I should be celebrating. After decades of menopause being dismissed as "just hot flashes" by both laypeople and the medical community, we're finally seeing genuine public discourse on the topic. Celebrities are speaking out, asking for hormone treatment is no longer taboo, and women are sharing their experiences on social media without shame.

But as an OB-GYN, I'm not celebrating. I'm angry.

Don't misunderstand: The increased visibility of this phase of women's lives is long overdue. Women deserve to understand what's happening to their bodies, as well as access to treatment options and medical validation. But the current menopause "moment" reveals something deeply troubling: We only seem to care about women's health when there's money to be made, evidence optional – all while we ignore the very real problems surrounding pregnancy care in this country.

Women deserve real care, not doctors profiting off them

Open Instagram and you'll see it: doctors – yes, actual MDs – hawking perimenopause supplements for $150 with dubious claims. Powders, detoxes, cleanses promising to "balance your hormones" are everywhere. Seminars where you can pay $125 to “demystify” menopause (led by doctors who also sell supplements, of course) are cropping up in major cities across America.

The menopause market is projected to reach $24.4 billion by 2030, and everyone wants their cut.

The irony is crushing. Historically, researchers have struggled to secure even the most basic funding for women’s health research,........

© USA TODAY