and the period that precedes it, is a biological transition with a huge impact on women’s health. I’m 50 years old, I know what I’m talking about. But menopause was, for millennia, experienced privately and in silence and completely ignored in public discourse.
There are several reasons that explain this phenomenon: the invisibility and diminished role of women in society, less scientific research, little training and information on the part of the medical profession itself and the female population and, yes, also shame, because it is as if women have a kind of expiration date.
The data is clear. When we look, for example, at age-related diseases, more than 75% of them are probably influenced by menopause in some way. However, less than 1% of published scientific studies have addressed this angle. That’s because the vast majority of research is done… on men.
Historically, menopause is less studied than other male-specific conditions. And scientists even believe that many women may have been diagnosed and are even being medicated for diseases they do not have, and which are, after all, symptoms related to menopause.
But, in recent years, there has been significant progress: menopause has emerged as a political issue and is now seen as an issue of public health, equality and human rights. Yes, because the fight for female parity is also done by respecting and responding to forgotten conditions that only affect women.
scientist, philanthropist and ex-wife of Bill Gates, called for a menopause revolution a few days ago. And more and more voices are beginning to emerge around the world, including in Brazil and Portugal, demanding specific public policies in order to reduce the impacts on women during this period of their lives.
This includes access to specific medical assistance and specialty consultations, hormone replacement therapies, psychological and multidisciplinary support and even supplementation that can increase quality of life.
It is necessary to talk about this topic and bring it to the public agenda, beyond parties and ideologies. It is no longer possible to continue ignoring a condition that affects a huge portion of the population. We cannot forget that phrase that reminds us that half the world are women and the other half are their children. So why do we continue to be systematically forgotten?
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