Doctors, even those specializing in women's reproductive health, aren't required to learn much about menopause, a process more than 2 million Americans undergo each year.

Why it matters: Millions of patients don't get the care they need — and some are getting misinformation at the doctor's office.

Catch up quick: In 2002, research from the Women's Health Initiative found hormone therapy increased a woman's risk of heart disease and breast cancer, upending conventional medical recommendations about the treatment.

• But in recent years, the research was put into context: the risks weren't as great as originally thought and the data was weighted toward women 60 and older.
• The average age of a menopausal person is 51.

Since then, researchers and health professionals have tried to explain the benefits of hormone therapy for women below 60, including treating hot flashes and preventing bone loss.

• Even some over 65 can benefit from hormone therapy, new research suggests.

What they're saying: "It's such an uphill battle to not just teach people about it, but to undo all the damage of the last 20+ years," Deborah Gomez Kwolek of Mass General Women's Health and Sex and Gender Medicine program tells Axios.

Stunning stat: Only about 7% of OB-GYN residents reported feeling adequately prepared to manage menopause, according to a 2019 survey published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

• More than one in five OB-GYN residents reported receiving no menopause lectures during residency.
• One-third of them said they wouldn't offer hormone therapy to a symptomatic, newly menopausal woman without warnings.

Between the lines: Required medical school curriculum dedicated to menopause and hormone therapy is limited and, when it is offered, it is often folded into broader courses.

• "Most continuing education courses have an hour on menopause, like in a weeklong course, or even some of the OB-GYN and the women's health courses have one hour on menopause hormone therapy," Kwolek said.
• "That's really not enough."

Go deeper

Boston isn't budging when it comes to naming our dogs "Luna" and "Charlie."

• Those two names were the most popular for female and male dogs, respectively, in Boston during 2024, according to new data from the city's Animal Care and Control Division.
• They were the most popular last year, too.

By the numbers: Luna led with 102 registered female dogs. Charlie had 83 registrations

• Labrador Retrievers dominated registered breeds in the city with 1,671 registered.
• Golden Retrievers followed with 749.

Zoom in: The top female names showcase traditional and modern preferences:

• Luna, Bella, and Daisy lead the pack (pun very much intended).
• Classic names like Lucy and Rosie round out the top 5.
• Like last year, Millie is trending up, as is Coco.

The breed landscape: Retrievers (both Labrador and Golden) are our favorites — they account for over 2,400 dogs.

Bottom line: The city releases the name and breed data to remind dog owners that unlicensed pets face a $50 fine.

What's next: If your pooch needs to get jabbed, the city is hosting vaccination and licensing clinics from March through June.

Keep reading: The full list

🏢 The Small Business Administration said it will move its regional office out of the Tip O'Neill Federal Building as part of a broader plan to leave so-called sanctuary cities. (BBJ)

A Roslindale man was arrested on suspicion of tagging Teslas with stickers of Elon Musk giving an apparent Nazi salute, Brookline police say. (UHub)

Carol Rabb Goldberg, the mother of state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and former president of the Stop & Shop supermarket chain, died this week. (SHNS)

• She was 93 years old.

Roxbury Community College wants students to explore new technology, but it struggles to keep most of them engaged in its current online platforms.

• So professors enlisted some of their top students to figure out an AI-driven solution.

Why it matters: The efforts led to RCC's first hackathon — and potential solutions to boost students' online engagement in the school, whose students are predominantly people of color and low-income.

State of play: Some 15 students spent a Friday morning brainstorming a "digital solution" using AI that promotes digital literacy and and increases engagement on student email, the learning platform Canvas and other online resources.

• One group proposed a school-issued phone with an app that creates automated reminders to complete assignments, educational games, translation apps and AI study assistants.
• Other groups proposed similar platforms that house apps used by students that track schoolwork and school communications.

What's next: Mya Bowen, the Information Systems Technology department chair and hackathon organizer, says staff who judged the proposals will brainstorm a plan to present to the college president.

• If successful, they will enlist students from the hackathon and others to make their ideas a reality.

The Red and Orange lines have faced service interruptions all week, from police investigations to disabled vehicles and power issues.

Yes, but: Overall service remains stable and faster, especially compared to early February, per train data.

Grade: B-.

Alerts: Shuttles replace Orange Line service between Oak Grove and North Station this weekend due to MassDOT bridge work.

🔴 Shuttles replace Red Line service between JFK/UMass and Braintree on Saturday and Sunday for signal upgrades.

🔵 Blue Line service will be slower east of Government Center between today and Monday, as all service will only use the westbound track.

• Bowdoin Station will be closed during that time.

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