Today marks World Menopause Day. That means people around the globe are coming together to raise awareness about menopause and help women get the support, treatment and mental health resources they need in mid-life and beyond. Every year, World Menopause Day is held on the 18th of October.
The day was designated by the International Menopause Society (IMS) as a global awareness campaign to encourage people to share educational resources, organise events, and engage with social media posts.
How to get involved
The IMS provides an engagement toolkit to guide individuals on how they can make a difference. People can actively participate on social media by utilising hashtags such as #IMS, #worldmenopauseday, and #worldmenopauseday2023. Another valuable way to contribute to the cause is by reading, watching, and sharing educational materials to enhance awareness about cardiovascular disease. A wealth of resources is available on the IMS website.
As part of the Women’s Health Strategy, the Department of Health and Social Care has also added a dedicated area to the NHS website which includes information on menopause including symptoms, treatment and support.
An effective approach for people to raise awareness within their workplace or local community involves organising structured activities. Consider hosting a ‘lunch and learn’ session to collectively view and discuss educational materials or establish groups aimed at promoting and encouraging positive lifestyle choices that contribute to improved cardiovascular health, says IMS.
The link between menopause and cardiovascular disease
The theme for World Menopause Day 2023 is cardiovascular disease. In support of this important day, MPs are calling for change.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Carolyn Harris MP said: “This #WorldMenopauseDay the #AppgMenopause is calling on all parties to adopt its ‘Manifesto for Menopause’
The call for “menopause checks” at 40
As part of this manifesto, MPs are calling for women to receive “menopause checks” at 40. This comes as experts have highlighted the risk of women developing heart problems during the menopausal period.
MPs have advocated for the inclusion of menopause in the NHS’s mid-life health assessment, a routine check provided every five years for individuals between the ages of 40 and 74.
The Menopause All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has pointed out that many women aged over 40 visit GP clinics with symptoms related to menopause without recognizing their condition as menopause or perimenopause.
Doctors often fail to identify these symptoms as well, the MPs said.
As a solution, they have called for discussions and diagnosis to be added into the NHS Health Check for women over 40.
Elevated risk of cardiovascular disease
It comes as a recent report has emphasised that women going through menopause face an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart and circulatory problems.
This increased risk is partly due to changes in a woman’s muscle composition and metabolism, along with menopausal symptoms such as particularly hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and depression, as noted by researchers from the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
The document, published by the International Menopause Society, also indicates that there are other “reproductive milestones” associated with a higher risk of CVD among women, including issues related to menstruation, pregnancy complications, high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy or menopause, and experiencing premature menopause before the age of 40.
Professor Nick Panay, president of the International Menopause Society, said: “There is compelling and emerging evidence that the cardiovascular health of women at midlife and beyond reflects reproductive events over their lifespan.
“This includes issues related to the menstrual cycle, complications during pregnancy and the effects of natural and premature menopause.
“During midlife, there is a great opportunity for most women, with the support of their healthcare providers, to improve their cardiovascular health and their future quality of life through healthy lifestyle choices such as following a well-balanced diet, exercising, stopping smoking and moderating alcohol consumption.”
Final thought
On World Menopause Day 2023, we confront the stark reality of the link between menopause and cardiovascular disease. The call for mandatory “menopause checks” at 40 is a vital step to address this issue.
Women’s health should not be left to chance, and we must integrate menopause discussions and diagnoses into the NHS Health Check. This is a crucial step in empowering women and safeguarding their long-term well-being.
The time to act is now, to ensure that women have the knowledge, resources, and support needed to navigate this transformative journey. By raising our voices and advocating for women’s health, we can create a healthier, more informed, and empowered world for women around the world.