patel or any guest or representative, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or a substitute for professional healthcare consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment decisions.

SheRise Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., MenopauseWize, Sukhpreet Patel, or any representative will not be held responsible or liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use or reliance on the information provided in this podcast. Listeners are encouraged to use the information at their own discretion and always seek advice from a licensed medical professional before making any healthcare decisions.

Have something to share? Send us a text!

In this powerful episode of the MenopauseWize podcast, we’re joined by one of the most influential voices in the menopause space—Dr. Louise Newson. Based in the UK, Dr. Newson is a physician, women's hormone specialist, and a member of the UK Government’s Menopause Taskforce. She is widely credited with revolutionizing the conversation around hormone health, challenging outdated narratives, and helping women reclaim informed choice through education and empowerment.

Together, we tackle the most common fears and misconceptions that continue to create confusion around Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) / Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)—for both women and their healthcare providers. From the lingering shadows of the WHI study to myths about family history, cancer risk, and "natural" alternatives, this episode breaks down complex science into clear, accessible guidance.

Key Questions We Explore:

• “Hormone therapy causes breast cancer”—what does the evidence really say?
• What about women who say they’re “doing fine” and don’t need hormones?
• Are “natural remedies” safer than regulated body-identical HRT?
• Can calcium and vitamins alone protect your bones in menopause?
• Why is waiting 12 months post-period to start HRT an outdated idea?
• Do you only need hormone therapy if symptoms are “severe”?
• What role does testosterone play in women’s health?
  
  

Whether you’re a woman navigating menopause or a clinician seeking to better support your patients, this episode offers a science-backed, stigma-free look at why hormone therapy deserves a place in the conversation—and often, in the care plan.

Support the show

The information provided in all episodes of the MenopauseWize podcast, including content shared by Sukhpreet Patel or any guest or representative, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or a substitute for professional healthcare consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment decisions.

SheRise Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., MenopauseWize, Sukhpreet Patel, or any representative will not be held responsible or liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use or reliance on the information provided in this podcast. Listeners are encouraged to use the information at their own discretion and always seek advice from a licensed medical professional before making any healthcare decisions.