World Menopause Awareness Day 2024
Friday 18th October marks World Menopause Awareness Day.
This year, the aim is to raise awareness of Hormone Replacement therapy (HRT) and to highlight where people can go to get support and discuss options.
Menopause is a natural process which is when periods stop due to lower hormone levels.
The perimenopause is when there are menopause symptoms, but periods have not stopped.
It is the beginning of a loss of oestrogen and progesterone hormones. On average, perimenopause starts at 46 years and the average age of menopause in the UK is 51.
Menopause is when someone has not had a period for 12 months. Both perimenopause and menopause can happen at a younger age. Some trans and non-binary people may also go through menopause due to changes in hormones.
The most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause are:
- Hot flushes and night sweats
- Sleep disturbance (although this can be due to other things)
- Fatigue
- Brain fog and poor concentration
- Skin changes
- Mood related symptoms including depression and anxiety (these symptoms can also have other causes)
- Vaginal dryness, itching, burning and pain during sex
- Urinary problems (this again can be linked with other causes)
Some have minimal symptoms, but for others the symptoms can have a big impact on their life, including health, relationships and work. A national survey of 2,000 women aged 40 to 60 years found that 20 per cent of women have considered leaving work due to a lack of support in relation to their menopause symptoms.
In Liverpool, GP practices can help people with access expert support and menopausal care.
Eating well, exercising and prioritising mental wellbeing can help with symptoms.
The main medicine treatment is replacing missing hormones.
HRT is safe and effective for most and can help relieve most symptoms and GPs will always discuss the risks of taking it – although these are usually outweighed by the benefits.
There are many different types of HRT available, and a personal assessment will help determine the best type for you if you want to use HRT to manage symptoms.
Liverpool City Council’s Assistant Cabinet Member for Health, Councillor Rahima Farah, said:
“Menopause is a natural stage of life. We want everyone to feel comfortable talking about the menopause and to know that there is help and support available to manage symptoms through your GP practice.”
Consultant in Sexual & Reproductive Health at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, and former Chair of the British Menopause Society (BMS), Dr Paula Briggs, said:
Liverpool Women’s Hospital Menopause Academy has supported many GPs, nurses and healthcare professionals in Liverpool with additional training in menopause management and we also provide ongoing mentorship to improve access to the best menopause care without women having to wait for a hospital referral. We encourage you to access this support from your GP practice.”
Director of Public Health, Professor Matthew Ashton, said: It is important that we talk about menopause openly. There are good evidence-based resources available about how organisations can support people going through perimenopause and menopause, and I encourage all organisations to consider how their workplace can become menopause friendly.
For more information visit:
https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/workforce-and-hr-support/wellbeing/menopause/menopause-factfile