The Sad State of Menopause Education & Treatments for US Women [New Studies]

Women are beginning to step forward and demand better perimenopausal and menopausal education and sexual wellness treatments after the topic being sorely under-discussed and addressed for far too long. The stark disparities in education and healthcare for sexual wellness available to men versus women is finally pushing women past the breaking point, and it's about time. The significant toll the transition takes on women is bad enough, but the sad state of affairs when it comes to women being properly educated on this subject, in addition to lacking adequate access to treatments for menopause symptoms and sexual health in general makes it pretty clear why women are now mad as hell about it and speaking up. 

Related: Ozempic Benefits for Menopause Symptoms: What Every Woman Should Know

Unfortunately, the main culprit behind much of the issues with lack of education and accessible treatments is our healthcare system in general, which has impacted the education or lack of education on women's sexual health in our educational institutions, the current regulatory issues that impact treatment availability and what is covered by most insurance insurance companies, among other things. So, let's dive into the changes that take place during menopause, perimenopause and menopause education and the current state of how menopause is handled in our healthcare and governmental systems, as well as what changes will need to take place for these issues to be fully remedied.  

The Emotional & Physicial Toll of Menopause 

Menopause, a significant milestone in a woman's life, affects approximately 75% of women, typically occurring between ages 45-55, according to a 2024 report by Worldmetrics.org. This transition brings a myriad of symptoms, with over 95% of women in the United States experiencing menopausal symptoms without seeking treatment. The most common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness, with about 85% of postmenopausal women experiencing at least one symptom of vaginal atrophy. Notably, 40-50% of menopausal women may endure persistent symptoms for seven years or more, highlighting the long-term impact of this hormonal shift.

The hormonal changes during menopause significantly influence women's health and well-being. As estrogen levels decline, women face an increased risk of osteoporosis, affecting around 200 million women worldwide. This hormonal fluctuation can also lead to mood swings, increased risk of depression, and cognitive changes such as memory lapses and difficulty concentrating. Despite these challenges, treatment options are available. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a common approach, with the global menopause hormone replacement therapy market projected to exceed $33 billion by 2025. Alternative treatments, including physical activity, which can reduce the severity of hot flashes by up to 45%, and dietary supplements, are gaining popularity. The global menopause supplements market is predicted to reach $7.5 billion by 2027, reflecting the growing demand for diverse management strategies.

Practitioners interested in providing treatments to address the symptoms and hormonal changes that occur during menopause are cautioned against jumping in without proper education and training in this area themselves. With the rising demand for menopause related treatments, such as Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, companies are emerging to help fill that knowledge gap. One example of this is the Hormone Therapy Centers of America, who have made it their mission to share this incredible treatment with more aesthetic practices and make it more readily available and safely and effectively provided to women in desparate need of this kind of life-changing solution to women experiencing the effects of menopausal hormone changes. 

They offer bioidentical hormone therapy pellet training programs to train practitioners how to use and administer the treatment, dosing sites with detailed guidelines and tools to help practitioners understand the proper dosage of hormones, how these doses may fluctuate over time, how the delivery method of the treatment affects hormone therapy dosage and how that delivery method works to administer the treatment doses after injected, among other valuable knowledge and tools.

As the number of menopausal women continues to rise, with over 1 billion women worldwide expected to be postmenopausal by 2025, understanding and addressing the needs of this population becomes increasingly crucial. This expansion encompasses various aspects of menopause management, from hormone therapies to innovative devices and supplements, offering a multifaceted approach to alleviating menopausal symptoms and improving quality of life for women during this significant life transition.

Lack of Menopause Education Among US WomenPerimenopause and Menopause Awareness in Women Survey ResultsImage Courtesy of Doctor's Best

Despite this growing demand for menopause education and symptom management, the current landscape of perimenopause and menopause education is sorely lacking. New research conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Doctor's Best reveals a staggering lack of menopause education among American women. A survey of 2,000 American women discovered that many feel bombarded with information related to pregnancy and childbirth, but undereducated and severely lacking in resources regarding perimenopause and menopause. 

