“Menopause is universal, an inevitable transition, and yet it is one of the most misunderstood areas of the physiological history of women’s lives, a period strewn with taboos and things left unsaid, sometimes with shame”pointed out at a press conference the collective All for menopause, created in 2022 around four women from civil society and four doctors.
Synonymous with the cessation of menstruation and reproductive functions, menopause generally occurs at the turn of the fifties and sometimes causes no physical harm.
Weight gain, depression, low libido…
It can also result in a certain number of more or less marked inconveniences. Some are well known – hot flashes or night sweats -, others less so, such as weight gain, phases of depression or even depression, a drop in libido, insomnia or even increased cardiovascular risks.
In a study carried out in 2020 among 5,000 women aged 50 to 65, nearly nine out of ten respondents felt at least one symptom of menopause and 20% believed that these symptoms had a strong impact on their daily life.
Nearly one in two women said they had never discussed these symptoms with a healthcare professional. “Generalists are overloaded and there are fewer and fewer specialists”points out the collective, also regretting that “fewer and fewer practitioners are trained in the specific management of menopause”.
“They think it’s aging”
In parallel, “many women don’t talk regarding the symptoms because they don’t relate it to menopause, they think it’s aging”pointed out Brigitte Letombe, gynecologist, author of the manifesto “Women, wake up!”, during the press briefing.
In this context, the group presents six recommendations for better information for women: creation of a university diploma for “expert patients” dedicated to menopause, a dedicated health course from the age of 45, better information for health professionals, sensitization of business leaders, the creation of a position of representative of women’s health in the government.
