Hormones in Harmony: Dr. Polly Watson on Thriving Through Every Stage of Life

Dr. Polly Watson is a board-certified OB-GYN with over 20 years of experience, specializing in menopausal, sexual, and functional medicine. She is an expert in addressing a wide range of hormonal concerns, including PCOS, PMS, perimenopause, menopause, low libido, and sexual pain. As a certified practitioner with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), Dr. Watson integrates holistic care approaches that go beyond traditional medicine.

Her specialized training includes menopausal medicine through The Menopause Society and sexual medicine through the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. Dr. Watson partners closely with her patients, utilizing a combination of lifestyle modifications, nutrition, mindfulness, bio-identical hormones, and supplements to optimize hormonal balance and overall well-being.

Her journey in medicine has evolved in ways she never anticipated when she began over 20 years ago. Early on, a career in women’s health felt inevitable. Growing up in Atlanta and attending the Paideia School, Dr. Watson was deeply interested in women’s issues and biology. In college, she pursued a major in molecular biology and biochemistry, while also taking several women’s studies courses.

By the time she reached medical school, OBGYN quickly became her favorite rotation, setting the stage for her residency and early career in obstetrics and gynecology.

After three years in practice, she became a parent, which prompted her to reevaluate her path. With her son’s arrival, she began gravitating toward office gynecology and menopausal medicine. She noticed that the OBGYN field often prioritized childbirth and surgery, leaving menopausal women underserved. This realization led her to further specialize by studying menopausal medicine through the North American Menopause Society and sexual health through the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health.

Even with this advanced training, she encountered patients with concerns outside the traditional medical curriculum—questions about supplements, adrenal health, and environmental toxins. Their curiosity inspired her to dig deeper, and she soon began exploring integrative medicine.

Her first conference in the field was transformative. For the first time, she was part of a conversation focused on chronic health issues that conventional medicine struggled to address. This shift had an immediate impact on her own life: after implementing dietary changes at home, her son’s academic performance skyrocketed, reinforcing for for the concept that food is medicine.

Despite these breakthroughs, she found herself increasingly frustrated by the constraints of insurance-driven medicine, which felt more like ticking boxes than truly healing patients. She discovered functional medicine—a practice that reignited her passion for learning and patient care. Unlike the burnout she saw in traditional settings, these physicians were optimistic, energized, and changing lives.

After exploring various integrative and holistic medical approaches, she found her home with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). Over two years of study, she earned her certification in 2019, becoming one of approximately 1,000 certified providers in the U.S.

That same year, she left her role as an employed physician and launched Hormone Wellness MD. What started as a solo practice in a single room has since grown into a thriving team of five, and together we’ve supported over 1,100 individuals on their health journeys.

Her practice is grounded in the belief that wellness is holistic and personal, and she is grateful to work in a field that allows her to help people transform their health and lives.

You can learn more about Dr. Watson here

https://hormonewellnessmd.com/dr-polly-watson

https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

https://www.instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Tw8oHGR_6wBZmXrTu9xA

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