For several months, Kama McConaughy Sarkissian experienced difficulty swallowing and increased anxiety. Despite consulting multiple doctors, she did not receive a clear diagnosis until she visited Barbara VanDersarl Slocum, a certified nurse midwife with AdventHealth Medical Group Midwifery and OBGYN at Castle Rock.
VanDersarl Slocum ordered detailed thyroid tests that previous providers had not considered. “As soon as she got my levels back, she said that it was no wonder I had been feeling this way,” McConaughy Sarkissian said. “Barbara (VanDersarl Slocum) was able to figure out what four other providers couldn’t.”
Following this experience, McConaughy Sarkissian chose to continue seeing VanDersarl Slocum as her primary provider even after the practice moved locations. “Her approach gave me relief and peace of mind,” McConaughy Sarkissian said. “She’s been able to manage everything from my hormone care to referrals for screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies.”
Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are often associated only with childbirth, but they provide comprehensive women’s health care throughout life stages. Their services include routine gynecological exams, cancer screenings for breast, cervical, and colon cancers, diabetes management, heart health monitoring, STD testing and contraception guidance, weight management therapy, surgical assistance in procedures such as hysterectomy or C-section, and support through perimenopause and menopause.
Midwives emphasize longer appointments tailored to patient needs. “Based on a patient’s concerns, we offer 30-minute and 60-minute appointments, significantly longer than the standard 10-minute visit,” VanDersarl Slocum said. “Women deserve to be heard, informed and genuinely cared for.”
Hormone therapy is another area where CNMs can provide guidance. Although its use declined after early studies linked it to higher breast cancer risk, more recent research suggests hormone therapy can be safe when started around menopause. “Despite the new evidence, many doctors don’t feel comfortable prescribing hormone therapy,” VanDersarl Slocum said. “But bioidentical hormones, which are often safer than synthetic hormones, can significantly improve quality of life.”
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy uses plant-based hormones designed to match those naturally produced by the body. This treatment may help alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, low energy or mood swings, poor sleep or brain fog, vaginal dryness and reduced libido.
A study published in 2024 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that hormone replacement therapy is generally safe for women under age 60.
AdventHealth Medical Group Midwifery and OBGYN at Castle Rock will host a Grand Opening celebration on Thursday September 25th from 3:30-5:30pm at 2356 Meadows Blvd., Briscoe 310B in Castle Rock. The event will feature refreshments from Mana restaurant along with chair massages; information booths covering topics such as sleep health and hormone replacement; appointment scheduling; prize drawings; and opportunities to meet providers.
AdventHealth Orlando is located in Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1908 with Terry Shaw currently serving as president; it operates a pediatric ward and functions as a training hospital.
