Integrating Climacteric Education into Core Health Curricula

The climacteric, which covers the transition through perimenopause, menopause (natural or induced), and post-menopause, is often overlooked in health education. This lack of awareness leaves many unprepared to handle the heightened health risks or understand how to lower them. Bringing climacteric education into standard health curricula can give people the knowledge they need, help break down stigma, and lead to better health outcomes for women overall.

Classroom setting at eye level

Understanding the Climacteric and Its Importance

The climacteric marks the period when a woman’s brain and body recalibrate from a reproductive to non-reproductive state, typically occurring between ages 40 and 60. The climacteric includes perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, each bringing distinct and measurable changes in the brain, particularly during perimenopause, that are unique to women.

Despite the recent national investment in women’s reproductive health, the climacteric, a universal phase of ageing that includes perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause, and the years of neurological and hormonal adaptation surrounding them, remains absent from the university’s core curriculum. This means that from next year, all future biomedical science graduates, from South Australia’s largest university, may complete their degrees without learning the basic biological and neurological principles underpinning the climacteric transition.  This omission directly affects how future scientists, researchers, educators and prospective clinicians understand and contextualise women’s health needs across the lifespan.

Benefits of Including Climacteric Education in Health Curricula

1. Reducing The Economic Burden of Climacteric-Related Care

In an ageing population, the projected economic implications are significant. National spending on mental-health services exceeds A$13 billion per year (AIHW 2023), while hip-fracture costs almost A$600 million per year, with each fracture averaging A$40,000 to A$45,000 (AIHW 2024). Although the climacteric transition increases vulnerability to mood, sleep and appetite disruption, bone loss and Alzheimer’s disease, the research shows that many of these outcomes may be preventable through lifestyle interventions, provided individuals have access to accurate, evidence-based information. Even a modest 1% reduction in climacteric-related health presentations or fractures, could save tens of millions of dollars annually. Midlife workforce losses linked to climacteric symptoms affect roughly one in five women aged 45 to 60 (APSC 2025).  Women’s unpaid-care work, valued at almost A$270 billion per year, underpins national productivity and social stability, by reducing avoidable health burdens and workforce withdrawal (ABS 2024; ABS 2025).

Promotes Early Awareness and Preparedness

this gap directly affects half of Australia’s population and indirectly affects the other half.  Around 6.5 million voting Australian women are currently over 40 and are likely navigating the climacteric transition (ABS 2023; AEC 2024). Research shows this phase brings measurable shifts in hormones, brain structure, volume and connectivity, energy metabolism and bone density (Mosconi et al 2021; Greendale et al 2022). Yet most women, even those with a university-level education in biomedical science, will experience these changes without ever having been taught what is happening to their bodies.  This leaves many unable to recognise symptoms, seek timely support, or make informed health decisions.

The other half of Australians, nearly 9 million men and gender-diverse individuals, are indirectly affected.  Partners and families often provide support without accurate information.  Employers face challenges in performance, absenteeism and retention linked to unaddressed symptoms or stigma (Office for Women 2024).  Healthcare professionals, expected to manage climacteric-related presentations despite limited training (Macpherson 2022; Davis et al. 2023).  Policymakers also bear the social and economic consequences of an under-informed healthcare system.

2. Reduces Stigma and Misinformation

In the absence of evidence-based education, misinformation may fill the void.  People may turn to unproven self-help products or commercial “solutions” marketed without scientific evidence.  This is compounded by declining trust in institutions (Edelman 2024) and the viral spread of misleading health content via social media and generative-AI platforms (Southwell & Thorson 2023).

While the climacteric can bring temporary and sometimes challenging symptoms, the evidence shows these effects are generally transient, stabilising as the brain adapts to a new hormonal environment (Mosconi et al 2021). This invisible yet profound transition represents a remarkable neurological recalibration, similar to the brain changes seen in puberty and pregnancy, and it occurs while women continue to meet their professional, family and community responsibilities. It is, in many ways, comparable to re-engineering an aircraft while it remains in flight.  Such resilience warrants not only strong representation within Australia’s education systems but also broader recognition of the extraordinary adaptability and capability that women demonstrate throughout this universal transition.

3. Supports Mental and Physical Health

Women in midlife face heightened risks of suicide and divorce. National data show female suicide rates peak at ages 50 to 54 (10 per 100,000) and in South Australia, the age-standardised suicide rate was 15 per 100,000 in 2022. A recent systematic review in the UK, found strong evidence linking the climacteric transition (especially the perimenopause phase) with suicidality (Hendriks et al 2024). The median age of divorce for women in Australia is 44 years (ABS 2025). Evidence-based education could help reduce psychological distress, relationship breakdown, stigma and the social isolation that research shows are key drivers of suicidality during this phase (Hendriks et al 2024).

4. Equips Healthcare Providers with Better Tools

Normalising the climacteric as a universal midlife neurological adaptation, akin to puberty, enables more accurate interpretation of symptoms and tailored prevention and treatment strategies. It would also strengthen accreditation standards, research priorities, and clinical competencies across disciplines, reframing women’s midlife transitions as integral to human biology, rather than peripheral, neglected, or stigmatised.

Practical Ways to Integrate Climacteric Education

Curriculum Content Suggestions

• Appreciate the neurological recalibration of the climacteric: Brain structural connectivity and reactiveness.

• Hormonal symptomology: Loss of HPG axis negative feedback, unrestrained pituitary secretion, with resulting elevated FSH/LH leading to accelarate bone loss, thermodysregulation (hot flashes, night sweats) hypothalamic instability (sleep, appetite and mood disruption) and cognitive change.

• Lifestyle and health management: Diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, bone and cardiovascular health.

• Medical options and support: Hormone replacement therapy, alternative treatments, counseling resources.

• Cultural perspectives and stigma: Encouraging respectful dialogue and dismantling myths.

Teaching Methods

• Interactive lessons: Use case studies, role-playing, and group discussions to engage students.

• Guest speakers: Invite healthcare professionals or women sharing lived-experiences.

• Multimedia resources: Videos, animations, and apps that explain climacteric changes visually.

• Community projects: Encourage students to create awareness campaigns or support groups.

  
  

Target Audiences

• Secondary schools: Introducing basic concepts prepares young people early.

• Higher education: Detailed modules for health-related degrees.

• Community education: Workshops for adults and caregivers.

  
  

Overcoming Challenges

Some educators may hesitate to include climacteric topics due to cultural sensitivities or lack of resources. To address this:

• Provide teacher training to build confidence and knowledge.

• Develop culturally sensitive materials that respect diverse backgrounds.

• Collaborate with health organisations to access accurate and up-to-date information.

• Use anonymous surveys to understand students’ needs and tailor content accordingly.

  
  

Real-World Impact

Countries that have integrated menopause education into health programs report better health outcomes for women. For example, in Australia, community health initiatives that include climacteric education have increased awareness and improved management of symptoms among middle-aged women. Similarly, some European schools have started including menopause topics in biology and health classes, leading to more open discussions and reduced stigma.

Moving Forward

Including climacteric education in core health curricula is a practical step toward improving women's health and wellbeing. It equips individuals with knowledge to navigate this natural life stage confidently and supports healthcare providers in delivering better care. Schools, universities, and community programs should prioritise this inclusion to foster healthier, more informed generations.

By embracing climacteric education, society can shift from silence and misunderstanding to support and empowerment for women during this important phase of life. We are actively advocating for curriculum updates and resource development to make this a reality.

Your support, in whatever form, is greatly appreciated.