For the 47 million people who enter menopause each year, comprehensive support for menopause is hard to come by. A startling few doctors are trained in menopause care—let alone feel comfortable treating menopausal symptoms. Even fewer employers offer benefits that address the unique needs of people experiencing menopause.
On top of this, stigma and shame around menopause prevail in workplaces and communities around the world, discouraging many from seeking help. However, seeing as thousands of people leave the workforce because of their menopause symptoms and companies lose billions of dollars in productivity each year, many employers are increasingly concerned with the impact untreated symptoms can have on the health and well-being of their teams.
To help organizations better support all of their employees, Maven's Menopause & Ongoing Care solution addresses the growing reproductive health needs of the midlife workforce. Read on to learn more.
Why menopause—and why now?
The symptoms of menopause often go unseen and unheard, and studies show that three in four women who seek care for menopause symptoms receive no help at all.
The events of the last three years (a global pandemic, rising inflation, the Great Resignation, and the burnout crisis, to name a few) have shown employers and health plans the importance of supporting family and reproductive health.
We've structured our Menopause & Ongoing Care solution to address the unmet reproductive health needs of members entering or experiencing their post-reproductive stage of life, based on guidelines set by ACOG, WHO, and NAMS.
Understanding menopause symptoms
Perimenopause, also commonly referred to as menopausal transition, is the period when a person’s body begins transitioning to menopause. Perimenopause can start for some people as early as their mid-30s or as late as their mid-50s, and can last for a matter of months or several years.
During this time, many women experience physical changes and symptoms. Once menopause is reached (indicated by missed periods for 12 months), symptoms can persist, and other symptoms can also arise. These will differ for each person, but common perimenopause and menopause symptoms include:
Irregular periods
During the menopausal transition, the ovaries start reducing the hormones they produce. This disrupts the menstrual cycle. Menstrual cycles may become shorter or longer, and periods may become irregular before they stop altogether.
Vaginal dryness
Vaginal dryness is a very common menopause symptom. Less estrogen is produced during perimenopause, and this can cause thinning and dryness of the vulvar and vaginal tissues. Vaginal dryness can lead to day-to-day discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse.
Hot flashes
Hot flashes, also known as hot flushes, are another common menopause symptom and they can last for many years. For those who experience hot flashes, they can be uncomfortable, embarrassing and even interfere with daily life. Hot flushes are caused by a decrease in estrogen. The body responds to this by releasing higher amounts of other hormones from the glands, but these hormones affect how the brain perceives temperature, resulting in bodily temperature fluctuations.
Night sweats
When hot flashes occur at night, they are referred to as night sweats. They can make an individual feel hot all over their face and body and cause excessive perspiration that saturates the bed sheets.
Night sweats can cause sleep problems and the person experiencing them may even have to use a towel to dry themselves or change their pajamas. Not getting enough sleep as a result can impact mood and cause challenges in other areas of a person’s life.
Urinary symptoms
There are a range of urinary symptoms that can be brought on by perimenopause and/or menopause. Some people may experience increased frequency of urination, urinary urgency, urinary incontinence, or urinary tract infections.
Mood changes
Due to changing hormones, mood changes are common during perimenopause. A person going through a menopausal transition may feel irritable, tearful, angry, or tense. It’s also normal to have low energy and find it difficult to concentrate. These symptoms have no pattern and can continue for years.
Between 15 and 50% of perimenopausal and menopausal individuals may experience other menopause symptoms including anxiety and depression.