Menopause issues forcing women to quit jobs or cut back hours

Symptoms of the menopause and a lack of support are forcing some women to take time off work and even leave their jobs, new research has suggested.

A poll of 3,800 women in the UK found that most felt the menopause or the months and years leading up to it, known as the perimenopause, had had a huge impact on their careers.

The research was carried out for Dr Louise Newson, who runs the not-for-profit Newson Health Research And Education. She has worked with celebrities including TV presenter Davina Mccall on raising awareness of what women go through when they hit the menopause.

The 12-question survey, which is being presented at the Royal College of GPS’ annual conference, was promoted in Newson’s newsletter and on its social media to attract respondents.

The survey found 99 per cent of women felt their symptoms had led to a negative impact on their careers, with more than a third calling the impact “significant”.

Some 59 per cent had taken time off work due to their symptoms, with 18 per cent being off more than eight weeks. Reasons included reduced efficiency (45 per cent), poor quality of work (26 per cent) and poor concentration (7 per cent).

Half of those who took at least eight weeks off work then resigned or took early retirement. One in five (21 per cent) women passed on the chance to go for a promotion they would have otherwise considered, 19 per cent reduced their hours and 12 per cent resigned.

A majority (60 per cent) said their workplace offered no menopause support.

Of those women who were issued a sick note, 5 per cent had menopause cited on their certificate, while more than a third had anxiety or stress documented. Only one in four (26 per cent) women discussed their hormones with their doctor, with 30 per cent prescribed antidepressants.

Dr Newson said: “For far too long menopausal women have been faced with an impossible choice: struggle on with often debilitating symptoms or leave behind careers they have worked so hard for.

“The issues raised in this survey show not only an urgent need to improve menopause support in the workplace but also access to evidence-based menopause information and treatment to ease and improve symptoms.”