Latest news with #Let'sTalkMenopause
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Menopause and Mental Health: Coping with Mood Swings and Anxiety
Two of the biggest symptoms in menopause that women experience aren't just physical; mood swings and anxiety can emerge during the midlife transition, shaped by both external and hormonal factors. 'Your mood is never always going to be good,' Dr. Lisa Weinstock, a board-certified psychiatrist and Let's Talk Menopause advisory board member, told Flow Space. 'You're supposed to be angry sometimes, you're supposed to be sad.' More from Flow Space Proven Stress Management Techniques to Maintain a Healthy Heart During perimenopause and menopause, however, women may find that their moods aren't aligned with their experiences or that their moods rapidly change throughout the day. While anxiety is a broad umbrella term, Weinstock—who specializes in psychotherapy and medication management with a subspecialty in mood changes related to perimenopause and menopause—also shared that women come to her because of increased panic attacks or a sense of worry that doesn't fade throughout the day. There's also a lot of overlap for them, she added, when it comes to anxiety and irritability. 'Women experience increased vulnerability to mood at certain reproductive stages or windows across the lifespan,' Dr. Rajita Patil, a board-certified OB-GYN, Menopause Society certified expert and Founder and director of UCLA's Comprehensive Menopause Program, explained. During menopause, 'irritability, low energy, sadness, rage, panic, anxiety [and] instability of mood' are all symptoms resulting from a fluctuation in estrogen that impact neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation, which can lead to lower serotonin levels. Data suggests that 15% to 30% of women will experience their first case of depression during menopause; 50% to 70% of women who have previously experienced anxiety or depression will see symptoms intensify or change. A global study published in 2024 found that women in perimenopause are around 40% more likely to experience depression than women who haven't begun the transition. In other words: When estrogen drops, it can trigger depressive symptoms or worsen symptoms for women already struggling with mental health challenges. And in a landscape where half of women 40 to 49 feel 'hopeless' about menopause, it is time we started talking about how to cope. Approximately 2.2 million women enter menopause each year, but only 31.3% of U.S. obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) residency program directors surveyed in 2024 reported having a menopause curriculum in their residency program. In order for medical professionals to gain expertise in menopause, they need to pursue extra training—often at their own expense. Because of this massive gap in menopause education, it may take women several appointments with various providers to receive a menopause diagnosis. Women may also be presented with medical misinformation, misdiagnosed or offered inadequate treatment options. This may be one reason that data shows women in midlife are disproportionately being prescribed anti-depressants, despite menopause guidelines stating that antidepressants shouldn't be the first option for addressing mood swings linked to perimenopause. 'If people understood menopause and really got the knowledge that they needed around this space and curriculum as they're going through med school, or as they're in the workplace,' Patil asserted, 'there wouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach.' Mood stabilizing medication is crucial for certain patients, particularly those with clinical depression and anxiety or those who have struggled with mental health prior to the menopausal transition. For these patients, Weinstock has seen results from 'SSRIs, SNRIs, gabapentin, as well as other anti-anxiety medications.' 'There is a societal stigma around using mood stabilizers,' Patil asserted. 'And we have to acknowledge that this is a problem in our society.' Approaching changes in mood and anxiety during menopause as an issue of unstable neurotransmitters, she offered, reframes the approach and leaves room for all modalities, 'one of which could be therapeutic modalities to address stress and all of that, and one could be that we give hormones to stabilize the serotonin levels—or we might use SSRIs or SNRIs or other medications, to stabilize the neurotransmitter.' 'It is important to evaluate mood swings and anxiety symptoms in all women during perimenopause and menopause in order to come up with an appropriate response,' Weinstock added. 'There's going to be a subset of people who are more depressed because they have histories of depression, or they're becoming depressed in perimenopause, and they should go on an SSRI if that's the right treatment for depression.' Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can also be effective at treating menopause symptoms—both physical and emotional. 'There's good data to show that [with HRT] there's potentially 60% to 80% improvement, for partial remission or total remission of symptoms, for people that don't have clinical depression or anxiety,' Patil shared. 'You don't have to have hot flashes to try to use hormone therapy for this.' She added that mood stabilizers, such as SSRIs, SNRIs and others, work 'synergistically' with HRT and are important top-line forms of care—in particular, for women who have clinical depression or anxiety. For Weinstock, 'it depends where the preponderance of the symptoms are… For some of the physical symptoms, hormones are the way to go—and for some of the psychological symptoms, like if you're a little irritable or you're a little tired. But if you're having classic symptoms of depression or anxiety, without those other things,' she explained, that may change what treatment makes the most sense. What is needed, for real menopause relief, is an approach that addresses all of the factors at play when it comes to women's midlife mental health. 