Carrot Fertility is launching a virtual menopause and midlife health clinic, which will include access to hormone therapy medications, the company shared with MedCity News exclusively.
Menlo Park, California-based Carrot Fertility is a global fertility, family-building and hormonal healthcare platform that works with employers, health plans and health systems.
The company’s new menopause and midlife health clinic, called Telemedicine for Menopause, will become available to U.S. members with a Carrot Plan starting in March. Members will be able to schedule a telehealth appointment with a menopause specialist and receive prescriptions for hormone therapy and other menopause-related medications if needed. Hormone therapy helps replace estrogen that the body stops making during menopause and is used to treat common symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal discomfort.
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The virtual appointments will be covered by insurance. Those who need hormone therapy will have access to Carrot Rx, the company’s pharmacy program only available to Carrot’s members.
Patients will also be able to receive Carrot’s existing non-hormonal treatment options, as well as its mental and emotional support and group sessions. In addition, they can consult with nutritionists, dietitians and dermatologists.
The launch of the menopause clinic comes as many women struggle to access menopause care. In fact, only 20% of OB/GYN residencies provide menopause training.
“With menopause, for many people, it’s very hard for them to find the right provider,” said Dr. Asima Ahmad, co-founder and chief medical officer of Carrot Fertility, in an interview. “They’ll go through multiple healthcare providers — sometimes even like five, six or seven — before they find someone who they feel can adequately treat their perimenopause and menopause symptoms. And part of the reason is there aren’t as many licensed professionals out there that have been formally trained.”
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On the bright side, the conversation around perimenopause and menopause is growing, she added. And for many years, there was a lot of stigma around hormone therapy for menopause due to concerns over increased risk for cancer, stroke and other issues. However, as more data comes out, more people have become comfortable with the treatment and providers have become more comfortable prescribing it, Ahmad said.
“I think the culture is changing around hormone therapy. It’s not a one size fits all. Not everyone needs to be on it. … It has to be personalized to that individual,” she stated.
Several other companies are also offering access to virtual menopause support that includes hormone therapy, such as Evernow and Midi Health.
Ultimately, in offering the new menopause clinic, the company aims to ensure that “more people have access when they need it,” according to Ahmad.
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