This month, FEMM teamed up with the Reproductive Health Research Institute to share cutting-edge research and clinical data at the National Conference on Women’s Health hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The purpose of the conference, according to the HHS, was to “explore breakthroughs in research, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of health conditions that affect women across the lifespan, learn about opportunities to bridge gaps between evidence and implementation and drive cross-sector innovation to modernize patient care and promote better health.”
FEMM providers, Dr. Danielle Koestner and Dr. Karen Poehailos, alongside RHRI researcher Dr. Hugo Soto, presented three posters highlighting research in collaboration with the Reproductive Health Research Institute.
Dr. Karen Poehailos presented on how ovulatory dysfunction in adolescence is caused by hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistance, prolactin disorders, and thyroid disorders, and that the same factors cause ovulatory dysfunction in women of reproductive age. The research highlights how urgent it is to treat these underlying causes in adolescence so that women can avoid struggling with lifelong symptoms.
The second study, presented by Dr. Danielle Koestner, presented research on different PCOS subtypes utilizing BMI and testing for insulin resistance. “This is key to help determine the correct treatment for our patients and avoid the current approach of one size fits all for all PCOS patients,” Dr. Koestner said.
The third study, presented by Dr. Hugo Soto, showed a study of couples with infertility, which showed that over 50% of patients were able to conceive naturally when the underlying cause of ovulatory dysfunction was identified and treated.
FEMM’s research was well-received. Many conference attendees were hearing about FEMM and RHRI for the first time and were eager to learn more.
“We had great conversations and were very busy during the poster displays,” Dr. Poehailos said. “All sorts of people were talking to us.” —fertility educators, physicians, and people who wanted to ask questions about their own health.”
“Physicians were excited to attend our FEMM Medical Management training, and patients were thrilled to hear that we could get to the root cause of their underlying women’s health concerns,” Dr. Koestner added.
The conference was just another example of how women are eager for a new approach to reproductive healthcare, and how FEMM has the research and protocols to give them real answers. Together with our colleagues at the RHRI, we are continuing to lead the way in cutting-edge research and clinical application in the field of women’s health, bridging the gap between research and clinical practice.
