Hema Divakar: A New Paradigm for Healthy Ageing in Women With POI and Early Menopause
Hema Divakar, Medical Director of Divakar’s Specialty Hospital, India, shared on LinkedIn about a paper she co-authored with colleagues published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics:
“A New Paradigm for Healthy Ageing in Women with POI and Early Menopause
I am pleased to share the publication of a joint FIGO–IMS Position Paper addressing an important and often under-recognised issue in women’s health:
‘Hormone therapy (HT) in women with premature ovarian insufficiency or early menopause: Time to think of a new paradigm for healthy aging.’
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause are not simply about the loss of reproductive potential. The timing of ovarian hormone loss can have implications across the life course – influencing bone, cardiovascular, neurological, sexual and overall health.
This position paper calls for a shift in how we think about hormone therapy in these women – moving beyond a narrow symptom-management approach towards long-term health preservation and healthy ageing.
Key messages for clinical practice
- Timing matters. Early loss of ovarian function is different from the usual menopause transition and requires a different clinical perspective.
- HT can be part of preventive healthcare, with the potential to support bone and cardiovascular health and overall wellbeing when appropriately prescribed.
- Individualisation is essential. Age at ovarian insufficiency, symptoms, risk factors, contraindications, reproductive goals and patient preferences must all inform decisions.
- Care should extend beyond hormones. Lifestyle, cardiovascular risk assessment, bone health, mental wellbeing, sexual health and preventive care need to be integrated into a life-course approach.
- Most importantly, women with POI and early menopause should be supported with evidence-based, personalised counselling rather than fear-driven decisions about hormone therapy.
This paper represents an important step towards rethinking the paradigm of care – from treating symptoms to protecting long-term health.
I am honoured to have contributed to this international collaborative effort alongside colleagues from FIGO and the International Menopause Society.
A conversation we need to continue: How can we make healthy ageing a core objective of care for women experiencing ovarian hormone loss early in life?”
Title: Hormone therapy (HT) in women with premature ovarian insufficiency or early menopause: Time to think of a new paradigm for healthy aging. A joint FIGO and IMS position paper
Authors: Chiara Benedetto, Suvarna S. Khadilkar, Rossella E. Nappi, Andrea R. Genazzani, Federica Frezet, Laura Cucinella, Hema Divakar, Panagiotis Anagnostis, Nick Panay
You can read the Full Article in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

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