MIDLIFE HEALTH & WELLBEING: (Meno)Pause for thought

Menopause continues to be a hot topic for discussion, especially when research by the Family Law Menopause Project (FLMP), in conjunction with Newson Health, has shown that menopause is not only statistically linked to divorce but is very likely to be causative in some cases – 7 in 10 women in menopause reported problems in their marriage or relationship because of it. This has wide-spread ramifications for family practitioners, who are often advising at this time and should be re-calibrating how they onboard or deliver client care to ensure reasonable adjustments are made for their clients. The FLMP research also shows that recognising the client’s struggle with lengthy forms/deadlines/hostile correspondence is important, along with making allowances for faulty memory or conflicting instructions. The double curse of confusion followed by capitulation is a real issue being reported by women suffering menopausal symptoms during the legal journey, which means the practitioner needs to be vigilant and guard against it. The adviser who simply buries their head alongside the client is to be avoided. Even Oprah Winfrey has now picked up on FMLP research in her March 2025 edition of “Oprah Daily” magazine, which amplifies the universality of the menopause message and its far-reaching tentacles – few things are left untouched, including relationships.

Unfortunately, there has not been enough consideration of how challenging menopause can also be for the many family law practitioners who daily fly the flag for their clients but may be privately buffeted by their own menopause symptoms. Women in the legal profession now amount to 60% of all new entrants, which means menopause is a doubly important consideration for legal professionals.

Very simply, menopause is the time when periods stop due to declining hormone levels, in particular circulating blood oestrogen. Usually, hormones start dropping around the age of 45–55 with average age of menopause at age 51. The physical and psychological symptoms can be experienced many years in advance, during what is known as perimenopause, where hormones can start fluctuating wildly before they drop dramatically. The symptoms can impact significantly on everyday life, and can include serious anxiety and low mood, sleep problems, claustrophobia, brain fog, depression, worsening migraines, heart palpitations, joint aches and profound fatigue – to name a few of the 48 or so recognised symptoms.

Some studies suggest symptoms are not simply a consequence of hormonal changes during menopausal transition but can be complicated by a domino effect where one symptom causes others. For example, headaches and insomnia can affect concentration; insomnia can be caused by anxiety or night sweats. Hot flushes can lead to stress or loss of confidence, and vice versa. Whether domino effect or not, research from UCL Social Research Institute and UCL Department of Economics suggests that the number of menopause symptoms women face at age 50 is associated with lower employment rates.

The statistics surrounding menopause are sobering:

• Symptoms can typically last up to eight years but can last longer (ethnicity can have an impact on severity of symptoms and duration).
• Three quarters of women said menopause had noticeable or significant impact upon them (only one in four women experienced few or no noticeable symptoms)
• Most menopausal women remain unwilling to disclose menopause-related health problems for fear of discrimination, ridicule or embarrassment. Outdated gender and age-related stereotypes are sadly prevalent everywhere and societal stigma, inadequate diagnosis and treatment, and workplace detriment are common across many professions and workplaces.
• It is estimated that poor workplace management of the menopause costs the UK economy 14m working days each year.

Andropause or male menopause, which involves a gradual decline in testosterone where a typical man by age 75 will have lost 30% of the testosterone he had at age 25 (but still often remains within normal range although perhaps with lower sex drive and motivation), is markedly different. In menopause there is an abrupt and dramatic drop in hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) which is sadly why suicidality for older women in menopause transition is pronounced compared to younger cohorts of women.

Menopause is an endocrine problem which effects 100% of women during mid-life if not indeed sooner through medical or surgical menopause. Women in menopause now represent the fastest growing workforce demographic, and as reported by the Women and Equalities Committee in 2022, 59% of working women find their job challenging due to menopausal symptoms. Similarly, a 2023 CIPD report found that most working women surveyed have experienced symptoms relating to menopause transition and over half have been unable to go into work at some point due to symptoms. The CIPD further reported that more than a quarter of respondents considered that menopause has had a negative impact on their career progression and around one in six have considered leaving work due to a lack of support, with many more having just simply quit (one in 10 according to some reports), which is a huge drain of female talent.

Farhana (left) with journalist and author, Kate Muir, and Dr Laura Janes (right) at the inaugural PAMELA event organised by LAPG in June 2025. PAMELA is a new support network focused on the implications of the (peri)menopause for legal aid lawyers and the advice sector.

It is well known that family law practitioners in England & Wales are disproportionately female and older, so facing this issue and discussing it openly is a priority. Imogen Robins, family law barrister at 3PB, explains in her brilliant FLJ article “Towards a menopause-friendly family law practice” that even small but vital adjustments can make a huge difference and will ensure that a workplace/courtroom is menopause-friendly and fit for purpose. This can include implementing training to help break down the stigma attached to women in this phase of life, as well as more obvious examples such as access to air-conditioning, flexible working, time off for GP appointments, a desk fan and menopause champions. Undertaking training and becoming menopause-friendly has significant benefits, especially when it is reported it costs on average £30,000 to replace an employee. If workplaces are depleted by mid-life women leaving employment, progressive initiatives including cascading knowledge and normalising menopause conversations, are bound to make very good business sense and help to retain talent who might otherwise leave or reduce hours.

The key message to take away is conversation around menopause needs to be changed for the better. People going through menopause need to feel comfortable to speak openly about its impact and the way legal work is conducted needs to be adapted to meet the changing needs of its workforce so legal practitioners (and their businesses and clients) can thrive.

Farhana Shahzady, Beck Fitzgerald and founder of the Family Law Menopause Project

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