Menopause study: mood symptoms, not hot flashes, tied to women quitting work
Representative image: Pexels / Pixabay
A Japanese study of 1,600 working women aged 45-60, released on October 20, 2026, found psychological menopause symptoms most strongly linked to plans to quit work.
What Happened
A study of more than 1,600 working women in Japan has found that the psychological symptoms of menopause are more strongly linked to women thinking about leaving their jobs than physical symptoms. The findings were released by The Menopause Society on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, ahead of their presentation at the society's 2026 Annual Meeting in San Diego, which runs from October 20 to 24. The lead author is Dr Mariko Ogawa of Fukushima Medical University in Japan.
Key Facts
- Who was studied: more than 1,600 perimenopausal and postmenopausal working women aged 45 to 60 in Japan.
- What was measured: turnover intention, meaning whether a woman is thinking of leaving her job, alongside 13 factors including the three parts of the Menopause Rating Scale (psychological, somatic and urogenital symptoms).
- Main finding: the psychological symptom score had the strongest independent link with intention to leave work.
- After the researchers adjusted for all factors together, caregiving roles and physical (somatic) and urogenital symptoms were no longer significantly linked to turnover intention.
- Where it will be presented: the 2026 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society, San Diego, October 20 to 24, 2026.
- Study type: a cross-sectional study presented at a conference, which shows associations at one point in time rather than proving cause.
Why It Matters
Menopause is the point at which a woman's periods stop permanently, and perimenopause is the transition before it. The women in this study were aged 45 to 60, years in which many women hold senior roles at work and also carry caring responsibilities at home. If symptoms in these years push experienced women out of work, both the women and their employers lose.
Much of the public discussion of menopause at work has focused on physical symptoms and on practical fixes for them. This study suggests that the symptoms that matter most for whether a woman stays in her job may be psychological ones, which are harder to see and easier to dismiss. Experts at The Menopause Society said the findings point to the importance of recognising mood-related symptoms, not only physical ones, when thinking about women's working lives in midlife.
The study has limits that readers should keep in mind. It measured women's intention to leave, not whether they actually left. It was a cross-sectional survey, so it cannot show that the symptoms caused the intention to quit. It was carried out in Japan, whose workplaces and social expectations differ from India's, and the detailed results will be presented at a conference rather than published in a peer-reviewed journal for now.
For Indian working women, the study has no Indian data, but the question it raises is relevant: whether workplaces, managers and women themselves treat the emotional side of menopause as a real health issue that deserves attention and support, in the same way as physical symptoms. Any decision about symptoms or treatment is one to take with a doctor.
Impact
Short-term: The findings add to the evidence being discussed by doctors, researchers and employers at this week's Menopause Society meeting, and may prompt employers to look at how they support women's mental health in midlife.
Long-term: If later research confirms the link, workplace menopause policies may widen from physical comfort measures to include mental health support, with the aim of keeping experienced women in work.
Who is affected: Working women in their 40s and 50s, their managers and employers, human resources and occupational health teams, and doctors who treat menopause.
Key Takeaway
A Japanese study of 1,600 working women aged 45 to 60, released on October 20, 2026, found that psychological menopause symptoms were the factor most strongly linked to thoughts of leaving work.
Questions and Answers
What did the menopause and work study find?
Among more than 1,600 working women aged 45 to 60 in Japan, psychological menopause symptoms had the strongest independent link with thinking about leaving their job. Physical and urogenital symptoms and caregiving roles were not significant once all factors were considered together.
Who carried out the study?
The lead author is Dr Mariko Ogawa of Fukushima Medical University in Japan. The findings were released by The Menopause Society on October 20, 2026 and are being presented at its 2026 Annual Meeting in San Diego.
Does the study prove menopause symptoms make women quit?
No. It is a cross-sectional study that measured the intention to leave, not actual resignations, so it shows a link rather than cause and effect.
Where were the findings presented?
At the 2026 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in San Diego, held from October 20 to 24, 2026. The society released a summary of the study on October 20.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
