Study Reveals Young Women Endure Menopause Symptoms in Silence - Video
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Overview
More than half of women ages 30 to 35 are already suffering moderate to severe symptoms associated with menopause, yet most women are waiting decades before seeking treatment, new research from UVA Health and the Flo women’s health app reveals.
The research sheds important light on “perimenopause,” the transition period leading to menopause. Many women in perimenopause assume they’re too young to be suffering symptoms related to menopause, believing that symptoms won’t appear until they reach their 50s. But this mistaken belief, the researchers say, only causes women to suffer in silence.
The new study analyzes symptoms self-reported by more than 4,400 American women ages 30 and older who responded to a survey conducted online and in the Flo app. Among women 30 to 35, 55.4% reported symptoms that meet the criteria for “moderate” or “severe” on the widely used Menopause Rating Scale. This number increased to 64.3% among women 36 to 40. Yet most women don’t seek treatment for menopause symptoms until they are 56 or older.
The researchers found that psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, depression and irritability, took hold long before physical symptoms. These symptoms reached their peak among women ages 41-45, then ebbed to their lowest in women ages 56 and over.
Physical problems such as sexual problems, bladder issues and vaginal dryness peaked in women 51 and older. These types of problems were lowest in women ages 30 to 35.
Some of the symptoms most classically associated with menopause, such as hot flashes and sweating, peaked at ages 51 to 55 and were lowest among women 30 to 35.
The researchers hope their results will help fill what they call an “alarming gap” in the understanding of perimenopause, improving care and support for women approaching menopause.
Ref: Cunningham, A.C., Hewings-Martin, Y., Wickham, A.P. et al. Perimenopause symptoms, severity, and healthcare seeking in women in the US. npj Womens Health 3, 12 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00061-3
Speakers
Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri
BDS, MDS
Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is a Consultant Orthodontist at Sanjeevan Hospital, Delhi. She is also working as a Correspondent and a Medical Writer at Medical Dialogues. She completed her BDS from Dr D Y patil dental college and MDS from Kalinga institute of dental sciences. Apart from dentistry, she has a strong research and scientific writing acumen. At Medical Dialogues, She focusses on medical news, dental news, dental FAQ and medical writing etc.