More than three-quarters of women feel that they are not well-informed enough about menopause, according to a new study led by UCL researchers, highlighting the need for a nationwide menopause education programme.
A survey of 1,596 people, published in Post Reproductive Health, found that less than a quarter (21.9 per cent or 346 respondents) reported feeling well informed about the menopause transition, with just over half (56.6 per cent or 896 respondents) feeling somewhat informed and a fifth (20.8 per cent or 329 respondents) not at all informed.
The researchers said while they were "heartened" that menopause education was on the public health agenda after "generations of silence, stigma and neglect", a "menopause gold rush" - a rapid proliferation in information that may not be grounded in evidence and the marketing of unregulated menopause products - had left women vulnerable to financial exploitation.
To ensure women are better prepared and supported during this phase of life, they are proposing a new national programme of menopause education and support called InTune. Such a programme, they said, was backed by the vast majority (91.9 per cent) of the women they surveyed.
In particular they want the programme to address the difficulties highlighted by their survey that people who are less well off, from ethnic minorities or LGBTQIA+ communities, disabled or living with neurodivergence can have in accessing accurate information and appropriate support on the menopause.
Common symptoms of the menopause - a natural hormonal change that all women and people with ovaries (including gender non-conforming people) go through - include uncomfortable and sudden, intense feelings of heat, excessive sweating and flushing, as well as sleep disruption and mood and cognitive changes which can impact home and work life.
Lead author Professor Joyce Harper (UCL's EGA Institute for Women's Health) said: "While public awareness of menopause has greatly improved recently, there has been a rapid expansion in private companies and individuals providing menopause education, especially on social media, which has led to misinformation which can make existing menopause-related health inequities worse. We have a menopause gold rush because companies, investors and people see menopause as a lucrative market.
"There remains a dearth of evidence-based, theoretically informed and rigorously evaluated public health programmes targeting individuals around the time of menopause and immediately afterwards.
"Hence our proposal for a new a national programme of menopause education and support which we hope will be funded by the Government."
One survey respondent said: "Everything I know about the menopause I learnt on Instagram from other women."
Another said: "I only feel informed now because of the Facebook support groups I have joined."
Senior author Dr Shema Tariq (UCL Institute for Global Health) said: "We have spent the past eighteen months listening to diverse groups of people affected by menopause.
"Although menopause is a natural hormonal and social shift, without evidence-based information and support it can be a challenging time for people.
"Menopause often comes at a 'crunch point' in our lives - we may be juggling multiple caring roles as well as the demands of work, and potential impacts on our self-esteem and relationships.
"We believe that everyone should be entitled to accurate information and support networks, free of charge, so they are better able to navigate this stage of life."
The new programme is still in development but will consist of two courses. The first, Be Prepared for Menopause, is aimed at people who are yet to experience menopause, especially those aged under 40, and is being tested across the UK. It will cover symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, lifestyle considerations and life after menopause, with presentations from leading menopause experts. The goal is to help people recognise when they're entering perimenopause so they can seek further help and support.
The second course, Be Supported through Menopause, is aimed at people currently experiencing menopause-related symptoms and will be trialled across the UK once funding is secured. It will provide more comprehensive education and support in a peer-group setting over six weeks. This will allow people to connect with others going through similar experiences and gain a more profound understanding of the changes happening in their bodies, the researchers say.
Study limitations
The survey was self-selecting, with participants recruited via professional and personal networks and social media. To be eligible to take part, participants had to be aged 18 or over and currently experiencing or someone who could experience the menopause.
The survey was only available in English but open to non-UK residents. The majority of the 1,596 people who responded were white (75.6 per cent or 1,195 participants) and the majority lived in the UK (94.5 per cent or 1,507 participants). The median age of those who participated was 50 years.
The menopause
There are an estimated 13 million peri- and post-menopausal people in the UK at any one time, equivalent to one third of the population.¹
The perimenopause is the transitional period before the menopause, characterised by irregular periods and menopausal symptoms as hormone levels, particularly estrogen, begin to fluctuate and decline.
It usually begins in a woman's 40s but can start earlier and can last for several months to up to a decade. It ends when a person has gone 12 consecutive months without a period.
The survey was carried out between January 16th and March 22nd 2024. Of the 2,002 people who consented, 1,596 responses that were submitted were included for analysis.
