Fact checked by Shannon Sparks
Approximately 75 million women in the United States are navigating the menopausal transition, according to advocacy group Let’s Talk Menopause.
Menopause, defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period or spotting, typically occurs between ages 45 and 55. Many women are actively working during those years, perhaps at the height of their careers. Some sail through menopause; others experience enough discomfort to struggle at work. Symptoms — hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, and mood changes — have historically gone untreated, dismissed, or mistreated.
In August 2026, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act into law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. The law aims to improve menopause awareness and access to care. It also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for menopause-related conditions under existing pregnancy-accommodation protections.
“There is incredible momentum right now around menopause,” says M. Susan Scanlon, MD, president of the Midwest Center for Women’s Healthcare (MCWH). “It’s an exciting time. We have an opportunity to get this right — to build healthcare, workplace policies, and support systems around what women actually need at this stage of their lives.”
MCWH, Illinois’ largest private OB-GYN practice, is surveying its 450 employees and 200,000 patients to better understand how it can support women during the menopausal transition.
“We care for thousands of women,” Scanlon says. “The best way to understand their needs is to listen.”
Originally published in the Fall 2026/Winter 2027 print issue.
Judith A. Weinstein, MPH, is a Chicago-based freelance writer and public health practitioner. She has been writing since she could hold a pen.