Despite the fact that women spend more than 30% of their life in a menopausal state, only a quarter of women feel that they have been adequately informed by their healthcare provider about going through perimenopause and only 34% feel properly educated when it comes to menopause. According to the results, women are three times more likely to lack knowledge about perimenopause (21%) than pregnancy (7%), and 60% of women reported they are completely self-taught in terms of menopause knowledge.

In light of these staggering statistics, it is not surprising that over a fifth of respondents claimed menopause is a topic lacking adequate discussion and education in women's health, and 74% of women surveyed are interested in learning more about this topic. Women's health is an under-discussed topic in the media in general, with only 29% of women claiming otherwise.

When it comes to perimenopause and menopause the lack of discussion is negatively affecting women across the country, with only half of women surveyed (52%) able to define perimenopause and Gen X showing the most confidence in their perimenopause knowledge. This lack of education around such a massive topic in women's health paints a damning picture of the treatment and care provided in the US for women going through the difficult and lifechanging process of perimenopause and menopause.

"It's apparent from the survey results that women need and want more information and support on what to expect after the key reproductive years," said Katie Lucas, VP of Marketing for Doctor’s Best. 

Other Key Insights Include:

• Gen Z (14%) had more awareness of how early perimenopause can start compared to women in generations who are impacted by it or have gone through it (millennials 5%, Gen X 3%, baby boomers 3%, Silent Generation 4%).
• Nearly one in four Gen Z women (20%) get health insights from social media, mainly TikTok, compared to older generations.
• 48% of women polled can't define perimenopause even though 71% are going through it or have gone through it.
• There is an opposite effect with menopause, as 82% of women polled can define it, though 47% haven't entered this stage of life yet.
• When identifying perimenopausal symptoms, respondents were more likely to identify irregular periods (63%), mood changes (62%) and hot flashes (61%). However, other key symptoms were far less likely to be recognized as linked to perimenopause, such as breast tenderness (28%), dry skin (26%) and difficulty concentrating (24%).
• Natural remedies and lifestyle changes were among the top three ways women want to know how to cope with perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms.

“It’s encouraging to see that younger generations are becoming increasingly proactive and interested in gaining awareness around perimenopause and menopause,” said Gale Bensussen, CEO of Doctor’s Best. “We need to equip every generation with resources to help them navigate these important life transitions.” 

Disparity Between Women's & Men's Sexual Health Treatments for Sexual Dysfunction

In addition to lacking education, women's sexual health treatments, particularly when it comes to female sexual dysfunction (FSD), are also severely limited in their accessibility to women both due to cost and lack of providers adequately addressing FSD. According to a recent article by Charles Runels, M.D., in MDedge, the field of sexual medicine exhibits a stark gender disparity in both treatment options and physician education. While men have access to over 20 FDA-approved drugs for sexual dysfunction, women have only three, with limited efficacy and significant side effects. This discrepancy is further exacerbated by inadequate medical education regarding female sexual health. A study of seven medical schools in Chicago revealed alarming gaps: only one institution fully identified all anatomic components of the clitoris, and merely three highlighted the prevalence and treatments for female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

The regulatory landscape presents additional challenges for developing treatments for women, particularly those of childbearing age. The FDA's approval process for FSD drugs requires demonstrating subjective "satisfaction," a higher bar than the objective measures used for male treatments. This, coupled with the risks and costs associated with studying premenopausal women, has led to an "orphan population" in terms of sexual health research and drug development. Consequently, off-label prescribing has become common, with up to 30% of primary care prescriptions and 46% of cardiologists' prescriptions being off-label.

Dr. Runels concludes that to address these issues, several steps are necessary. Medical curricula must be comprehensively updated to include detailed education on female sexual anatomy, physiology and dysfunction. The FDA should reconsider its approval requirements for FSD drugs to align more closely with those for male treatments. Additionally, increased funding for research into regenerative therapies and a broader understanding of FSD's impact on overall well-being are crucial. Recognizing that sexual function affects not only physical pleasure but also family relationships, emotional health and even children's well-being is essential for driving progress in this neglected area of medicine.