Press Release

27 May 2025 - The Philippine Consulate General Chicago hosted on 23 May 2025 a webinar titled "What happens as women age: A virtual seminar on women’s perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause". The webinar was led by Dr. Jessia Strasburg and Dr. Marissa Magsino, both medical doctors specializing in women’s health in the United States.

Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano in her opening remarks noted that about one million women out of four billion in the age range of 40 years and above worldwide experienced perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause in 2023. She said that a large proportion of women will go through these life cycles at any one time, with some experiencing symptoms that can affect work performance, attendance and career progression, higher rates of morbidity and mortality. She stressed the importance of webinars such as this that aim to collectively share information and experiences, as well as expertise that link Filipino communities with Filipino experts in their specialized fields.

Dr. Strasburg, a specialist in chronic pelvic pain and gynecology practising in Cleveland, Ohio, gave an overview of the changes a woman’s body commonly experienced during perimenopause and menopause.

Meanwhile, Dr. Magsino, who specializes in anti-ageing in Florida, focused on the hormones that change in a woman’s body during perimenopause and menopause. She shared that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy may provide a woman undergoing these life cycles with symptoms with a medical management program that can help achieve wellbeing.

Philippine Honorary Consul in Ohio, Dr. Susan Gumabao-Flores, in her closing remarks thanked the Consulate General for a relevant and timely discussion of women’s health and noted that a part two of the webinar may need to be organized to discuss medical interventions during perimenopause and menopause in greater detail.

The webinar was organized under the Gender and Development Section of the Philippine Consulate General Chicago and addressed its commitment in providing education on women’s health.END