Menopause: Signs and symptoms to look out for, how to know if you're in the menopause and what is HRT?

• Menopause happens when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels.
• Menopause symptoms can have a significant impact on a woman’s life.
• 50% of women aged 40 to 60 are unable to go into work at some point due to menopause symptoms.

Menopause will affect every woman at some point in their lives. Symptoms can have a significant impact, with GOV.UK finding that almost 70% of women aged 40 to 60 who are in employment and experiencing menopausal symptoms reporting this having a negative effect on their work, and just over 50% unable to go into work at some point due to their menopause symptoms.

The new statistics come as journalist and women’s equality campaigner, Mariella Frostrup, has been appointed as the government’s new Menopause Employment Ambassador, alongside measures in the Employment Rights Bill requiring large employers to develop plans on how they will support employees through the menopause.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “If we are going to get our country growing again, we have to make sure that everyone feels they can thrive at work. I know from personal experience how hard it can be for women going through menopause.”

What is the menopause?

Menopause happens when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels, it usually occurs during the ages of 45 and 55, but can happen at an earlier age. Other reasons for the menopause include surgery to remove the ovaries called a oophorectomy, or the uterus, called a hysterectomy. Some women will also experience chemical induced menopause, which temporarily places the body into a menopausal state using medication.

How do you know if you’re in the menopause?

You are considered to be in the menopause if you have no period for 12 months in a row, this can then be followed by symptoms including hot flushes or vaginal dryness. Some people will experience mild menopause symptoms, whilst for others they can cause a significant impact.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

The first symptom of the menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. The symptoms can last for months or years at a time, according to the NHS they can include:

Physical symptoms such as:

• hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
• difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
• palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
• headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
• muscle aches and joint pains
• changed body shape and weight gain
• skin changes including dry and itchy skin
• reduced sex drive
• vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex
• recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems

Mental health symptoms including:

• changes to your mood, like low mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
• problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)

What is HRT?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a safe treatment that is offered to many women to help ease symptoms of the menopause by helping to replace your body’s levels of oestrogen and progesterone that decrease when you are menopausal. There are different types of HRT; from vaginal creams and pessaries to gels, patches and tablets. How you take it will depend on your individual needs as if you still have a womb you will need to take both oestrogen and progesterone which is known as combined HRT.

HRT can be access via your GP surgery or at an NHS menopause clinic.

To find out more about the signs and symptoms of the menopause and what support is available, check out NHS.UK.