CRE WaND Submission to the Inquiry into Issues related to menopause and perimenopause

Menopause is a normal life transition. How women experience its symptoms and changes depends on their culture of origin, health, and personal circumstances. We acknowledge that the risk of developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis increases after menopause. However, we also believe that shifting ageist and sexiest societal attitudes that view menopause as a period of decline will do much to empower women and improve their perceptions and experiences of this normal life stage.

The CRE WaND advocates for a ‘healthy menopause’. This includes health care addressing the immediate impact of troublesome menopausal symptoms, health education, and intervention programs that help women manage symptoms and make positive changes that support their long-term health. Health behaviour in midlife is a predictor of health outcomes in later life. The menopause transition provides a window of opportunity for health promotion that encourages positive health behaviours and/or interventions that improve women’s short and long-term health and wellbeing.

On 6 November 2023, the Senate referred an inquiry into the Issues related to menopause and perimenopause to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee. The CRE WaND submission to the Inquiry into Issues related to menopause and perimenopause draws on our team’s research with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, as well as a four-paper series on Menopause published in The Lancet. The series was led by CRE WaND Chief Investigator Professor Martha Hickey, who brought together an international team of experts, including CRE WaND Director Professor Gita Mishra and Investigators Professor Jenny Doust and Dr Hsin-Fang Chung.