October is World Menopause Month and an excellent opportunity to highlight the forward progress made by researchers and healthcare practitioners around the world on the understanding, awareness and treatment of menopause. Never before, it seems, has there been so much attention dedicated to this important topic in media and public discourse. This conversation is a meaningful development and progress in itself. But there is more work to be done to reduce stigma, advance knowledge and ensure that all women have access to high quality care.
A 2023 survey by the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation called Surveying the Silence showed that many women feel uncomfortable talking about menopause-related symptoms and that this can have a detrimental effect on their personal and professional lives, overall well being, and their ability to get care.
Bringing menopause out of the shadows and to the forefront of public conversation not only helps combat potential shame, but creates opportunities for women, their doctors, families and communities to learn more about the topic, alleviate stigma and receive proper care.
Treatment, too, has improved and become more widely accessible alongside a growing body of research that supports the efficacy of various options. The World Menopause Society has designated “hormone therapy” as the theme of this year’s month of recognition. A timely and relevant theme as this type of treatment becomes increasingly well-known among women and their doctors and offers hope for women experiencing symptoms.
In a 2023 review by a team that included Women’s College Hospital researchers, Dr. Iliana Lega and Dr. Michelle Jacobson, the authors lay out a pragmatic approach to the management of menopause, pointing to hormone therapy as a safe and effective first-line treatment to be considered by women and their physicians. According to research cited in the review, hormone therapy has been shown to improve vasomotor symptoms by as much as 90% in patients with moderate-to-severe hot flushes. It can also improve sleep quality and reduce mood disturbances. These are promising results that have the potential to significantly improve women’s quality of life, offering hope for those with symptoms.
Great progress has been made when it comes to public awareness and treatment of menopause. But there is more work to do and knowledge needed, such as optimal hormonal formulations, duration of treatment, and alternative or non-hormonal treatment options. That’s why researchers supported by WHCC member foundations across Canada are working to move forward our collective knowledge around menopause. This includes the effect of menopause on women’s bodies and mental and emotional health, as well as treatment options.
For further information, check out this episode of the Rebel Mama Hotline podcast with Dr. Nese Yuksel, President of the Menopause Society of Canada, and clinician at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women in Edmonton, Alberta.
