• The end of female fertile life has always been surrounded by taboos and controversies, and now there are finally initiatives to stop this from happening. In the United Kingdom a proposal has just been launched in Parliament with the aim of giving greater visibility to menopause, involving companies.

He was always in the 'sottovoce' range, within that tailor's drawer that are women's things. But today menopause is jumping to the headlines, wants to reach the Human Resources departments and could even reach the steering committees. At least, that is what is happening in the United Kingdom, where a campaign has begun, which is in Parliament, from which it is urged to take into account menopause within the work environment. It all started, says British MP Rachel MacLean, with migraines . This woman has been erected on the face and voice of menopause "for the simple reason that it began to affect me," he says. Those migraines were followed by stress and exhaustion: `` It took me a long time to discover that everything that happened to me was related to menopause. In that process I realized that this campaign was necessary. ''

This is `` a club that nobody wants to join, '' he explains, and talks about successful women who sink around 50 because of the physical and psychological effects that the end of the fertile stage can cause and that interrelate: hot flashes that cause insomnia, insomnia that causes memory loss and irritability, the irritability that leads to anxiety ... From her grandstand, real and metaphorical, Rachel MacLean claims that, just as advances in mental health have been achieved , gender pay gap, homophobia ..., this silent ghost should also be put under the magnifying glass: `` It is time for policy makers to better understand this natural stage of life, which can mark the flowering of a third age productive and happy. ''

Not only politicians. Also, says Professor Jo Brewis, from the University of Leicester, "it is extremely important that managers know what menopause is and what they can do to support women." Brewis is one of the authors of a review, commissioned by the Office of Equality of the Government of the United Kingdom and the Secretary of State for Education, Deputy Justine Greenieng, aimed at developing policies that guarantee a menopause-friendly working environment.

The matter is thorny, and there is no lack of anyone who calls it poisoned candy. "You have to be careful with these measures, because they can have the opposite effect and turn against women," says Dr. Francisca Molero, gynecologist and president of the Spanish Federation of Sexological Societies (FESS): "You can be throwing erroneous messages, like 'Poor things. They can never be stable, they are so changing ... '' ' One thing is ger day, that my company is comprehensive, and another to take it to the Human Resources department, '' he adds.

There is another risk: this campaign is emphasizing that menopausal women are perfectly positioned to contribute positively in all areas of life. "It is obvious that the mere fact of raising it could imply a dangerous setback," says Molero, who points out that "the really important thing is for women to have information on menopause and resources to, if needed, demand and receive professional help. ''

MATTER QUESTION

It is not a matter of black or white, but of nuances. Because it also seems clear that the visibility of menopause can have a very positive point, that of erasing the stigma that has always accompanied it (`` culturally, the menopausal word has been linked to a certain disdain, to a contempt, '' he explains Dr. Molero). From there, Dr. Santiago Palacios, creator in Spain of the first Menopause Unit, 35 years ago, points out that `` it is interesting to bring delicacy to a condition that does need attention. From a political-social point of view, I think it is positive to encourage the company to be sensitive towards the worker's problems. And the menopausal syndrome is a set of symptoms that 20% of women cause a significant decrease in their quality of life. But it is not just that a company policy is made, but that those women who suffer from it are not resigned: there are solutions, and they are safe. ''

The doctor refers to Hormone Therapy Substitute (THS), that treatment that, since its inception, has been surrounded by controversy. A controversy that, for both Molero and Palacios, is sterile: `` It is not something to be prescribed or discarded by system. The important thing is the indication. The majority of women go through this stage without their symptoms causing them great problems, so in their case THS is not indicated at all. But their quality of life is significantly reduced to others, and they have every right to receive truthful information about these treatments and to have their gynecologists prescribe them. ''

Monica is the case: `` Hormone therapy allowed me to recover my life. I had menopause very soon, at age 43, and I had so many symptoms, such as hot flashes, exhaustion, depression ..., I couldn't do anything. I was prescribed the THS and felt much better. A couple of years later my gynecologist withdrew it, believing it would be fine, but the symptoms immediately returned, and with the same strength. So I was, taking and retaking the medication, nothing less than 15 years. Everyone told me that it was outrageous, but it was really impossible for me to be without it. '' And would you have wanted a support policy in your company? We asked. "Actually, I wouldn't have liked to be the talk of the office," he replies.

His is an exceptional case, but there are many women - a million and a half, according to Dr. Palacios' estimates - for whom at some point hormonal treatment might be indicated. "Information is essential, that there is communication between the woman, her doctor and her environment."

Proposed measures in the United Kingdom

  • Provision of USB fans.
  • Introduction of time flexibility so that women can better deal with sleep loss.
  • Attention similar to that given in other stages, such as pregnancy or motherhood.
  • Promotion of work environments. open and supportive around the transition to this stage of life.
  • Greater organizational attention, in order to ensure that they have the best possible quality of work life.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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