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Women deserve the care they need during critical life stages
Despite its profound impact, menopause is surprisingly neglected in medical education here and abroad.
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A new European study has found that physical activity appears to boost well-being for women at all stages of menopause and could also help post-menopausal women reduce symptoms of depression. (Shutterstock/karelnoppe)
D
id you know that May 28 marked the International Day of Action for Women’s Health? Probably not, even though it pertains to over half of the world's population.
For over 30 years, women’s rights advocates and allies of the health care for women movement worldwide have commemorated May 28 in diverse ways, yet awareness of women’s health in Indonesia remains insufficient.
However, the International Day of Action for Women’s Health serves as a crucial reminder to prioritize women’s health care and well-being in this country and globally. It is a time to reflect on progress, acknowledge persistent challenges and galvanize collective efforts to ensure every Indonesian woman has access to quality health care and a life of dignity.
A significant and often neglected challenge for women is the perimenopause to menopause transition. Menopause affects 100 percent of women above the age of 50, and many even sooner. But despite its impact on all women, women navigating this phase often feel alone and abandoned by the medical community.
Symptoms are frequently dismissed as mere complaints. Menopause encompasses more than just hot flashes; it affects the musculoskeletal system, increases vulnerability to genitourinary infections and poses risks to brain health.
Despite its profound impact, menopause is surprisingly neglected in medical education here and abroad. Discussions about women’s hormones focus on puberty, pregnancy and fertility, then fall off a cliff – along with our sex hormones – leaving a critical gap in women’s health care.
The neglect of perimenopause and menopause in health care can have severe consequences. Women experiencing these transitions often face a range of symptoms including mood swings, sleep disturbances and cognitive changes, which can significantly impair their quality of life.
