Women experience 10% drop in earnings after menopause diagnosis: Study

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As if going through menopause wasn’t already annoying enough, but a recent study has concluded that women also experience a significant plunge in earnings after getting diagnosed.

Researchers from University College London, the University of Bergen, Stanford University, and the University of Delaware took a closer look at how menopause impacts women’s earnings, employment patterns, and demand for health-care services.

They found that women experience a 4.3% reduction in their earnings, on average, in the four years following a menopause diagnosis, with further losses of up to 10% by the fourth year.

The researchers analyzed data from Sweden and Norway, including medical records that identified the date of the first menopause diagnosis, with the study focusing on women diagnosed between the ages of 45 and 55, and born between 1961 and 1968.

The loss in income is mainly driven by women working fewer hours, namely those who either shifted from full-time to part-time roles, and others who stopped working altogether, impacting their financial stability.

The effect is particularly evident in women without a university degree, as they suffer a larger financial hit compared to their more educated counterparts, according to the study, published by University College London’s Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The environment of the workplace also plays a role in how menopause affects women’s careers, with those working at smaller, private-sector companies facing a larger decrease in earnings compared to women employed by larger, public-sector organizations, researchers noted.

They also found that menopause leads to more doctor visits and “a permanent increase in drug utilization — driven by medications used to alleviate the physical and mental health symptoms of menopause.”

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Aside from the physical, mental and economic challenges women face during menopause, the researchers urged that more information about menopause should be made available to women in order to have better access to menopause-related care.

While it may not be the norm, it is — or should be — realistic to ask for menopause help in the workplace.

“Menopause is a health transition that affects half the workforce — support shouldn’t be optional,” Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe, a menopause-certified family doctor and Felix menopause advisor, told The Toronto Sun.

“It’s OK to ask for flexibility, whether that’s a fan to stay cool, breaks, or remote work on tough days,” she said.

As for women better preparing themselves to handle the diagnosis and balancing some of the more crippling symptoms with their jobs, Wijayasinghe noted the “large knowledge gap when it comes to perimenopause and menopause” which can catch women off-guard and affect everyday functioning.

She suggested that women need to learn what to expect, from hot flashes to brain fog.

“Track how you feel, talk to your doctor early, and build a support team that includes care, information, and tools that work for you,” she continued.

And like with everything else, don’t wait to get help.

“Suffering through menopause symptoms doesn’t have to be the norm,” Wijayasinghe insisted, explaining that there are effective treatment options available, from lifestyle changes to non-hormonal and hormonal therapies.