Menopause
Menopause: Silence and stigma leave Canadian women in limbo
New report shows women in the prime of their lives facing inequity in the healthcare system and at work
Canadian women going through menopause are facing real-life inequities in a stage of life long shrouded by secrecy.
A new report has found that a shocking one in two women (46 per cent) feel unprepared for menopause and more than half (54 per cent) believe it is still a taboo subject.
Despite menopause affecting 50 per cent of the population, a remarkable four in 10 women in the national survey by the Menopause Foundation of Canada (MFC) reported feeling alone through their menopause experience.
The silence around menopause leaves too many of the estimated 10 million women in Canada over the age of 40 – those in perimenopause/menopause/postmenopause – searching for answers, trying to understand what is happening to their bodies, why they may be feeling the way they do, and whether treatment and support is available.
More importantly, experts say stigma leaves women unaware of the potential long-term health impacts of menopause.
In the MFC’s survey, 95 per cent of women experience menopausal symptoms. While the majority of them were aware of hot flashes (84 per cent) and night sweats (77 per cent), two-thirds or more were not aware that urinary tract infections (82 per cent) and heart palpitations (75 per cent) were symptoms.
Six in 10 did not know that headaches and migraines, anxiety, depression and memory issues were symptoms.
“I have been treating menopausal women for decades and know the serious toll symptoms can have on their health and quality of life,” says Dr Wendy Wolfman, MD, president of the Canadian Menopause Society and a member of the medical advisory board of the Menopause Foundation of Canada.
“Menopause is seen as something women must endure, like a woman’s burden. This is unacceptable.
“Women deserve to feel healthy and they should not suffer in silence. There is preventative care, lifestyle choices, and safe and effective treatment options to help women thrive during their menopausal years,” says Wolfman.
The average Canadian women will spend up to half of her life in a menopausal state. While women report their family physicians are their most trusted source for information and advice about menopause, fewer than one-quarter said their family physician proactively discussed menopause with them.
Of the 41 per cent who decided to seek out medical advice themselves, 72 per cent found that advice to be not helpful or only somewhat helpful, and four in 10 women felt their symptoms were undertreated.
Dr Shafeena Premji, who operates menopause and women’s health clinics in Alberta, says: “The hormonal changes associated with the onset of menopause can increase the risk for osteoporosis, heart disease and many genitourinary issues that can get worse over time if not managed appropriately.
“It is critical that family physicians deepen their understanding of menopause, including learning about the latest clinical practice guidelines, and proactively starting the menopause conversation with their patients.”
An estimated one-quarter – five million – of Canada’s 19-million-person labour force are women over the age of 40.
MFC’s new research reveals that three-quarters of working women feel their employer is not supportive or do not know if they have support to help them manage this stage of life.
Eighty-seven per cent of survey respondents believe working women need support through all stages of life, including menopause.
Working women going through menopause are also dealing with the reality of ageism, with three in 10 fearing that their colleagues may see them as weak, old, or past their prime.
“Women in the prime of their lives should not be blindsided by menopause,” said Janet Ko, president and co-founder of The Menopause Foundation of Canada.
“Normalising this natural part of life is long overdue and everyone has a role to play. Our hope is that by talking about menopause we break the taboo and empower women with evidence-based information.
“Improving health equity for women during this time of life and making sure that our workplaces are age and gender inclusive will go a long way towards ending the silence and the stigma of menopause.”
Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.
The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.
Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.
The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.
Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.
“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.
“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.
“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”
The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.
Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.
“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.
“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.
“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”
Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.
In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.
The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.
Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.
“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.
“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”
Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.
After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.
Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.
Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.
“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”
Mira has integrated with Oura, letting users see sleep, readiness and temperature trends alongside hormone readings in the Mira app.
The integration lets Mira users view Oura sleep, readiness and temperature trends next to hormone data to show how hormonal shifts affect daily wellbeing. Oura members must consent to share their data with Mira.
Oura is a smart ring that tracks sleep patterns, heart rate and body temperature.
Sylvia Kang, chief executive and founder of Mira. said: “Hormones affect nearly every system in the body, yet are rarely measured or contextualised with daily health signals.
“By bringing these data streams together in one app, Mira and Oura help women move beyond isolated metrics to understand patterns.
“By connecting hormone data with daily health signals, we’re giving women insights they can act on, whether managing fertility, navigating perimenopause, or addressing hormonal imbalances.”
The integration supports several health journeys.
In perimenopause and menopause, users can track temperature and sleep with hormone changes to spot disruptions and improve rest.
For fertility and menstrual cycle awareness, combining hormone data with temperature and wellness signals can help confirm ovulation and clarify cycle patterns.
Users can also link fatigue or poor sleep with hormonal shifts to inform clinical discussions.
Dr Chris Curry is clinical director of women’s health at Oura.
Curry said: “Hormonal changes play a critical role in how women feel each day and are a through line that connects so many aspects of health, from first periods, to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, perimenopause and beyond.
“By combining Mira’s lab-grade hormone data with Oura’s continuous biometrics, we’re helping women see how hormonal shifts show up in their everyday lives.
“This integrated view supports our goal of always supporting body literacy.”
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