Giving Compass' Take:
- Kelcie Moseley-Morris reports on lawmakers' recent push to increase access to menopause treatment amidst changing attitudes and reduced stigma around menopause.
- What is philanthropy's role in helping destigmatize and improve equitable access to treatment for women experiencing menopause?
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When Jacqueline Perez started experiencing symptoms of menopause in her early 50s, the brain fog was so severe, she thought she had early-onset dementia. Perez, who founded a website dedicated to normalizing aging for women, said she gained more than 30 pounds and struggled with depression for months before she found a health provider who tested her hormone levels and recommended hormone replacement therapy for low estrogen. That was nearly a decade ago, and in the years since, Perez said the culture around menopause treatment has changed dramatically, reflecting changing attitudes towards menopause.
“We still have a long way to go, in my opinion, but I think at least we’re on the path,” she said.
Menopause refers to the time when a woman stops having menstrual periods, which typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, according to the National Institute on Aging. The associated changes in hormones can cause hot flashes, night sweats, joint problems, bone density loss, insomnia, mood changes and more.
Lawmakers and advocates alike told Stateline the topic of menopause used to be taboo, but there has been a generational shift in recent years that has led to more legislation in statehouses around the country, providing more access to treatments and preventive care as well as more educational opportunities for healthcare providers.
Claire Gill, founder and president of the National Menopause Foundation, started the nonprofit in 2019 and said over the course of the past seven years, public awareness of the issue and interest from clinicians has noticeably increased.
And in November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed its most severe “black box” warning from hormone replacement therapy for menopause and perimenopause after new research that the presumed risks of cancer, stroke and dementia from its use, once thought to be high, came from a flawed study. In the months since, the demand for the therapy has led to a nationwide shortage of certain products such as the estrogen patch.
Read the full article about increasing access to menopause treatment by Kelcie Moseley-Morris at Stateline.