They always tell us to get our mammograms. But we don’t often hear talk about our thyroid, vitamin D, or even our bones. If you’re a woman over 40, this conversation could shift how you advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office.
This episode kicks off a special series with Dr. Kudzai Dombo, MD, FACOG, MSCP—a board-certified OB/GYN and menopause expert at Alloy Health with 20+ years devoted to women’s health. Dr. Dombo has practiced and advocated for women across the globe and now focuses on supporting women through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
Today, we start with the baseline labs and screenings every woman over 40 should know—plus how to read your risk, when to push for more, and what to ask when guidelines don’t tell the whole story.
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What you’ll learn
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Breast & cervical screening basics: When to start, how often, and when you can stop (mammogram, Pap + HPV).
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Colon cancer screening: Why guidelines moved from 50 to 45, and what “earlier” looks like with risk factors.
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Annual exam ≠ Pap only: Why pelvic exams, symptom checks, and imaging still matter—even if your Pap is spaced out.
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Heart health numbers that matter: BP, lipids, A1C, waist-to-hip ratio (and why CVD is the #1 killer of women).
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Thyroid & vitamin D: How low thyroid and low D can mimic menopause symptoms (fatigue, hair loss, temperature issues).
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Ferritin/iron: Why checking iron stores can explain hair loss and exhaustion.
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CMP/CBC: What these panels reveal about liver, kidney, anemia, and overall health.
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Lipoprotein(a): The one-time, genetics-based test that can change how tightly your BP and cholesterol are managed.
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Bone health reality check: Why waiting until 65 for a DEXA scan isn’t cutting it—and options if insurance says no.
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Personalized care: Why population guidelines are a starting point—not the finish line—especially for Black women and others with different risk profiles.
Download the companion resource: Your Health After 40: The Grown-Ass Woman’s Cheat Sheet — a one-pager covering screenings, hormones, supplements, and vaccines.
Get $20 off at Alloy Health with promo code: GAWG20
Series playlist
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Episode 1: The Essential Health Screenings Every Woman Over 40 Should Get
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Episode 2: Hormone Replacement Therapy After 40: Too Early, Too Late, or Just Right?
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Episode 3: Best Supplements for Women Over 40 (Sleep, Stress, Bones & More)
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Episode 4: Which Vaccines Matter After 40?
About our guest:
Dr. Kudzai Dombo, MD, FACOG, MSCP, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and menopause expert with 20 years of experience dedicated to women’s health. Known for her deep commitment to both individual care and global health advocacy, she brings a unique cross-cultural perspective shaped by her upbringing in the U.S. and Zimbabwe.
Her career has spanned continents, with work for Doctors Without Borders and NGOs in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, El Salvador, South Africa, and Haiti, where she has advocated for women at every stage of life. In recent years, she has focused her practice on supporting women in midlife and the menopausal transition, most recently as a practicing physician and Director of Advocacy and Outreach at Alloy Women’s Health and Akasha Center for Integrative Health.
She is currently a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and a member of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health.
She loves the creative arts, enjoys traveling, and appreciates time with her family.
Full Transcript:
They always tell us to get our mammograms. But we don’t often hear talk about our thyroid, vitamin D, or even our bones. If you’re a woman over 40, this conversation could shift how you advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office.
Welcome to The Grown-Ass Woman’s Guide. I’m Jackie MacDougall. This episode is part of a special series with Dr. Kudzai Dombo, a board-certified OB/GYN and menopause expert with 20 years of experience dedicated to women’s health.
Dr. Dombo’s career has spanned continents, where she’s advocated for women all over the world. Now she focuses her practice on supporting women in midlife and the menopausal transition as a practicing physician and Director of Advocacy and Outreach at Alloy Women’s Health and Akasha Center for Integrative Health.
Throughout this series, we’re breaking down everything you need to know in midlife—from prevention and screenings to hormone therapy, supplements, and vaccines.
Today, we start with the basics: the screenings and labs every woman over 40 should know about.
Dr. Dombo’s an incredible OB-GYN. But she’s someone who has done the extra work to educate herself—and her patients—about what really happens to our bodies in perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
