Dr. Sadia Malick has practiced medicine across four countries. She's delivered babies in the UK's best hospitals and in the mountains of Pakistan where women have nothing. She's founded a charity that's saved 8,000 mothers' lives. And she's spent her career caring for women who are told their suffering is just "the age of despair."

Dr. Malick has spent her life caring for women across the UK, Pakistan, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. She founded a charity that trains midwives on clean, sanitary practices and provides lifesaving interventions to pregnant women in rural Pakistan. We discuss why 50% of global maternal deaths happen in just four countries, and how evidence based measures can save lives.

We also talk about how menopause presents differently across cultures and populations, the cultural barriers women face when seeking care, and why conversations about hormones and aging remain deeply stigmatized in many regions.

While symptoms may vary, what's universal is how much work we still have to do whether it's PCOS and insulin resistance, young cancer survivors entering menopause without follow up care, or ensuring every woman understands why vaginal estrogen matters.

This conversation is about cultural humility, global health disparities, and why education about perimenopause needs to start in schools, not at age 40.

Highlights:

Maternal mortality is concentrated in just four countries, but simple interventions like clean supplies and IV iron can save lives.
Menopause symptoms present differently across populations South Asian women experience more joint pain and mood issues than hot flashes.
Cultural expectations around fertility and aging create additional barriers for women seeking menopause care.
Young cancer survivors are sent home at 23 in menopause with no follow-up care or education about long-term health risks.
Vaginal estrogen reduces death risk by 70% and should be part of routine care for women over 40.
The average age of suicide for women in the UK is 51, and 70% of divorces happen after menopause.

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