Over 150 million Indian women are currently experiencing menopause, with the average onset age around 45 years, five years earlier than in Western nations. Menopause has long been a silent drain on women’s well-being and economic potential—its burden magnified by decades of underinvestment in women’s health research. However, it is crucial to view menopause not just as a biological transition but as an economic issue that limits women’s productivity and representation in leadership.
The Hidden Cost of Menopause
Recent studies show that unmanaged menopause symptoms lead to staggering productivity losses globally.
- Estimates by Bloomberg suggest that globally, the loss in productivity from Menopause is over USD 150 billion per year.
- The Mayo Clinic estimates that U.S. employers lose over USD 26 billion annually from absenteeism, decreased productivity, and medical expenses related to menopause.
- In the U.K., menopause-related unemployment costs about GBP 1.5 billion annually.
- Other calculations peg menopause-related annual losses at USD 3.3 billion in Canada and nearly USD 10 billion in Germany.
At the individual level, symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and cognitive fog significantly undermine work performance. Research shows that 65% of menopausal women report impaired job performance, and 18% take sick leave due to symptoms. Given that menopausal women (typically aged 45–55) often hold senior, decision-making roles, these invisible disruptions have ripple effects across organizations and economies. It is at this the late-career stage that women’s health gets derailed by debilitating symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep problems and weight gain, that impact their productivity. They may also experience the psychological discomfort of mood changes, depression, irritability, and decreased concentration. Other conditions and illnesses may also take centre stage, such as breast cancer, causing further physical and emotional challenges. Given that in this phase women also face a growing responsibility towards ageing parents, the “empty nest syndrome” or feel “lonely at the top” of the leadership pyramid – this phase becomes particularly challenging.
Women also bear direct financial costs of navigating menopause—from repeated medical consultations to expensive treatments. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which is prescribed for reducing menopausal discomfort, while effective for many, remains costly and unevenly accessible. Surveys show affordability remains a major barrier, as women spend around USD 50 monthly on menopause-related treatments. In India, the cost of HRT ranges from ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 per month, depending on dosage and hospital type , though private consultations add extra cost. This makes sustained treatment inaccessible to many middle and lower-income women despite India’s therapies are cheaper than global averages.
Systemic Neglect in Research and Policy
The lack of research and institutional attention to menopause remains stark. Despite menopause affecting nearly half the global population, it receives less than 5% of femtech funding. Historically, most women’s health R&D has focused on fertility and contraception, leaving midlife health underexplored. This has translated into inadequate medical guidance, ambiguous risk-benefit understanding of HRT, and minimal workplace accommodations.
Workplaces themselves often fail to provide structured support. Only one in three women in the U.K. and one in four in Canada feel supported by their employers during menopause. Insufficient awareness training among managers leads to silence and stigma, causing many women to curtail their careers or step down from leadership roles.
India’s femtech sector has grown but remains underfunded relative to its potential. Between 2012 and 2025, Indian femtech startups raised around USD 286 million across 221 funding rounds, but investment has sharply declined—from a peak of USD 70 million in 2021 to only USD 2 million in 2025. Most funding flowed to fertility and menstrual care; menopause-focused startups remain rare.
Shifting Tides: Startups, Policy, and Acknowledgment
Encouragingly, recent years have witnessed a surge in attention and innovation. Startups globally have raised around USD 530 million to revolutionize menopause care through virtual clinics, wearables, and biopharmaceutical solutions. Companies like Embr Labs, Peppy, and Celmatix are pioneering tech-based relief and education tools. Meanwhile, governments and organizations are introducing menopause-friendly policies. Corporate recognition is growing too. According to a Boston Consulting Group report, the share of companies offering menopause benefits quadrupled from 4% in 2023 to 18% in 2025. Initiatives such as the Menopause Society’s Making Menopause Work program aim to certify menopause-inclusive employers, signaling a cultural shift in organizational accountability.
In India, cultural taboos and lack of open dialogue has meant that most women receive no workplace support, medical guidance, or flexible arrangements during this period. However, a growing number of corporations such as HUL, HSBC, Intuit, NatWest Group, and IBM are piloting menopause inclusion programs, yet coverage remains limited mostly to multinationals.
India’s femtech sector has also grown but remains underfunded relative to its potential. Between 2012 and 2025, Indian femtech startups raised around USD 286 million across 221 funding rounds, but investment has sharply declined—from a peak of USD 70 million in 2021 to only USD 2 million in 2025. Most funding flowed to fertility and menstrual care; menopause-focused startups remain rare. Nonetheless, ecosystems are evolving – FemTech India projects that the nation’s menopause market will reach USD 1.6 billion by 2030, growing at over 8% annually.
The Way Forward
Menopause must enter the mainstream of economic and public health planning. The Indian Menopause Society advocates integrating menopause support into occupational health policies and corporate wellness programs. With nearly 400 million women expected to be 45+ by 2030 , addressing menopause is not just a healthcare imperative but an economic one, essential for retaining experienced women in the workforce and fostering gender-equitable growth.
This means targeted funding for medical and social research, subsidized access to treatments, flexible workplace structures, and leadership pathways that recognize midlife women as assets, not liabilities.
Workplaces especially must support the emotional and mental well-being of women at this stage. They must support potential women by providing them coaches, mentors and sponsors, as well as create space for them to pay-it-forward and support and mentor other women.
Menopause is not merely a private health issue—it’s a macroeconomic and leadership imperative. Addressing it fully is essential for gender-equitable growth and for retaining the experience, knowledge, and leadership of women who built their careers over decades and deserve support at this critical stage.
Ellenomics 