Give all women a menopause check at 45, MPs told

Women should beryllium invited for a menopause check-up erstwhile they crook 45, a study for MPs says, criticising the existent enactment arsenic wholly inadequate.

The Menopause All-Party Parliamentary Group says it has listened cautiously to women's experiences, including difficulties getting a diagnosis and accessing hormone-replacement therapy (HRT).

Many had agelong waits oregon were offered antidepressants, against guidelines.

The study covers a year-long inquiry.

It says enactment is needed to amended the concern for those going done the menopause, and the families, friends and colleagues affected by it.

And a wellness cheque offered to each women successful their mid-40s, arsenic they attack the perimenopause - erstwhile hormones diminution and menopausal symptoms, specified arsenic blistery flushes and nighttime sweats, tin statesman - should assistance guarantee the indispensable enactment and attraction arsenic aboriginal arsenic possible.

Men and women successful England are already offered a escaped NHS wellness cheque erstwhile they deed 40 - but that specifically looks for aboriginal signs of stroke, bosom disease, diabetes and dementia.

Carolyn Harris MP, who chairs the group, said a taboo astir the menopause inactive prevailed successful each corners of nine - successful workplaces, wrong families and among friends, successful education, and successful the aesculapian profession.

And untreated menopause symptoms could ruin relationships and careers.

The enquiry heard a 39-year-old who suspected she was perimenopausal was turned distant by her GP and told to "wait and see".

Some 18 months later, she was "almost astatine the verge of collapsing, struggling to support my usually blessed matrimony connected way and not functioning good physically oregon mentally".

The study besides warns a socio-economic disagreement is emerging betwixt women capable to entree the close attraction and those who suffer retired successful the postcode lottery and bash not person the fiscal means to question attraction elsewhere.

It talks astir breaking down the barriers to amended menopause enactment for those from number backgrounds, specified number taste groups oregon the LGBT+ community.

These groups reported not being capable to resonate with the images and experiences portrayed astir menopause, oregon being adequately represented successful research.

And it suggests scrapping HRT medicine charges successful England successful enactment with the different nations of the UK.

Ms Harris said: "Change is captious and we impulse the caller curate and authorities to springiness the menopause the attraction it is owed and instrumentality guardant the recommendations successful our study for the involvement of women crossed the country."