The Menopause Crisis

Menopause happens to every woman who reaches midlife.

It is as biologically inevitable as puberty. And yet, while puberty is widely discussed and understood, menopause is often treated as a private matter, surrounded by silence.

With women today living longer than ever, around 40% of their lives are spent in perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. This makes it not just a brief transition but a major chapter that influences health, wellbeing, relationships, and even financial security for decades.

Despite its importance, many women still enter this stage unprepared and unsupported.

To better understand what menopause really means for women, I spoke with Obstetrician Gynecologist, PhD Dorthe Snejbjerg, who has dedicated her career to helping women navigate this stage of life. She explains that menopause is not a one-size-fits-all experience.

According to Dorthe, about 30 percent of women go through the transition with hardly any symptoms at all.

Another 30 percent experience moderate symptoms that may be bothersome but manageable.

And then there are the 30 percent who face severe, life altering symptoms that can affect everything from sleep and mental health to work performance and relationships.

According to Dorthe, the real challenge is not that menopause cannot be treated, but that it is often not treated well. Many women who turn to their doctor for help are prescribed antidepressants.

This is not because doctors do not want to help, but because they often lack the training and resources to address menopause directly. The healthcare system itself is not designed to support women at scale through this transition, leaving countless women without access to the most effective care.

In Denmark, only about 4-10% of menopausal women receive hormone therapy, even though it is widely recognized as the gold standard of treatment. Most women could benefit from it, yet the majority never do.

This gap between what is possible and what is practiced leaves many women struggling unnecessarily, reinforcing the silence and stigma that still surround menopause.

So what can be done?

Dorthe emphasizes that the first step is always to look at lifestyle. A balanced diet, regular exercise, good sleep routines, and healthy habits around alcohol and smoking can make a noticeable difference for many women. These are powerful tools that support the body through change and may ease some of the more common symptoms.

But lifestyle adjustments alone are not always enough. For the women who are hit the hardest, symptoms can be so severe that they disrupt daily life, relationships, and careers.

In these cases, treatment is not just helpful, it is essential.

As Dorthe explains, access to the right medical support can transform quality of life - yet too often, women are left without it.

The hidden costs

Even though menopause is a natural stage of life, it often comes with a price that feels anything but natural. Too often, women are left to manage symptoms on their own and pay privately for care that should be widely accessible.

Dorthe Snejbjerg sees this every day at her clinic. Despite her dedication, the demand is so high that new patients face a waiting time of more than a year. This long delay highlights the limits of public healthcare systems and the reality that many women cannot get timely support unless they turn to costly private care elsewhere.

The consequences go beyond health. Symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, or brain fog can affect performance at work. Some women reduce hours or even leave their jobs, paying twice: first for private treatment, then for lost income and career opportunities.

This is not just a personal health issue. It is an economic one.

Looking at the UK, a 2019 study found that almost 900,000 women had left their jobs because of menopausal symptoms, and that 23% of women have considered resigning due to menopause.

According to the UK government, menopause costs the economy 14 million working days every year.

According to Dorthe, this makes great sense. Because menopausal symptoms impact everything from physical wellbeing to mental wellbeing and energy levels.

This has major, financial implications for individual women.

Because menopause arrives when they are most experienced, most capable, and statistically supposed to be earning the most. Instead, they are often forced to step back. The result? Lost leadership. Lost income. Lost pensions.

Many women reduce hours, pass up promotions, or go part-time. These aren’t entry-level employees, they are senior leaders, policymakers, doctors, founders and teachers. They are women at the peak of their power, quietly stepping back because no one made space for them to stay.

According to research by the Fawcett Society, 59% of women say their menopause symptoms make them less able to work.

That is not a small productivity dip, it is a workforce crisis.

59% of women say their menopause symptoms make them less able to work.

Where do we go from here?

Menopause is not just a personal journey, it is a collective responsibility.

As Dorthe Snejbjerg reminds us, the first step is to start talking about it openly, breaking the silence that has kept so many women struggling in isolation. But awareness alone is not enough. We must also demand more from our workplaces, where the right policies and a supportive culture can make an enormous difference.

When employers acknowledge menopause as a natural stage of life rather than a private problem, women are given the chance to continue thriving instead of quietly burning out. Flexible working hours, access to information and medical support, adjustments to workload when needed, and managers trained to respond with empathy are not luxuries, they are necessities.

These changes cost little but can transform the everyday reality of women going through menopause. And the benefits extend far beyond the individual: companies retain skilled employees, teams function more effectively, and cultures become more inclusive.

For too long, menopause has been treated as an invisible issue. It is time to bring it into the light, to recognize that supporting women through this transition is not only fair but smart. With open conversations and stronger workplace policies, we can create a society where menopause does not derail careers or diminish confidence, but is simply another chapter of life, one that women move through with dignity, respect, and the backing they deserve.

And if you’re a woman approaching menopause, or already in it, please know this: You are not alone.

You deserve real medical care. You deserve to feel like yourself again. And it is possible.

Dorthe’s experience shows why society needs to take menopause seriously. With the right support, menopause does not have to be a private struggle or a financial burden. It can be a natural chapter of life that women move through with dignity, health, and the backing they deserve.