I co-established the Jean Hailes Foundation (now Jean Hailes for Women's Health) in the early 1990's, as at that time no one wanted to talk about menopause.

My primary interest is hormones and women's health, especially hormones and menopause. I care for many women with multiple sclerosis (MS) as they transit menopause and am aware that this is such an under-researched area. MS is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40 years, meaning most women with MS will experience midlife and undergo the menopausal transition after their diagnosis. BUT, we do not know how menopause impacts women who have MS. Menopausal symptoms may masquerade as MS and menopause may be missed if the right questions are not asked.

I am an endocrinologist caring for women, so I do not manage the MS aspect of their health. However, I have seen a dramatic reduction in the impact of this condition because of the availability of new agents to treat MS.

My team has recruited 8000 women across Australia aged 40-69 years (the Australian Women’s Midlife Years (AMY) Study), to evaluate the impact of menopause on their health and wellbeing. In this study we will conduct a parallel Australia-wide survey of women with MS aged 40–69 years to assess the contribution of common midlife circumstances and the impact of menopause. We will determine whether their symptoms and quality of life differs from that of the general population as documented in the AMY Study.

Menopause can cause debilitating symptoms such as hut flushes and sweats, mood changes, irritability, sleeplessness and muscle and joint pains. But how menopause manifests in women with MS in terms of frequency and severity of symptoms is not known. Ascertaining this will identify the proportion of women who need specific care at menopause, and how such care might be integrated with their general healthcare. It will also underpin education for women and health care providers.