TIME FOR CHANGE
Celebs and MPs demand new menopause checks on NHS for every woman at 40
ALL women should get free menopause health checks when they hit 40, campaigners say.
They’re calling for assessments to be included in the NHS’ midlife MOT, offered every five years to people aged 40 to 74.
5
The appointment examines someone’s overall health and can help identify those at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia.
But discussion around and diagnosis of the menopause isn’t part of the check-up, which activists and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause (APPG) think is “simply crazy”.
They said large numbers of women over 40 see their GP with symptoms but have no idea that they are experiencing menopause or perimenopause, and doctors often fail to recognise the signs too.
Group chair Carolyn Harris, Labour MP for Swansea, said: “We still have many hurdles to tackle to ensure women suffering through menopause get the support they deserve.
READ MORE ON THE MENOPAUSE
“Day in, day out I hear stories from women who can't get a diagnosis from their GP, who can't get HRT due to a lack of supply, who have left their jobs due to a lack of support, or who simply don't know where to turn for help.
“This can't go on and the time for action is now.”
Mariella Frostrup, chair of the Menopause Mandate, added: “Sixteen million women over 45 are going through perimenopause.
“We’ve said from the outset that it's simply crazy, both economically and in terms of expedience, that the 40+ health check, an invitation that we all receive, doesn’t include information on menopause - the one challenging and inescapable experience every woman will have to navigate.
Most read in Health
“On the bright side, it’s an easy fix.”
Celebs, including TV star Carol Vorderman and presenter Cherry Healey, have also backed the calls, which reflect The Sun's Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
Menopause Mandate findings
A SURVEY by the Menopause Mandate revealed the impact it can have on women's lives.
- 96% said that symptoms affected their quality of life
- Almost 50% said that it took over a year to realise they might be peri or menopausal
- 77% said that they feel relationships have been negatively affected by menopause
- 60% said their understanding that they were experiencing peri/menopause symptoms came from personal research
- Only 12% found out from healthcare professionals, the same amount as those who found out from friends
- 24% said that their experience with their GP was positive, but 37% said it was only partially positive and 26% said it wasn’t positive
- Of the 86% of respondents in employment, 64% said they are negatively affected by their symptoms at work
- Only 29% were aware that their employers had a menopause policy, and 25% were aware that their employer had menopause training or support
- 27% said that employers didn’t have a menopause policy and 33% that there wasn’t training or support available
The movement aims to make HRT free in England, get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support, and to bust taboos around the subject.
It comes amid warnings from the International Menopause Society that women going through the change are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
This is, in part, due to changes in a woman's muscle composition and metabolism, and symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbances and depression, researchers from the UC San Diego School of Medicine said.
The document also cautions that high blood pressure or diabetes during menopause, and going through it before age 40, are also CVD risk factors.
Elsewhere, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) is encouraging women to find out how they can reduce their risk of heart problems.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the charity, said: "Changes to a woman's body during menopause, such as fallen oestrogen levels, are linked with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
"After the menopause, the chance of a woman having a heart attack is drastically increased.
"All too often women don't prioritise their own health.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"As we women approach menopause, it is a perfect opportunity to reassess our risks of future cardiovascular disease and to take steps to protect our hearts.
"Our call to women is to get to know your risks so you can tackle them and protect your heart, for example, not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight."
What is the menopause and what age does it usually start?
Menopause is a natural part of ageing, which usually happens when a woman is between the age of 45 and 55.
In the UK, the average age for a woman to go through menopause is 51.
It occurs when oestrogen levels in the body start to decline.
During this time periods become less frequent or they can suddenly stop, and after menopause occurs women will be unable to become pregnant naturally.
Around one in 100 women experience menopause before the age of 40, and this is known as premature ovarian insufficiency or premature menopause.
Many celebrities have spoken out about their own experiences, including Lisa Snowdon, Davina McCall, Michelle Heaton and Zoe Hardman.
What are the symptoms?
Menopausal symptoms can start months or years before your periods stop, and can last until four years or longer after your last period.
Symptoms include:
- Hot flushes
- Changing or irregular periods
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Anxiety and loss of confidence
- Low mood, irritability and depression
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex
- Reduced libido (sex drive)
- Problems with concentration or memory
- Weight gain
- Bladder control
5
5
5
5
Topics