Pallavi Khanna, MD heard it too many times from too many women: The problems they were dealing with due to menopause negatively impacted their quality of life, but their physicians told them what they were going through was normal, and they’d just have to live with it.

Dr. Khanna knew there had to be a better answer.

She found it by going through rigorous training to become a Certified Menopause Practitioner, and is now the newest provider to start offering her expertise at Regional One Health’s East Campus, where she sees patients for menopause support and regular gynecological care.

“I saw there was a need for more gynecological care in our community,” she said. “I thought it would be good to pursue more education for our patients. I want to reach women who are told to ‘just deal with it’: Society tells them their issues are normal and natural, but I can help them.”

Dr. Khanna is one of only a handful of providers in the Memphis area to earn certification from the North American Menopause Society, a nonprofit dedicated to improving health and quality of life through an understanding of menopause. Physicians who hold the NCMP certification have demonstrated special interest and competency in the field of menopause.

At the East Campus, she joins Diane Pace, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, NCMP, FAANP, FAAN, who has held certification from the North American Menopause Society since 2001 and previously served as the organization’s president. Together, the two empower women to treat menopause as a stage of life where they can continue to thrive, building good health and strong relationships.

“Menopause is not a disease, it’s a period of life,” Dr. Pace said. “There are symptoms that can go along with it, but it’s not a disease, and they can be in control of this component of their life.”

In other words, patients at the East Campus most certainly won’t hear the “just live with it” line.

Dr. Khanna and Dr. Pace can recommend a variety of strategies, including hormone therapy, diet and exercise, stress relief, etc.; and can develop an integrated approach that addresses physical and emotional needs. They plan to start a menopause support group in early 2019, and through NAMS have access to fellow experts and the latest information in the field.

Being NCMPs means Dr. Khanna and Dr. Pace can truly take women through all stages of life.

“Physicians should do what they would want done for their sister, mother or child, because our patients are trusting us with their lives,” Dr. Khanna said.

Dr. Khanna earned her medical degree at SRI Ramachandra University, one of the top medical schools in India, with a special interest in reproductive endocrinology. She completed her residency and internship at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Jamaica Program, and has been an active member of ASRM and had a research fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic.

She received a scholarship for an internship at Harvard Medical School for Mass General Hospital as an international medical student, and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

You can set up an appointment with Dr. Khanna at the East Campus at 6555 Quince Road online or by calling 901-515-3100.