'Reasons for mood and anxiety symptoms during perimenopause and menopause,' Weinstock delineated, can be biological and physical—'insomnia, hot flashes, the impact of hormonal fluctuations on brain function'—or psychosocial, such as symptoms related to or impacted by changes in life circumstances that come with age—empty nesting, changes in romantic relationships and issues at work. The menopause program at UCLA that Patil founded leverages a proprietary clinical support tool to treat the physical, hormonal and psychological aspects of menopause; she likens the interplay between various factors as that of a 'big Venn diagram.' 'It's not like mental health just sits in a silo, and there's just like one thing that's affecting it,' she clarified. And while hormones may be one large circle impacting women's mental well-being, other factors often overlap and directly impact women as well. 'Stressors are a big one,' Patil declared. 'Women are usually at their busiest during perimenopause and menopause, juggling enormous responsibilities at home, in the workplace. They're often at the peak of their jobs, in high level positions and then they're still taking care of the home. They may be either empty nesting, or they're taking care of children, and sometimes the elderly. They're super women at this time.' When hormones fluctuate, the state of equilibrium these super women have cultivated can shift out of balance—and when the balls drop, women in midlife can find themselves burned out, treading water and struggling to take care of themselves. 'Stress causes inflammation. Inflammation is bad for the organs,' Patil noted. During perimenopause and menopause, women's bodies also become more impacted by stress, due to the lack of estrogen, which, throughout our lives, 'really is a little buffer,' she explained, helping us 'bounce back' from stressful events. Stress can also rewire the brain. 'Stressful life events,' she added, 'reduce the number of serotonin receptors that attach to available serotonin. They impair serotonin production, they speed up the rate at which serotonin is breaking down, and chronic stressors—things that are there for a really long time—they can even shut down part of the brain that allows estrogen to do its job at that neurotransmitter level, which then further affects how serotonin is going to work.' The physical symptoms women experience during menopause also contribute to shifting mental health. 'Vasomotor symptoms have been shown to directly affect mood,' Patil explained. 'The worse that someone has hot flashes, the more they're bothersome and affecting their day and their night functioning, the more correlation there is with mood disturbance.' Losing sleep—either from stress, hot flashes or the act of trying to juggle it all in midlife—also has a 'direct correlation' with mood disorders. 'If you have hot flashes and sleep disturbance, it's a double hit,' she said. Menopause symptoms can even create an anxiety loop: Women may have anxiety about their physical symptoms, and then their physical symptoms trigger further anxiety. 'People are waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble sleeping, and then they're anxious about sleeping,' Weinstock acknowledged, adding that anticipatory anxiety about hot flashes—'What if I have one of these [hot flashes] in the workplace? What if I have one of these when I'm out to dinner with my friends?'—comes up in her practice as well. The symptoms of hot flashes can also feel like anxiety, or a panic attack, in the body: 'Your heart starts to beat, and you feel hot, and maybe you're sweating, and you're paying more attention to other people looking at you.' That reinforces expert observations that even attitudes towards the physical symptoms of menopause—our culture's widespread dismissal of women's physical health—can take a toll on women's mental health. Addressing mood swings and anxiety during menopause requires addressing all of the aspects of the Venn diagram that makes up women's mental health. Lifestyle changes can provide much-needed relief during menopause, and stress reduction practices are key 'to really decrease that inflammation that's going on in the body,' Patil explained, 'that would affect stress and how it affects the mood.' Weinstock cited the benefits of meditation and creative endeavors in reducing stress. Patil emphasized the importance of good sleep practices and regular movement. Other experts have encouraged women to eat well and limit foods high in sodium or saturated fats, avoid drinking and smoking, and maintain a regular yoga practice. Cultivating a stronger social life is also a big way to boost your mental health. 'There's so much evidence around how destructive being isolated is to our body and to our health, and that includes our mood,' Patil said. 'Social relationships really bring a lot of meaning to life and really bring happiness and joy. We all need each other.' Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a structured form of psychotherapy, can be a lifeline for midlife women facing mental health challenges. Patil called CBT 'a slam dunk for the Venn diagram,' noting that it can provide relief for hot flashes, sleep disruptions and 'helps patients assess and modify distorted thoughts or depression symptoms.' Lifestyle changes during menopause can go a long way, even for women relying on mood stabilizers or HRT to manage their transition. 'We should always start with non-medication,' Weinstock asserted. 