Launch of Canadian Menopause Coalition
Canada’s female baby boom generation is rolling into its fifties, meaning that the number of women hitting the menopause, or perimenopause, milestone will peak this year. The significance of this huge demographic wave has not gone unnoticed by the health-care professionals focused on women’s health. Just days before the international observance of World Menopause Day on October 18, an alliance of 14 national health organizations launched the Canadian Menopause Coalition, a diverse national partnership that will to put a spotlight on menopause and women’s health at midlife.
Menopause is a natural health transition that affects all women as the hormones that allow them to conceive diminish and they exit the reproductive phase of their lives. For some “the change” is easy and gradual, for others troublesome symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and mood swings can sometimes get in the way of a woman’s ability to achieve her goals and maintain her quality of life.
Since the menopause transition has potential implications for women in all aspects of their lives ─ their physical and mental health, their cognitive ability, their emotional state, as well as the quality of their family and work life – the Coalition wants to bring the issue out of the shadows. The goal is to raise awareness and understanding while speeding up the knowledge transfer process that conveys up-to-date research evidence to women and the health professionals who care for them.
Collaboration, information sharing, communication and health practitioner education will be the priority of the Coalition. Coalition members will use their respective communication channels and networks to distribute timely, credible information about menopause and midlife health to women, health-care professionals and the media. In addition to providing core information about menopause, the Coalition hopes to enlighten women about the related need to focus on wellness and lifestyle issues at this time in their lives. Women should also be aware of their risks for osteoporosis, heart health and a range of other age-related health conditions.
The Coalition is also determined to address the unique health and information needs of Aboriginal women, women in rural and remote locations, new Canadians and women who have experienced surgical menopause.
The Canadian Menopause Coalition includes representatives from:
Two other organizations will participate as observers:
· Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors
· Canadian Rheumatology Association
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada’s menopause website, www.menopauseandu.ca, will house much of the new information flowing from the research community or from specific health disciplines. The Coalition will also have its own website, canadianmenopausecoalition.ca
