Opinion: The Menopause Gap We Don’t Talk About, And Why Data Could Change Everything

“When the menopause enlightenment happened, non-white women were still not part of the conversation.” - Bami Adenipekun, equity consultant.

The recent BBC article “Marginalised and Menopausal” shines a spotlight on the unique and too often overlooked menopause experiences of women from ethnic minority backgrounds. We know that women in different cultures experience menopause differently; some have more intense hot flashes, and some reach menopause earlier, and for others, menopause is a taboo topic. The BBC’s article emphasises how cultural stigma, systemic bias, and a lack of representative data continue to leave many women misdiagnosed, unsupported, or suffering in silence.

The future of menopause care depends on closing the data gap across the life course, so women of all ethnicities can access timely, personalised care informed by their unique health journeys.