'Medications are great, and it's great that we have them. We didn't have them 300 years ago. But if we can manage these things without medication, that's great. If we can manage these things with less medication, because we're doing these other things, I think that's great, too.' The benefits of mental health practices also extend beyond menopause. Women in midlife 'don't really have the time to pay attention to themselves,' Weinstock added. Cultivating practices centered on the self can be an important way to flip that narrative. If you're experiencing persistent mental health symptoms in midlife, it's important to pursue treatment and care from a trained professional—whether you believe it's lifestyle factors or hormonal changes causing the shift in your moods and/or anxiety. '[Menopause] is confusing, because everyone kind of comes at it with a different approach,' Weinstock acknowledged. 'The meditation and the exercise, avoiding alcohol and self-care, are super important. But if that's not enough, don't be embarrassed to go to your doctor, and talk to them; make sure that they're really explaining it all to you.' Don't be surprised, either, if you need to visit more than one provider to get a tight grasp on where you're at in the transition and how you can best be supported. 'Communication between providers is key,' Weinstock added. 'OB-GYNs, primary care physicians and mental health providers should not be working in a vacuum; rather, they should be communicating with each other to tailor the best individual response to both physical and psychological aspects of menopause.' While medical training (hopefully) catches up to the rapidly-expanding menopause conversation, women should also be prepared to be their own advocates as they begin to experience symptoms of menopause, especially those related to mental health. 'Think in advance of what symptoms and what changes you're noticing, and try to articulate as best as you can that this is a change,' Weinstock advised. If you're feeling fatigued, she explained, be sure to tell your doctor that you're more fatigued than usual and that nothing notable has changed in your lifestyle that should have you feeling that way. Weinstock also encouraged women to ask for more comprehensive care. 'Describe your symptoms, both in terms of psychological symptoms and physical symptoms, and say, 'What are my options for this? What are my non-medication options? What kinds of things can I do for myself? What kinds of other practitioners can I go to? What are my medication options, and how are they going to help me? What are the risks and benefits?'' Due to gaps in medical expertise around menopause and women's health more broadly, Patil noted that it's important for women to do their own research, 'because then you can recognize what's going on… and you can say, 'These are the symptoms I'm having. This is the timing as to which I really started experiencing these. This is what was going on before that. I really think this is maybe related to perimenopause or menopause. What do you think?'' If you want more answers than your doctor seems willing or able to offer, ask them to send you to someone with more knowledge or find someone yourself to get another opinion. Patil recommended finding doctors through The Menopause Society, or even going to an academic institution to find a healthcare professional, where 'you're more likely to find providers who know what they're doing just because they practice the latest evidence-based guidelines.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Secret Joins the Menopause Movement with Let's Talk Menopause and New York Times Bestselling Author Tamsen Fadal
The #1 Clinical antiperspirant and most awarded whole body deodorant brand addresses sweat and body odor challenges during menopause CINCINNATI, May 01, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In time for Women's Health Month in May, Secret, a leading brand in women's personal care, is shining a spotlight on menopause, a subject that has largely remained taboo despite it being a natural phase of life for all women. To encourage more conversation on menopause and support for all women, Secret is joining forces with Tamsen Fadal, menopause advocate and author of The New York Times Best Seller How to Menopause. This partnership aims to equip women with the tools they need to better manage symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, and the transition into perimenopause and menopause. The new Secret Whole Body Dry Feel Deodorant is the brand's first aluminum-free sweat control deodorant that delivers 24/7 protection from pits to privates, utilizing plant-based ingredients to absorb sweat and neutralize odor. As a complement, the new Secret Clinical Dry Spray provides proven sweat protection, offering 2x more protection than ordinary antiperspirants. Its weightless, quick-drying formula leaves no residue, ensuring comfort and confidence throughout the day or night. Applying this duo before bedtime helps tackle odor-causing bacteria and provides up to 10 hours of overnight dry feel so women wake up feeling fresh. "There are many symptoms associated with menopause and one of the most common is persistent body odor," said Tamsen Fadal, New York Times Bestselling author of How to Menopause. "Personally, this symptom affected me the most which is one of the reasons why I teamed up with Secret because I want to empower women to confidently navigate the changes their bodies are going through. Secret is an important part of my daily regimen, and I hope this helps other women be better equipped to manage similar symptoms as well." To further its commitment, Secret is an official charity partner of Let's Talk Menopause, a national