Today marks the 10th anniversary of the first  World Menopause Day. The global awareness day, which was established by the International Menopause Society, has been observed since 2009 to show support to women across the globe and to recognise the challenges of menopausal symptoms and related conditions. 

The last ten years have seen significant medical advances and vastly increased public awareness of the effects of the menopause but experts say there is still a lot more that needs to be done to improve the experience of menopause for millions of women. 

Menopause related health issues can occur before, during and beyond the menopause and common symptoms include difficultly sleeping, low mood or anxiety, hot flushes, night sweats, reduced sex drive, vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex, reduced muscle mass, memory problems and headaches.

World Menopause Day aims to raise awareness of these issues and consequently improve the experiences of women going through the menopause.

Professor Susan Davis, President of the International Menopause Society said:  

The menopause is a natural part of the female life cycle but it’s not something we talk about enough. We’ve taken giant leaps in awareness raising in the last ten years and we’re seeing the start of a global conversation about the experiences of menopausal women. 

Image: IMS