How to Menopause

When Fadal started menopause, she was also going through a divorce, and like many women her age, she felt lost and unsure of her direction. Many women aren’t told anything about the experience of perimenopause and beyond, and many who seek treatment are told they are too young to be going through perimenopause. Fadal points out that inequalities in research have historically seen women’s health neglected and menopause particularly underexplored. Black women tend to have longer perimenopause and more severe symptoms but are less likely to receive treatment. Transgender and nonbinary people are often neglected as well. These inequalities can be amended by making menopause an important topic at the forefront of medical discussions.

This movement toward menopause awareness includes many well-known women, such as Oprah and Katie Couric, and October became Menopause Awareness Month in 2009. Still, there is a long way to go, and more research that needs to be done.

Fadal explains the differences between perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Perimenopause can last for years and includes all of the well-known symptoms and many unexpected ones. Menopause occurs when it has been over a year since the last menstrual cycle, and postmenopause encompasses everything after that.