Catherine Gianaro, a freelance writer and editor based in Chicago, has written about healthcare and higher education for more than three decades. With 90-plus awards in communications, she is well-versed in storytelling.
UIC menopause seminar featuring actress Halle Berry works to transform the conversation about women’s “personal summers”
In a bold move to reshape the conversation around menopause, actress and advocate Halle Berry took center stage at the University Club of Chicago this past week, joining forces with 12 influential medical and research experts.
The University of Illinois Chicago brought together the experts, who called for a critical shift in how society approaches menopause. They pushed for greater awareness, research, and policy reform to support women during this transformative life stage.
Halle Berry takes the spotlight
Berry, who has been candid about her own menopausal journey, shared a personal story that highlighted the widespread lack of understanding surrounding menopause — even in the medical community. “At 54 years old, I got a misdiagnosis of having herpes. It wasn’t herpes at all. It ended up being a very common symptom of perimenopause,” she says, explaining that she was actually experiencing vaginal dryness.
She also called out the gaps in medical education, noting that menopause is often overlooked in physician training. Only 13% of doctors in this country understand the emotional roller coaster that menopause can cause, Berry says, adding, “It’s one chapter in medical school — that means one hour of study.”
Berry has taken her message to Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to fund menopause research and education. She also recently launched Respin, a company that provides women with science-backed menopause resources.
Her remarks resonated with many at the seminar, particularly as she shared the emotional toll that this lack of understanding had on her health. The journey to menopause wasn’t just a physical transition but a deeply emotional and mental challenge, Berry says. “We need more than just a chapter or an hour of training. We need a nationwide push to equip every doctor with the knowledge to treat menopause with the care and respect it deserves.”
Economic impact
Pauline Maki, PhD, professor of psychiatry, psychology and obstetrics and gynecology at UIC, led the first panel, which explored the economic impact of menopause on the workforce.
Menopause-related symptoms contribute to $18 billion in lost work time annually in the U.S., with total costs — including medical expenses — reaching $26.6 billion each year, according to a Mayo Clinic study.
Maki emphasized that investing in menopause care could yield substantial financial benefits. “How much money could be saved in our healthcare system if we treated women’s symptoms and prevented chronic diseases? How many women have had to step away from work for a day, a week, or a month? Some even leave the workforce entirely.”
Makeba Williams, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University, added that menopause symptoms often force women out of the workplace at a critical stage in their careers. As many as 60% of women take time off due to menopause symptoms, which can result in both absenteeism and reduced productivity. “We see productivity loss about 12% an hour because of the distraction of these symptoms,” Williams said.
Williams also pointed out the financial strain on the healthcare system. “[Women are] going from doctor to doctor to doctor. They get misdiagnosed. We have increased healthcare utilization in the tunes of $24 billion,” she said.
There is an economic imperative for better menopause care, Maki said. “It just makes financial sense.”
Push for research and education
Discussions also focused on the lack of diverse menopause research. Alexandra Paget-Blanc, a PhD candidate who works in Maki’s lab, has focused on how menopause symptoms, particularly hot flashes, affect the cognitive function of Black and Brown women, populations that often suffer from severe symptoms and limited access to care.
Her study found that these women experience, on average, 20 to 40 hot flashes a day, contributing to significant sleep disturbances and cognitive impairments. This vulnerable population also faces an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, with Black women being one and a half to two times more likely to develop the disease. Her research, using wearable devices to measure hot flashes objectively, provides a crucial step forward in understanding and addressing these disparities.
The second panel also discussed new models of care aimed at addressing these inequities, including mobile health units, health cafés, and digital health tools designed to make menopause resources more accessible.
Global call for action
Sanjana Bhardwaj, MD, deputy co-chair of the World Economic Forum Global Alliance for Women’s Health and deputy director at the Gates Foundation, stressed the importance of addressing menopause care worldwide. Based on her work in public health across India, Africa, and Asia, she pointed out a major gap in care that needs urgent attention.
By 2030, 76% of menopausal-age women will be living in low- and middle-income countries, according to Bhardwaj. She stressed that policy shifts, funding, and cross-sector collaboration are essential. “You need [the] resources to be allocated. And to take anything to scale, you need the governments engaged,” she said.
Bhardwaj also highlighted data-driven research as a key to advancing menopause care, referencing a collaboration with the National Institutes of Health that identified 50 critical priorities for women’s health, including menopause. These findings are now integrated into the World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health, helping shape policies and awareness efforts worldwide.
Lt. Governor’s call to action
“The only way that we are going to close the women’s healthcare gap and leave better information for our daughters is by doing exactly what Halle Berry is doing: speaking up and acting out. And that starts in a room just like this,” Lt. Governor of Illinois Juliana Stratton said, addressing the critical need for policy change.
She pointed out that menopause research remains severely underfunded. “The NIH is America’s medical research agency, [yet] conditions predominantly affecting women are typically underfunded.”
She emphasized the broader issues surrounding women’s healthcare, such as attacks on federal funding, particularly under the Trump administration, are exacerbating research gaps.
Stratton also announced a step forward: Illinois filed a resolution to establish Menopause Awareness Week from Oct. 12 through Oct. 18, culminating on World Menopause Day. “This is an initial step to raise awareness and remind the whole state that menopause is not something to be feared. It’s something to be understood,” Stratton said. “We are going to change the off-the-cuff jokes about our personal summers into real collective power that will change the game for women in Illinois and serve as a blueprint for women across America.”
The seminar concluded with the announcement of UIC’s new Center for Health Awareness and Research on Menopause (CHARM), a strategic initiative to expand provider education, increase public awareness, and advance research on menopause care.
UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD, closed the event with a call for continued collaboration. “Meaningful change requires strong partnerships, dedicated allies, and the collective commitment of those who care deeply about women’s health.”
