• Following this session, the attendee will be able to understand the effects and
impacts of perimenopause and menopause on service member readiness, duty
obligations, and the overall resiliency of the female force.
2. Support for Retention of Service Women:
• Following this session, the attendee will be able to understand how targeted
health education and resources can increase retention of service women by
addressing their unique health needs.
3. Enhanced Clinical Decision-Making:
• Following this session, military providers will be able to locate updated resources
to apply evidence-based guidelines on the identification, treatment, and
management of perimenopause and menopause in service members.
The Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Office of Women’s Health (OWH) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA) are proud to submit a poster to the 2025 AMSUS Annual Meeting, highlighting the critical effects and implications of perimenopause and menopause on female force readiness. This poster not only underscores the importance of addressing perimenopause and menopause to promote readiness and retention of the female force, but also signifies a commitment from Navy Medicine and DHA to provide education and resources to service members, providers, and leadership to elevate perimenopause and menopause as components of total force readiness. This poster is the culmination of extensive collaboration across the Navy Medicine Female Force Readiness Operational Clinical Community, a diverse body of 250+ practitioners specializing in various aspects of women’s health, and DHA women’s health SMEs. In partnership with these providers, a comprehensive toolkit of educational resources was developed to address perimenopause and menopause needs specific to service women. The toolkit encompasses essential topics such as menopause management in primary care, family planning considerations related to perimenopause and menopause, mental health implications of menopause, and the physical changes during perimenopause and menopause that may impact neuromusculoskeletal function. The comprehensive toolkit will equip providers to share in-depth information with their patients and empower service women to self-manage symptoms, when appropriate, or seek care when needed. Furthermore, the OWH collaborated with the DHA to develop “DHA Practice Recommendations” for MHS providers on perimenopause and menopause care. These recommendations serve as military-wide guidelines, providing an authoritative source of meticulously synthesized clinical information designed to assist clinical care teams with real-time decision-making based on current best clinical practices. The practice recommendations are robust in the clinical management topics they cover, including recommendations for understanding and treating menstrual changes, vasomotor symptoms, vaginal symptoms, mood and cognition, nutrition and physical activity, and disease risk. This collaboration between the BUMED OWH and DHA is particularly vital as the Navy strives to increase medical readiness and retention of service women. By providing education and resources for providers and patients, the BUMED OWH and DHA aim to illuminate a historically under-researched topic, paving the way for future service women to prioritize their healthcare and ultimately prolong their military careers. In alignment with the 2025 AMSUS conference theme, "Flourishing in Health: Improving Experiences for our Patients and our Workforce," this poster demonstrates how these educational resources and practice recommendations seek to improve the lives of patients, extend their military careers, and advance clinical best practices and proficiency amongst providers.