Menopause without taboos in the Kulczyk Foundation report

Although 70% of Polish women believe that menopause is an important moment in a woman’s life, as many as 93% of those surveyed cannot define it correctly, according to a report commissioned by the Kulczyk Foundation and presented by Dominika Kulczyk during the Women’s Congress in Poznań on September 2nd. This is the first study of its kind in Poland.

By publishing this report, we are dispelling stereotypes, providing knowledge, and sparking a discussion about the need for change in the medical education system. Our goal is to help women navigate these difficult times with dignity.

“At the Kulczyk Foundation, we recognize “unaddressed” topics – problems that receive too little attention in public debate and in the actions of official institutions. Menopause is certainly one of these topics, as it impacts many aspects of women’s lives. It’s important, yet it’s not talked about enough. We want our report to contribute to a broader discussion on the topic and to be the first domino that will change the situation in this area,” explains Dominika Kulczyk.

Following a successful campaign on menstrual health, culminating in the submission of a bill to the Sejm to ensure free access to menstrual hygiene products and menstrual education, the organization is drawing attention to another issue of crucial importance to women, yet overlooked in the public sphere. The definitive cessation of menstruation and the symptoms that precede and follow it are rarely the subject of media attention and are practically absent from cultural representations – films, TV series, and books – or are presented in a satirical manner. Where to find information and how to cope with this situation – these are the questions answered in the recently published Kulczyk Foundation report, “Menopause Without Taboos.”

“Women who haven’t yet entered this stage of life usually don’t hear about it from other important women in their lives – mothers, friends, colleagues – because menopause is still taboo,” the report’s authors note. Anna Buchner, Katarzyna Fereniec -Błońska, Agnieszka Murawska, and Maria Wierzbicka-Tarkowska from the “Ciekawość” research and development center conducted research among Polish women and men about menopause and also spoke with experts. The result of their work, the report, was presented on September 2nd during the 15th Women’s Congress in Poznań, which Dominika Kulczyk attended.

Challenges and opportunities

“Menopause is associated with changes in a woman’s life, in her body and mind. These are natural processes accompanying the transition to a new stage of life. One different from the previous ones, bringing challenges but also new opportunities,” explains the president of the Kulczyk Foundation. “To face challenges and seize opportunities, women must be knowledgeable about what they are going through and what can help them. That’s why we commissioned a comprehensive report on menopause, and with its publication, we launch a campaign with several goals,” announces the entrepreneur and philanthropist.

These goals, in addition to providing Polish women with the necessary knowledge to help them through the difficult time of transition, also include breaking down stereotypes, changing the language used in relation to menopause and attitudes towards it, and making the medical community and decision-makers aware of the need for changes in the education of healthcare personnel.

For knowledge, not only on the Internet

According to the report, 82% of Polish women are concerned about menopausal symptoms, with participants most frequently mentioning hot flashes, sudden, intense sweating, mood swings, bouts of tearfulness, and irritability. Unfortunately, only half of those surveyed are aware of hormone replacement therapy, which experts consider the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms.

“Over 70% of Polish pre-menopausal women describe their knowledge of the condition as poor or difficult to define. They most often learn about it online (46%) or from doctors (40%), with 54% of surveyed women believing that doctors lack a holistic approach to menopause. They need to discuss the changes occurring throughout a woman’s body, not just the reproductive system,” emphasizes Joanna Maliszewska- Mazek from the Kulczyk Foundation.

Midwives are the professional group with the most extensive knowledge on this topic and best prepared through their education to impart it to women. However, although 72% of women agree that midwives’ role, in addition to caring for pregnant women, is also to support them during menopause, only 3% would consult a midwife during this period.

“We want to reach out to women with the information that they can turn to midwives for answers to their questions. However, research data also shows that it’s worth considering changes to the medical education system so that women can gain more information about menopause and its health aspects from midwives, rather than primarily from the internet, ” adds Joanna Maliszewska- Mazek .

Fear of invisibility and ridicule

According to the report, nearly half of Polish women believe menopause is a taboo subject. While women want to discuss it with their doctor, partner, or friend, they are also afraid of such conversations. Why? According to Dr. Alicja Długołęcka (psychosexual educator and psychotherapist), quoted in the report, the reason is a fear of how they will be perceived. According to the expert, women over fifty become “invisible” in the popular perception.

– It is a fear of losing sexuality, a fear of going beyond the standard that applies to young women – an athletic, slim body that complies with some body canon – notes Dr. Długołęcka.

The language we use to discuss menopause, when the topic does come up, doesn’t help either. Words often associated with menopause, such as “climacteric” are considered negative (by 71% and 52% of Polish women, respectively) and carry a heavy burden of negative connotations. Women fear a deterioration in their relationships with partners, and some are subject to ridicule and dismissal due to the visible symptoms of menopause. The results of studies on menopause in the context of professional life are particularly disturbing: as many as 56% of women would not tell their employer or supervisor about their menopause.

“There’s a lot to be done in this area. We need to educate both women—because knowledge brings peace and confidence—and employers, so that their relationships with female employees become more sensitive and understanding,” says Dominika Kulczyk, for whom a female perspective in business and supporting women in the areas of consciousness, body, and being have long been crucial.

Not fading but fruiting

Although the Kulczyk Foundation report touches on challenging topics related to menopause, its overall tone is optimistic. While 45% of Polish women before menopause have negative associations with it, 56% of postmenopausal women have neutral associations. Women also see positives associated with this period – half of them believe that menopause is a relief from the absence of periods, a lack of fear of unwanted pregnancy, and a time when they can focus on themselves and their needs and begin living life to the fullest.

“Women no longer want to think of menopause as the end of their potential. The period of fitness and activity in various spheres of life is shifting to a more advanced age, so it’s probably no longer appropriate to think of a 50-year-old as a matron. And no 50-year-old would think of herself that way today,” says psychologist Professor Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz, quoted in the report.

“Since we have blooming and fading, let’s think about fruit trees. What happens after the flowers fade? Fruiting begins. And I see that some of my patients actually reap the fruits of their experiences, their wisdom. Children are raised, toxic relationships often end, and new relationships emerge. This can be a wonderful time,” summarizes another expert, gynecologist Tadeusz Oleszczuk.

“We hope that, as with our campaign on menstruation, which also began with a pioneering report, this time too we will succeed in breaking the taboo surrounding this important topic for women. Therefore, we encourage everyone, not just women, to read our report on menopause. Let this be the first domino to trigger a process of change in our attitudes, awareness, relationships, and professional lives,” encourages Dominika Kulczyk.