Newport Beach Gynecologist Dr. Gigi Kroll on Hormones, Menopause & Women’s Health at Every Stage
Come along for a ride with Dr. Gigi Kroll, a leading voice in women’s health, to discuss how her practice has evolved over the decades—and why she made the intentional decision to transition from delivering babies to focusing on the middle years of a woman’s life.
Dr. Kroll shares how declining hormone levels impact musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, cognitive, metabolic, and dermatologic health, and why women deserve compassionate, cohesive, and highly informed care at every stage.
We also discuss her first annual Women’s Health Masterclass, hosted in partnership with Pause to Action at Newport Beach Country Club, where leading experts gather to close the knowledge gap in midlife medicine.
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Welcome back to Duffy Chats. Today we're joined by Dr. Gigi Croll, a local trusted OB-GYN with more than two decades in private practice. In 2025, she transitioned her care to focus on gynecology, menopause, medical weight management, and a more personalized model for patients. Dr. Croll, welcome aboard. We're thrilled to have you join us today.
So, welcome, Dr. Croll. After 25 years in your practice, you've made a big change. Can you tell us more about the change and what prompted it?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Yeah, absolutely. So, I've been in practice in Newport going on 26 years now. During that time, I personally went through my own perimenopause and menopause transition. Many of my patients have grown with me.
What I realized is that we’re really good at taking care of women through their pre-childbearing, childbearing, and fertility years—and then it’s kind of a black hole. We really don’t teach women what’s coming as hormones decline, what they might experience, or how to support and treat those changes.
I wanted to do that more holistically. So I gave up the OB side. I delivered babies for 25 years, which was wonderful, but stepping away frees up time that’s necessary at this stage of life.
You transitioned to a concierge model earlier than this shift. Can you talk about that and also address the insurance component?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Sure. Many physicians are exploring different business models. Medicine has changed dramatically over the last 25 years. Insurance reimbursements have not kept pace with inflation, so physicians have to see more patients in shorter visits.
Many practices couldn’t survive and were bought by hospitals or private equity, which impacts schedules, access, and continuity of care. It’s hard even to get an appointment.
The concierge model allows us to limit our patient panel, spend more time, and be accessible. Patients pay a concierge fee—essentially a membership—for access and availability.
In my practice, patients get a cell number during the day and a separate one for nights and weekends. First visits are an hour long. We stay on time and prioritize convenience.
We have labs in the office, ultrasound in the office—so patients don’t have to bounce around town. I’m contracted with PPO insurance, so medical services, procedures, surgeries, labs, Pap smears, biopsies—all of that is billed to insurance. The membership is for access, time, and quality of care.
Menopause seems to be getting more attention lately. Why do you think it was overlooked for so long?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Menopause isn’t taught in medical school or most residencies. Most physicians get no formal education on it. Women’s healthcare is underfunded.
Then there was the Women’s Health Initiative study in 2002. It was meant to look at hormone therapy and heart disease, but the study design had flaws. Media headlines claimed hormone therapy increased breast cancer risk.
In hindsight, those findings were retracted. We now have extensive safety data, bioidentical hormones, and better delivery methods. But that study halted menopause care for decades.
What’s changed now is access to information—social media, research, advocacy—and recently, the FDA lifted the black box warning on estrogen products. That’s huge. Vaginal estrogen, for example, doesn’t even enter the bloodstream, yet women were terrified to use it.
So this is a real turning point.
You became a certified menopause practitioner. Tell us about that process.
Dr. Gigi Croll: There’s an organization now called The Menopause Society—formerly the North American Menopause Society. They’ve been around since the late ’90s.
They publish a monthly journal, host national conferences, and provide education for clinicians and patients. They offer a three-hour certification exam that’s very rigorous, and you have to maintain ongoing education.
Beyond that, what else can doctors do to better educate themselves?
Dr. Gigi Croll: There are journals, books, and other organizations. I also belong to the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. Sexual health overlaps heavily with hormones as women age.
Menopause should be taught to every specialist who treats women—orthopedists, cardiologists, psychiatrists—because symptoms can show up everywhere: joint pain, palpitations, anxiety.
