Jerilynn Prior

Jerilynn C. Prior is a Canadian endocrinologist and medical doctor specializing in menstrual cycles and the effects of hormones on women's health. She has been called a leader in understanding and treating perimenopause and menopause. She was born in the United States and moved to Canada in 1976, and has taken citizenship there.

Biography

Jerilynn Prior grew up in small Indigenous fishing village in Alaska. Prior was inspired to work in medicine after a public nurse visited her school to administer vaccinations.

Prior was granted a scholarship from the National Science Foundation for her to study English literature at Linfield College, Oregon. Prior then proceeded to study at the University of Oregon School of Medicine. However, continuing into her third year of studies, Prior transferred to Boston University School of Medicine. Prior graduated with honors, completing her master's degree in medicine in 1969. She wrote a book about her struggle: I Feel the Winds of God Today.

Scientific work Prior has proved to be a leader in the scientific community, especially regarding the use of progesterone; in fact, unlike many of her colleagues, Prior has been prescribing progesterone for postmenopausal women and perimenopausal women to treat hot flashes, night sweats, heavy flow, and sore breasts since 1995. In a 2014 study conducted by Dr. Prior and colleagues, it was proven that progesterone is an effective treatment for menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. These findings debunk the beliefs that progesterone causes serious health concerns, including cardiovascular disease, and shows how the negative effects of progesterone have been "overblown". In her review of the long-term effects for younger patients using the pill, Prior found that women who had been on the pill had lower ovarian reserve and also took longer to conceive a first child. or a "combination of diaphragm and spermicidal gel", which are safer alternatives to the pill and more effective given that teens are not as diligent as older women when taking the pill. director of the BC Center of the Canadian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study (CaMOS), and a past president of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research.

Susan Love has called Prior a "champion for women's health", and she has been credited as one of the first researchers to propose that psychological and sociocultural factors must be considered in medical research on women's health. Prior has been critical of the "medicalization of all things female" and has been recognized for pioneering research into women's ranges of normal experiences and physiology.

Contributions to feminism When Prior first began her career in medicine, she was one of the very few women in the field. Through all of Prior's scientific contributions and her valued reputation, she has created an environment where people are "less quick to judge someone negatively just because she is a woman.". Prior has opened up new doors to research which will further benefit and educate women all around the world Prior has taken a stance in defence of discrimination when it comes to scientific research. Women have been left out of scientific studies as a result of physiological variabilities in terms of menstruation. Prior responded to the notion by saying that in science comparing men to women is like "comparing apples to oranges." In other words, men cannot adequately replace women in research because of physiological differences. As a result of scientific exclusion, women currently do not have accurate information about specific interventions. Prior says that women are more likely to have an adverse reaction to medicine, which makes it very significant for women to be heavily involved in research. Transitions Through the Perimenopausal Years: Demystifying Your Journey The female journey of perimenopause is discussed. Complex scientific information is simplified making it easier for women to understand. The Estrogen Errors: Why Progesterone is Better for Women's Health The belief that estrogen therapy is the most optimal is challenged in this book. Scientific and personal experience is incorporated to debunk false beliefs.