non-profit organization invested in changing the conversation around menopause, so women get the information they need and the healthcare they deserve. Secret collaborated with Tamsen Fadal on a special episode of the organization's "Hello Menopause!" podcast, which is hosted by style expert, entrepreneur and fierce advocate for women's health, Stacy London. Available on April 30, the conversation dives into their personal experiences and the latest research on menopause as they discuss all things body odor, hot flashes, and more. "We recognize that menopause is a natural and significant stage in a woman's life, deserving of celebration and support, not stigma or shame. Partnering with a brand like Secret is a natural extension of our mission at Let's Talk Menopause," says Samara Daly, Let's Talk Menopause Co-Founder. "Just as Secret has always been a reliable partner for women in their everyday lives, we are committed to providing access to essential resources, fostering open and honest conversations, and championing a positive and empowering narrative around menopause." Every woman's menopause journey is unique, but being prepared for changes like hot flashes, night sweats, and body odor can help women better manage these symptoms. Secret Clinical Antiperspirant and Whole Body Dry Feel Deodorant provide all-day freshness everywhere – from your pits to your chest, inner thighs, back and feet. "For many women, menopause can feel isolating, but women don't have to go through it alone," says Kate DiCarlo, Senior Communications Director, Personal Care, Procter & Gamble. "Together with our partners, Secret empowers women and communities through resources and support, including providing products they can rely on, so that they feel confident every day no matter what." "Menopause is not having a moment; it's having a movement," shared Tamsen. The New York Times Bestseller, How to Menopause, is available in bookstores and retailers nationwide. Now on its third season, Hello, Menopause! features real menopause stories with real people and is available on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. Secret Deodorant is available at major retailers nationwide. For more information visit About Procter & Gamble P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at About Let's Talk Menopause Let's Talk Menopause (LTM) is a national nonprofit organization invested in destigmatizing menopause and changing the conversation around it, so women get the information they need and the healthcare they deserve. LTM aims to empower women to navigate all stages of menopause, advocate for comprehensive menopause care to become a medical community standard, educate the public, and help women in the menopause transition find inclusive, compassionate community and support. View source version on Contacts Secret Deodorant Press TeamCitizen Relationssecret@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
01-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Secret Joins the Menopause Movement with Let's Talk Menopause and New York Times Bestselling Author Tamsen Fadal
CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In time for Women's Health Month in May, Secret, a leading brand in women's personal care, is shining a spotlight on menopause, a subject that has largely remained taboo despite it being a natural phase of life for all women. To encourage more conversation on menopause and support for all women, Secret is joining forces with Tamsen Fadal, menopause advocate and author of The New York Times Best Seller How to Menopause. This partnership aims to equip women with the tools they need to better manage symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, and the transition into perimenopause and menopause. There are many symptoms associated with menopause and one of the most common is persistent body odor,' said Tamsen Fadal, New York Times Bestselling author of How to Menopause. The new Secret Whole Body Dry Feel Deodorant is the brand's first aluminum-free sweat control deodorant that delivers 24/7 protection from pits to privates, utilizing plant-based ingredients to absorb sweat and neutralize odor. As a complement, the new Secret Clinical Dry Spray provides proven sweat protection, offering 2x more protection than ordinary antiperspirants. Its weightless, quick-drying formula leaves no residue, ensuring comfort and confidence throughout the day or night. Applying this duo before bedtime helps tackle odor-causing bacteria and provides up to 10 hours of overnight dry feel so women wake up feeling fresh. 'There are many symptoms associated with menopause and one of the most common is persistent body odor,' said Tamsen Fadal, New York Times Bestselling author of How to Menopause. 'Personally, this symptom affected me the most which is one of the reasons why I teamed up with Secret because I want to empower women to confidently navigate the changes their bodies are going through. Secret is an important part of my daily regimen, and I hope this helps other women be better equipped to manage similar symptoms as well.' To further its commitment, Secret is an official charity partner of Let's Talk Menopause, a national non-profit organization invested in changing the conversation around menopause, so women get the information they need and the healthcare they deserve. Secret collaborated with Tamsen Fadal on a special episode of the organization's 'Hello Menopause!' podcast, which is hosted by style expert, entrepreneur and fierce advocate for women's health, Stacy London. Available on April 30, the conversation dives into their personal experiences and the latest research on menopause as they discuss all things body odor, hot flashes, and more. 