Economic Impact of Menopause: Individual and Collective Costs

By Jennifer Sauer, AARP Research, Laura Mehegan, AARP Research,

Alicia R. Williams

Aisha Bonner Cozad

Cheryl L. Lampkin

Monica Ekman, AARP Research

While menopause is the natural decline of reproductive hormones in women, this time in life can put them at an increased risk for a number of health conditions including heart disease,

stroke, osteoporosis, or Type 2 diabetes to name a few.

But the cost of menopause is more than physical, cognitive, and emotional. Untreated menopause symptoms can interfere with worker performance, productivity, and motivation.  A national

survey by AARP reveals 90% of women ages 35-plus experience one or more menopause symptoms — in fact, five different ones, on average, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes.

With nearly 50 million women in the U.S. labor force in that age group and symptoms often lasting up to a decade or longer, menopause can have significant economic implications on both

employers and female workers, and ultimately, the U.S. economy. The Mayo Clinic estimates the costs of worker productivity losses due to menopausal symptoms to be about $1.8 billion and

related health care costs total over $24 billion.

As women seek relief — medical and nonmedical — their pocketbooks also take a hit. Overall, AARP’s survey estimates that women spend about $13 billion a year to treat their menopause

symptoms on several measures such as dietary supplements, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and copays for health care visits related to menopause.

Menopause can take a toll on women in the workplace. The AARP survey found that while most women are powering through their menopause symptoms on the job, with few making any significant

changes to compensate, some report using various employer leave options for their menopause symptoms.  A small number have considered leaving their job or resigning because of their

symptoms.

Despite their determination to do their job well while experiencing interfering symptoms, this survey shows that women need employer support and menopause-specific benefits, and employers

need to hear from their female workers about their needs. Survey respondents also have high expectations in the policy arena: Most women and employers would like lawmakers to do more to

ensure all women can access high-quality, personalized menopause care and treatment, including access to hormone replacement therapy.

The research highlights the need for employers, the healthcare industry, and policy makers to consider workplace benefits, resources, personalized care, and legislation to better support

women through this life transition.

Key Findings

million on copays, and over $2.7 billion on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).Nearly four in ten workers (38%) and less than a third of employers (31%) say menopause is not discussed at

work.Most employers (73%) and over half of women (54%) agree that employers need to do more to support workers in menopause.And both employers (74%) and women (64%) want policy makers to do

more to ensure that all women can access high-quality, personalized menopause care and treatment, including access to hormone replacement therapy.

Methodology

The September 2023 surveys (online and phone) included women ages 35 and older who have experienced at least one menopause symptom and are either currently working or have been employed in

the past, and employers with 50 or more employees. The national sample of 1,510 women included an oversample of Black, Hispanic, and Asian American adults. The employer survey yielded 403

completed interviews with benefits decision-makers at companies with at least 50 employees.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Sauer at [email protected]. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at [email protected].

Suggested Citation:

Sauer, Jennifer, Laura Mehegan, Alicia R. Williams, Aisha Cozad, Cheryl Lampkin, Monica Ekman. The Economic Impact of Menopause: A survey of Women 35+ and Employers. Washington, DC: AARP

Research, January 2024. https://doi.org/10.26419/res.00720.001

MORE FROM AARP

January 2025 Employment Data Digest

A monthly digest of BLS employment data that examines findings from the Employment Situation Report for people ages 55+

Older Workers and Self-Employment

Drawing on self-employment data from monthly and annual Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Population Survey (CPS) outputs, this Fact Sheet provides details on self-employment trends

among various age groups and other demographic groups such as sex, race, and ethnicity, and worker characteristics like education level and income.

Money Is Still a Driver of Job Change Among Older Workers

Older job seekers want  more money, but they recognize obstacles like age discrimination, AI, and need for help with some aspects of the job search.

Caregiving While Working Requires Employer Flexibility

Working family caregivers need support from their employers such as telework, paid time off, and hybrid work schedules. Benefits can still fall short.

{ "maxItems":5, "itemsPerRow":"3", "rows":"4", "loadMore":"6", "adsNum":"0", "resultsLength":"5" }