We are not little men. Our bodies transition differently, and we need specialized understanding.
What’s one of the biggest misconceptions about menopause?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Fear of hormone therapy. Many women believe they should “age naturally,” but menopause is actually a relatively new phenomenon. In 1850, the average lifespan for women was about 40.
If we were truly going “natural,” we wouldn’t use antibiotics, vaccines, or modern medicine. Hormone decline affects every organ system, and symptoms vary widely.
Some surprising symptoms include dry eyes, itchy ears, hair loss. Hormones affect everything.
If menopause is treated, can those symptoms improve?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Yes, absolutely—after appropriate evaluation. For example, I had a patient on very expensive dry-eye drops. After starting hormone therapy, she realized she no longer needed them.
We don’t ignore other causes, but hormone decline can be a major contributor.
You also offer medical weight management. Can you talk about that?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Weight management is something clinicians aren’t well trained in. We focus on education, body composition—not just the scale.
Muscle mass is critical for longevity. Visceral fat increases metabolic risk. We teach patients how to preserve and build muscle while using medications like GLP-1s safely.
These medications are game changers, but without proper guidance, patients can lose muscle and become less healthy.
There’s a lot of confusion around peptides. Can you explain?
Dr. Gigi Croll: A peptide is a small protein. Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) is a peptide and a hormone. The issue is compounded, unregulated versions that don’t have FDA oversight.
FDA-approved medications undergo extensive testing. Compounded products may vary in dose and purity. Patients need to be discerning.
What age should women start seeking menopause care?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Ideally, before symptoms become overwhelming. By age 35, women should understand what perimenopause is and what symptoms may occur so they can advocate for themselves.
Is there an age where it’s too late?
Dr. Gigi Croll: It’s never too late to optimize health. We evaluate each patient individually, looking at symptoms, risks, and bone health. Estrogen remains one of the best tools to prevent bone loss.
Transdermal estrogen is safer than oral forms used in older studies. Bioidentical hormone therapy shows no increased risk with prolonged use when properly monitored.
Tell us about your expanded practice and team.
Dr. Gigi Croll: I provide primary-care-level preventive services with a specialization in women’s health. My husband, Dr. Doug McConn, is an internal medicine physician and has joined the practice with his own concierge panel.
We also collaborate with Jennifer Mohler of Skinwise Aesthetics—an expert in regenerative aesthetics and medical dermatology. Hormone decline affects skin and hair, so this partnership is very complementary.
How does someone become a new patient?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Patients can schedule a one-time consultation to see if it’s a good fit. If they enroll, care is initiated. My nurse practitioner, Eileen Slipkov, who has been with me for 19 years, also sees concierge patients.
Skinwise Aesthetics operates independently—no concierge membership required.
You’re hosting an upcoming menopause master class. Tell us about it.
Dr. Gigi Croll: Yes. I’m collaborating with Kimberly Snyder of Pause to Action, a nonprofit focused on education and community.
We’re hosting a master class on January 28th at Newport Beach Country Club—two sessions, morning and evening. Topics include hormones, bone health, cardiovascular health, weight management, mental health, skin and hair care.
Attendees will receive practical tools to advocate for their care.
Where can people get tickets?
Dr. Gigi Croll: Tickets are $135 and available via my Instagram or Pause to Action’s Instagram and website. Space is limited.
Let’s talk Newport. You’re a longtime resident—favorite local spots?
Dr. Gigi Croll: We own a Duffy, so we love restaurants accessible by boat—Blue Water Grill, Woody’s, Cannery, Balboa Bay Club. Favorite beach is around 15th Street.
What’s your Duffy’s name?
Dr. Gigi Croll: It came named “Volkswagen,” but if I renamed it, it would be “Liquid Prozac.”
Anything you’d like to close with?
Dr. Gigi Croll: I feel incredibly privileged to practice medicine in Newport, to have long-term relationships with patients, and to support women through every stage of life. Education is power, and I’m honored to be part of this conversation.
Thank you so much for having me.