'We recognize that menopause is a natural and significant stage in a woman's life, deserving of celebration and support, not stigma or shame. Partnering with a brand like Secret is a natural extension of our mission at Let's Talk Menopause,' says Samara Daly, Let's Talk Menopause Co-Founder. 'Just as Secret has always been a reliable partner for women in their everyday lives, we are committed to providing access to essential resources, fostering open and honest conversations, and championing a positive and empowering narrative around menopause.' Every woman's menopause journey is unique, but being prepared for changes like hot flashes, night sweats, and body odor can help women better manage these symptoms. Secret Clinical Antiperspirant and Whole Body Dry Feel Deodorant provide all-day freshness everywhere – from your pits to your chest, inner thighs, back and feet. 'For many women, menopause can feel isolating, but women don't have to go through it alone,' says Kate DiCarlo, Senior Communications Director, Personal Care, Procter & Gamble. 'Together with our partners, Secret empowers women and communities through resources and support, including providing products they can rely on, so that they feel confident every day no matter what.' 'Menopause is not having a moment; it's having a movement,' shared Tamsen. The New York Times Bestseller, How to Menopause, is available in bookstores and retailers nationwide. Now on its third season, Hello, Menopause! features real menopause stories with real people and is available on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. Secret Deodorant is available at major retailers nationwide. For more information visit About Procter & Gamble P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at About Let's Talk Menopause Let's Talk Menopause (LTM) is a national nonprofit organization invested in destigmatizing menopause and changing the conversation around it, so women get the information they need and the healthcare they deserve. LTM aims to empower women to navigate all stages of menopause, advocate for comprehensive menopause care to become a medical community standard, educate the public, and help women in the menopause transition find inclusive, compassionate community and support.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Let's Talk Menopause Brings Nation's Top Experts to Dallas for Groundbreaking Symposium
DALLAS, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Let's Talk Menopause (LTM), the national nonprofit dedicated to empowering women with education and advocacy, is proud to announce its Third Annual Menoposium, "Are You There Doctor? It's Me, Menopause". This in-person symposium will be held on Friday, May 2, 2025, from 7:45 am to 1:00 pm CT at the Warwick Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist and menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal, this half-day gathering brings together the foremost voices in menopause care, education, and advocacy to help women and providers navigate the challenges and opportunities of midlife health. The extraordinary lineup of speakers includes Dr. Mary Claire Haver, OB/GYN, best-selling author and Menopause and Culinary Medicine Specialist; Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OB/GYN, longevity expert, menopause advocate and founder of Dallas-based Sanctum Med + Wellness and Dr. Cheryl Kinney, Director of the Dallas-based Center for Female Health and Hormone Disorders, 2025 President-Elect of The Menopause Society, and menopause and sexual medicine expert who brings decades of clinical experience and leadership in women's health. Speakers also include Dr. Kelly Casperson, Dr. Judith Joseph, Dr. Shelby Harris, Dr. Maria Sophocles, Dr. Sharon Malone, Dr. Robin Noble, and Dr. Vanessa Soviero—making this one of the most comprehensive menopause-focused events in the country. This symposium is for anyone experiencing menopause, perimenopause, or post menopause—or those supporting them—as well as healthcare professionals seeking to provide better care. "There's never been a more important time to talk about menopause," said Donna Klassen, Co-Founder of Let's Talk Menopause. "Millions of women are suffering in silence, dismissed by outdated myths or underinformed care. This Menoposium is about breaking that silence—offering research-based guidance from the nation's top experts, and building a community of support and empowerment." LTM invites the press and public to attend this one-of-a-kind event. Tickets are $50pp. A limited number of free and discounted tickets are available to those who require financial assistance. Continental breakfast and networking begins at 7:45am, followed by a dynamic program at 8:15am-1:00pm CT. Register at LTM is grateful for the generous support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, Bayer, Versalie, Pfizer and Astellas. View original content: SOURCE Let's Talk Menopause Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How Citizen Advocacy Is Driving Real Change in Menopause Policy — State by State
