More than 14 million women are affected by menopause in France, according to 2023 data from INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies). This is the period in a woman’s life when periods stop permanently. It generally occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. It is a natural phenomenon, the symptoms of which are hot flashes, fatigue, irritability, or even sleep disorders, as recalled by the Améli health insurance website.
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“We want the taboo to fall”
World Menopause Day takes place on October 18. “We, women aged 45 and over, want this subject to be in the news for more than just one day a year,” affirm the 26 signatories of a column published in the weekly La Tribune Sunday this Sunday, October 13. Among them, the actress Julie Gayet, the journalist Claire Fournier and the senator from Val-de-Marne (PS) Laurence Rossignol. “We want the taboo to fall and it to be possible to talk about it openly, without shame or stigma overwhelming us the moment the word is spoken,” they add.
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A lack of information
The signatories cite a study by the Women’s Foundation, according to which 37% of women say they do not have access to enough information about menopause. “Little by little, people are speaking out, but we want to emphasize the lack of resources and information that affects women of this age,” they write. The information must “be more accessible in doctors’ offices”.. The prevention assessment at age 45, free and 100% reimbursed, is “little used due to lack of information”, they say.
They call “to the development of research in women’s health, particularly from the age of 45 and we call on health agencies to carry out awareness campaigns, as is done in other countries”.
Menopause in school curricula
Furthermore, they ask that the parliamentary mission responsible for taking stock of the treatment of menopause, led by MP Stéphanie Rist, be “getting back on its feet quickly”. But also that menopause be mentioned in SVT programs in middle and high school or even in family planning, health centers, etc. Within companies, they want a space to be open, with an expert occasionally present in person. It’s necessary “promote speaking out through sharing times within the company”, they conclude.
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