Work in Progress with Sophia Bush

BONUS Episode: Dr. Mary Claire Haver – “The New Perimenopause”
iHeartPodcasts | April 10, 2026

Episode Overview

In this special bonus episode, Sophia Bush welcomes Dr. Mary Claire Haver—renowned OB-GYN, women’s health advocate, and author—to discuss her new book, The New Perimenopause. Their frank conversation confronts the longstanding gaps in research, funding, and medical acknowledgment of women’s midlife hormonal transitions—specifically perimenopause and menopause. They tackle the biological, psychological, and systemic aspects, and Dr. Haver offers practical health strategies women can use to advocate for themselves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Perimenopause Remains a Medical Blind Spot

(04:00–07:00)

• Systemic Neglect in Research Funding

  • Dr. Haver explains, “Women's health is just not prioritized. In 2023, the NIH had a $43 billion budget. Only 15% of that went to women’s health, and the vast majority of that went to pregnancy and breast/ovarian cancer. Less than 1% went to menopause.” (05:44–06:11)
  • The imbalance is illustrated: searching PubMed yields 1.2 million articles for “pregnancy,” but only about 99,000 for “menopause”—a 12:1 ratio, despite more women experiencing menopause than childbirth. Perimenopause only gets about 9,000 articles, and it wasn’t even defined as a medical transition until 1977.

• Hope for Change Through Philanthropy

  • Sophia highlights the role of influential women investing in women’s health (e.g., Melinda Gates, MacKenzie Scott), to which Dr. Haver adds, “My husband and I just started a foundation to fund women’s health—clinically relevant menopause research.” (05:14–05:44)

• Quote (Sophia, on the absurdity of funding disparity):

  “We're 51% of the population. 1% of 15% was dedicated to menopause, even though 100% of 51% of the population will go through it. Like, it just so ... it’s so stupid.” (07:00)

2. Mental Health Symptoms in Perimenopause

(08:05–11:12)

• Mental Health as Early Indicator

  • Sophia references Dr. Haver’s fifth chapter, about how mental health shifts—including depression and anxiety—often precede physical symptoms.
  • Dr. Haver underscores the importance of context: “When did you last feel this way? Were there major stressors? ... If it’s new-onset anxiety or depression, starting menopause hormone therapy in perimenopause has better outcomes than an SSRI. If she’s well-managed on an SSRI but starts having breakthrough symptoms, try hormone therapy first.” (09:47–10:57)

• Quote (Dr. Haver, on treatment approaches):

  “For new-onset anxiety or depression where she was totally fine before, starting her on menopause hormone therapy in perimenopause has better outcomes than starting her on an SSRI.” (10:48–11:04)

3. What Women Should Know at 35 (and Beyond)

(11:12–12:38)

• Self-Education and Advocacy

  • Dr. Haver’s key advice: “Educate yourself as much as possible about this process and all the organ systems that could be affected. Not everything is menopause, but we’re missing so much of what is... You’re going to need to find a menopause-educated clinician and they’re not easy to find. You do not have to suffer.” (11:39–12:12)

• Quote (Dr. Haver):

  “It’s gonna take some hustle, some reading, some self-evaluation. But we’ve got tools for you, and you do not have to suffer. You can live your best life.” (12:09–12:12)

4. Practical Health Tips: Supplements & Nutrition

(12:12–14:35)

• Commonly Overlooked Deficiencies

  • Sophia shares other clinicians’ advice about Vitamin D and magnesium—Dr. Haver fully endorses both:

    • Mag bisglycinate “is great at relaxing the body,” and L-theanine “helps to stop the racing thoughts.”
    • “80% of our patients are vitamin D low or deficient... Optimal is not the same as deficient.” (12:40–13:30)

  • Testing and tracking:

    • Vitamin D: Aim for serum levels between 60–100 (units not stated—presumed ng/mL).
    • Magnesium: “You want red blood cell magnesium—that’s more what your stores are rather than what’s floating around in the blood.”
    • Ferritin: Provides insight into iron stores; “First thing to go when we’re dealing with iron deficiency.” (13:30–14:01)

• Food as Medicine

  • Fiber is especially critical: “Average American woman gets 10–12 grams per day. For gut health, you want a minimum of 25; for cardiovascular health, it’s 35.” Suggests nuts, seeds, legumes, or supplements to increase intake. (14:01–14:25)

• Quote (Sophia):

  “Little things like that, that would probably change the way we all feel in our bodies every day that we don't even know to start with.” (14:25–14:35)

5. The Need for Accessible, Holistic Support

(14:35–15:18)

• Sophia thanks Dr. Haver for “writing us a book,” noting that while Haver’s clinic can’t see everyone, the book can prepare or support women worldwide.
• Dr. Haver reiterates the importance of resources, concluding: “You do not have to suffer. You can live your best life.” (11:40, 15:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sophia, on systemic neglect:

  “The gaps, the chasms in the funding mean there are chasms in how we're taken care of.” (08:22)

• Dr. Haver, on how women invest:

  “Women don’t build rockets or buy yachts... They invest in health and other women.” (05:10–05:14)

• Dr. Haver, referencing RBG:

  “I feel like RBG—when there are nine. Until we get all the funding for 20 years and then we’ll dose them out to men when we feel like it’s time to catch up.” (08:05–08:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:00–07:00 — State of women’s health funding; why perimenopause is ignored
• 08:05–11:12 — Mental health in perimenopause and evidence-based treatments
• 11:12–12:38 — What to know (and do) at 35 to prepare for perimenopause
• 12:38–14:35 — Quick wins with supplements, nutrition, and tracking health
• 14:35–15:18 — Empowerment through information and holistic support

Tone & Takeaways

This conversation is sharp, energetic, and deeply empathetic—balancing scientific clarity with personal warmth. Both Sophia and Dr. Haver stress that women must educate themselves, seek out informed care, and know they deserve better than the underfunded status quo. Perimenopause and menopause aren’t obscure or rare—they’re universal, and women shouldn't suffer in silence when practical solutions and advocacy can change lives.

Resource:
The New Perimenopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver – available now.