In early February, we wrote for KCM (here and here) that despite all the acrimony in D.C., menopause is among the few policy issues that transcends political lines. To help advance this agenda, we teamed up to publish A Citizen's Guide to Menopause Advocacy, a free digital booklet to mobilize everyday people. The good news? It's working! Yes, there remains an avalanche of uncertainty about the future of federally funded research andnational policy, especially around women's health. But, as covered in the Citizen's Guide, state governments offer an important alternate route. Momentum is growing — and fast. For quick perspective, three states passed menopause laws over the last two years. As of 2024,California's various medical boards — including for doctors, nurses, and physicians' assistants —now can include coursework in menopausal health for continuing professional education requirements. Illinois (in 2023) and Louisiana (in 2024) mandated insurance coverage for someor all menopause treatments. (A bill to require insurance coverage for menopause treatment alsopassed in California last year, only for Governor Newsom to veto it.) That one-in-four states have proposed menopause laws shows that citizen advocacy works — andlawmakers are listening. Menopause has gone from 'Having a Moment' in 2023, to 'Fueling aMovement' in 2024, to being named on the 'Ones To Watch: Legislation Landscape for 2025'list in 2025. That's progress. Below is a state-by-state summary of menopause legislation introduced thus far this year. Checkout the non-profit Let's Talk Menopause (on whose board Jen serves) for additional informationand interactive features that make it easy to track progress and speak up and out. Arizona: HB 2734 would enable health care providers with tools to educate women on the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and create informational materials. California: AB 432, the Menopause Care Equity Act would mandate comprehensive insurance coverage for menopause treatment; direct the state Medical Board to develop a menopause-specific Continuing Medical Education (CME) curriculum; and require physicians to complete menopause-specific CME if more than 25 percent of their patient population consists of women. AB 360 would require the state Medical Board to develop and administer menopause training surveys as part of the license renewal process. Connecticut: AB 6593 would require the state Department of Public Health to develop and distribute menopause guidelines and educational resources to health care providers, as well as conduct a public awareness campaign to educate residents; it would also mandate health care providers complete at least one CME credit regarding menopause. Illinois: SJR0025 would create Menopause Awareness Week on October 12-18, 2025 'to drive legislative action on workforce protections, healthcare equity, and research funding.' As noted in the Citizen's Guide, HB5295 will expand prior bill mandating treatment coverage for post-hysterectomy patients to include all menopause treatments as of Jan. 1, 2026. Maine: LD 1079 would direct the state Department of Health and Human Services to create informational materials on perimenopause and menopause. Massachusetts: H 2499 would mandate the state Department of Public Health improve patient and clinician awareness of the menopause transition and assess and improve menopause CME; it would also assess the impact of menopause on the workforce and policies offered by employers (including health insurance coverage of menopause treatments). Nevada: SB 297 would designate the month of September as Perimenopause Awareness Month and October as Menopause Awareness Month. New Jersey: AB 5278 would mandate comprehensive insurance coverage for perimenopause and menopause care and treatment. AB 5309/S4147 would permit one to three credits of CME on menopause to be used by physicians for license renewal. SB 4197/AB 3334 would require employers to allow employees suffering from a range of menstrual disorders (including as a result of perimenopause) to work remotely unless it would create an undue burden for employers. New York: AB 5444 would mandate comprehensive insurance coverage for perimenopause and menopause care and treatment. AB 5436 would help prevent discrimination and increase awareness about menopause and perimenopause. A01940/SB3908 would amend the workers' compensation law to provide four days of paid leave for menstrual complications, including perimenopause and menopause. S1720 would establish an awareness campaign on menopause hormone treatment. Oregon: HB 3064 would mandate treatment coverage by health plans within the state's reach, such as those insuring many public school employees and state employees. Pennsylvania: A Senate memo has been filed to introduce 2025 legislation that would require the state Department of Health and healthcare providers to provide information about menopause and perimenopause; the bill itself is not yet live. Rhode Island: S 0361 would extend workplace protections to those experiencing menopause. Texas: HB 3961 would require the Department of State Health Services to develop and distribute a menopause educational program, and to post informational materials on the department website. For all of us committed to women's health, this wave of legislative visibility should fuel our hope that it's worth our effort to fight for bipartisan and meaningful progress. We stand by what we wrote for KCM just two (albeit long) months ago: There is a runway for progress if we're committed to fighting for it. And here's why we should: Menopausal women, like our younger counterparts, must be able to make informed choices about our health. We deserve access to affordable, competent medical care and treatment from trained professionals. We have every right and reason to demand lawmakers and leaders invest in solutions that ensure our well-being, our dignity, our humanity. We owe it to ourselves — and to generations to come – to not back away from this cause, but double down in the pursuit. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is the executive director of the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Center at NYU Law. Dr. Mary Claire Haver is a board-certified OB/GYN and certified menopause practitioner. They're co-authors of A Citizen's Guide to Menopause Advocacy. The post How Citizen Advocacy Is Driving Real Change in Menopause Policy — State by State appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
