Fertility is important to talk about, but so is menopause. Women’s health is historically put on the backburner, but when it is talked about it centers around women giving birth and other fertility topics. But what about women who have already passed that stage and are heading to a postmenopausal life? They are being left behind because there are not enough conversations and education to go around. The more we leave behind talking about perimenopause, the more we are leaving women behind. Women’s health should not be limited to one category specifically, instead there needs to be conversations on multiple levels.
The reason it’s so necessary to talk about menopause is because more and more women will be living without a period for the majority of their lives. Studies show that the average life expectancy for women in the United States has surpassed 80 years old. Women tend to start perimenopause anywhere from their 30s, to 40s, and even 50s. This means that for some women, they will be spending most of their lives postmenopausal. Women need to be prepared to take on this new phase and the symptoms associated with it.
“Postmenopause is something that most women will experience for the majority of their lives, but unfortunately many are not sure how their bodies will change. There is already not a lot of education surrounding women’s health, but women deserve to feel prepared and confident as they head into this next chapter,” says Proov CEO Amy Beckley.
This means society as whole needs to start talking about women’s health and de-stigmatizing it, so that women can get the care they need. The more people talk about menopause the more information will be passed down, and the more healthcare resources will become accessible. When people put menopause on the backburner, it can leave women feeling confused and isolated about their bodies.
Menopause is a complex topic for many women. It’s a sign of them aging out of menstruation and fertility, and when they don’t understand the symptoms their bodies are going through, it only leaves them feeling uncomfortable in their own skin.
“There are positives and negatives when it comes to postmenopause. For many women, their sexuality is a huge part of how they identify themselves. Postmenopause can be tricky because women are no longer fertile and able to have children. They are also still dealing with hot flashes, night sweats, sleep issues and other symptoms for a short time as their body adjusts to the lack of hormones being produced. However, it’s also good to remember that women do not have to go through menstruation anymore and endure those uncomfortable period pains. When one door gets closed, another one opens and that’s a good way to think about this new transition,” Beckley says.
Menopause is a natural phase that most women go through, and there needs to be a bigger investment in the space so women can get the care they need. Having open and honest conversations about menopause can bring awareness to it, and hopefully healthcare organizations will invest in more resources and accessible education. There is no reason women should be learning about menopause when they start it. Implementing education at a younger age can help women in the future feel confident in themselves about this new phase of life.
There is no reason to beat around the bush when it comes to menopause. Millions of women each year enter this phase, so it’s important to create a safe community for women to share their stories. The more people talk about menopause, the more comfortable women will feel in their own experiences. Fertility typically dominates the women’s health space, and that’s important too, but when people dismiss menopause topics, it’s hurting a huge demographic of women. Let’s talk about women’s health as a whole, so that every woman can be represented.
