New website empowers women to navigate menopause with confidence

Menopause remains one of the most under-discussed stages of life, even though more than 1 million women in the United States experience this natural biological transition each year. Often shrouded in stigma and misinformation, menopause is rarely addressed openly - even though it can profoundly affect a person's physical, emotional and mental health.

To help bridge this gap, clinicians and researchers who have collaborated on women's health for over 25 years created MyMenoplan.org. The comprehensive, evidence-based website offers personalized menopause information and decision-making tools designed to empower women to make informed healthcare choices. The website is open and free to everyone and does not require any type of registration or entering of personal information.

This tool guides a person through a discussion of the symptom, explains why it is common during menopause, and outlines treatment options that may help alleviate it."

Andrea LaCroix, Ph.D., M.P.H., distinguished professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego and principal investigator of the trial

In a recent randomized controlled trial published in the journal Maturitas that assessed the impact of MyMenoplan.org, researchers found that women using MyMenoplan.org reported:

• Increased intention to obtain treatment
• Improved menopause knowledge
• Enhanced decision-making progress
• Greater likelihood of revisiting and recommending the website

"One of the unique features of the website is the 'Create My Menoplan' tab, where a woman can explore a symptom she's experiencing, such as hot flashes, night sweats or trouble sleeping," said LaCroix. "The goal is for women to create their own personalized plan to explore treatments, prepare to speak with their doctors, and try different approaches to feel more comfortable during the menopause transition."

Implications for women's health

Findings from this trial support MyMenoplan.org, the first National Institutes of Health-funded website on menopause, as an effective resource for healthcare providers counseling patients who are experiencing perimenopause (the period of transition into menopause) or postmenopause (defined as having gone more than a year without a menstrual period).

From increased risks of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease to sleep disturbances and mood changes, the health consequences of untreated or poorly managed menopause can be significant. Yet, due to cultural taboos, lack of education and gaps in medical training, many women navigate this phase without the support or information they need.

"Ideally, when a woman schedules an appointment with their doctor to discuss menopause, her doctor might say, 'I look forward to speaking with you. Please review this website before your visit and bring any questions you have after reading through the information,'" said LaCroix.

"It's time to break the silence and bring menopause into the public conversation - because awareness is the first step toward better health outcomes."

Co-authors include: Leslie B. Snyder, University of Connecticut; Katherine M. Newton, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute; Hui Xin Ng, UC San Diego; Susan D. Reed, University of Washington School of Medicine; Katherine A. Guthrie, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; and Viviana Zambrano, University of Connecticut.

This research was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging (5R01AG048209).