Factors associated with non-vasomotor menopause symptoms experienced by 7285 women: a UK-wide national survey
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Objective
To investigate the factors associated with non-vasomotor menopause symptoms among women in the UK, focusing on the perceived importance of specific symptoms and their association with demographic and treatment-related factors.
Design
A cross-sectional online survey.
Setting
UK-wide national survey conducted from February to March 2023.
Population or Sample
A total of 7285 women completed the survey.
Methods
Participants provided anonymised demographic data and rated the importance of five menopause symptoms (‘low mood’, ‘brain fog’, ‘aches and pains’, ‘feeling tired’, and ‘weight gain’) using a 10-point Likert scale. The full questionnaire is provided in Supporting Information. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between symptom importance scores and specific characteristics, including age, HRT and non-HRT treatment, ethnicity, and geographical location.
Main Outcome Measures
Importance scores of menopause symptoms stratified by demographic and treatment factors.
Results
Significant differences were identified in perceived symptom importance across age groups, geographic locations, ethnic backgrounds, and treatment status. Brain fog was the most frequently prioritised symptom overall. Several moderate-strength associations were observed: for example, HRT use was associated with higher importance ratings for brain fog, tiredness, low mood, and aches and pains. Ethnic minority women (Asian and Black) also gave higher importance ratings to brain fog.
Conclusions
The findings highlight the prominence of cognitive and psychological symptoms during menopause and the influence of demographic and treatment variables on symptom prioritisation. These results support the need for personalised and inclusive menopause care that addresses a wider range of symptom concerns beyond vasomotor issues. These findings have implications for public health policy and financial investment.
To investigate the factors associated with non-vasomotor menopause symptoms among women in the UK, focusing on the perceived importance of specific symptoms and their association with demographic and treatment-related factors.
Design
A cross-sectional online survey.
Setting
UK-wide national survey conducted from February to March 2023.
Population or Sample
A total of 7285 women completed the survey.
Methods
Participants provided anonymised demographic data and rated the importance of five menopause symptoms (‘low mood’, ‘brain fog’, ‘aches and pains’, ‘feeling tired’, and ‘weight gain’) using a 10-point Likert scale. The full questionnaire is provided in Supporting Information. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between symptom importance scores and specific characteristics, including age, HRT and non-HRT treatment, ethnicity, and geographical location.
Main Outcome Measures
Importance scores of menopause symptoms stratified by demographic and treatment factors.
Results
Significant differences were identified in perceived symptom importance across age groups, geographic locations, ethnic backgrounds, and treatment status. Brain fog was the most frequently prioritised symptom overall. Several moderate-strength associations were observed: for example, HRT use was associated with higher importance ratings for brain fog, tiredness, low mood, and aches and pains. Ethnic minority women (Asian and Black) also gave higher importance ratings to brain fog.
Conclusions
The findings highlight the prominence of cognitive and psychological symptoms during menopause and the influence of demographic and treatment variables on symptom prioritisation. These results support the need for personalised and inclusive menopause care that addresses a wider range of symptom concerns beyond vasomotor issues. These findings have implications for public health policy and financial investment.
Date Issued
2025-09-01
Date Acceptance
2025-08-07
Citation
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2025
ISSN
1470-0328
Publisher
Wiley
Journal / Book Title
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40888199
Subjects
ATTITUDES
HEALTH
HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
IMPACT
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
menopause
MIDLIFE
MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
national survey
Obstetrics & Gynecology
physical symptoms
POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN
psychological symptoms
QUALITY-OF-LIFE
Science & Technology
symptom prioritisation
TRANSITION
WEIGHT-GAIN
Publication Status
Published online
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
1471-0528.18353
Date Publish Online
2025-09-01