New GSM Guidelines Empower Midlife Women to Take Control of Their Health
Understanding GSM and Why It Matters
If you're in perimenopause or menopause and dealing with vaginal dryness, urinary urgency, pain during sex, or recurrent UTIs, you're not alone. These symptoms are part of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) a common but under-discussed condition affecting midlife women due to declining estrogen levels.
Highlights from the 2025 AUA Guidelines on GSM
The American Urological Association (AUA) has just released updated GSM guidelines that prioritize personalized care, shared decision-making, and evidence-based treatment. Here’s what you should know:
Vaginal Estrogen Is Safe and Effective
Recommended for vaginal dryness, pain with intercourse, and recurrent UTIs
Low-dose vaginal estrogen does not increase the risk of breast or endometrial cancer
Non-Hormonal GSM Treatments
Moisturizers and lubricants provide symptom relief for many women
Especially helpful for those unable or unwilling to use hormone therapy
Avoid Unproven Energy-Based Treatments
CO2 lasers and radiofrequency therapies lack sufficient evidence
These are not recommended by current medical guidelines
You Deserve Evidence-Based, Accessible Care
You’re not being dramatic or overreacting, these symptoms are real, and so are the solutions. Whether you’re managing a family, working part-time, or doing it all, you don’t need a 12-step program. You need practical care that fits your real life.
Start Here:
Talk to your provider about GSM. You are not a burden for asking questions.
Use moisturizers regularly for everyday comfort
Request vaginal estrogen if needed it is your prerogative
Trust your intuition and then advocate for what feels right for you
Midlife Health Shouldn't Be a Mystery
These new guidelines shift the narrative from shame and silence to empowerment and clarity. You are allowed to age. You are allowed to change. And you are absolutely allowed to ask for the support you need.
Share This With a Friend! Let's Keep Talking About GSM
Let’s normalize this conversation. If this post resonated with you, share it with someone else who might need to hear it. You are not alone and you're not invisible either.
Have questions or a personal experience with GSM you want to share? Leave a comment below or contact me for personalized coaching and resources.
