Menopause and perimenopause symptoms in India are being worsened by climate change impacts such as heatwaves and air pollution. These environmental stressors can intensify symptoms like hot flushes, fatigue, insomnia, and cardiovascular risks for the estimated 150 million menopausal women in the country.
Women in informal labor are disproportionately affected. They face greater heat exposure, wage loss, limited access to healthcare, and inadequate workplace protections, all of which compound menopausal symptoms. Climate stress, coupled with existing social inequalities, shapes the menopause experience beyond just a biological event.
While public health discussions in India have increasingly addressed reproductive health, menopause remains largely overlooked. The article suggests that Indian health policies and surveys need to extend their focus beyond reproductive age to acknowledge menopause as a life stage significantly influenced by health, work, environment, and societal inequalities.
Source: Down To Earth