Menopause advocates hopeful report sparks conversation

Advocates hope a landmark report into the impacts of menopause will spark much needed conversations around the condition and lead to meaningful change.

A Senate committee is preparing to hand down a report into the economic, physical, mental and financial impacts of menopause and perimenopause.

The paper was expected on Tuesday but publication has been pushed back until Wednesday.

Menopause occurs between the ages of 45 to 60, and perimenopause - which precedes it - can last for up to 10 years and begin in women aged in their 30s.

Those with the condition can face mild to severe symptoms such as tiredness, aches and pains, menstrual changes, a racing heart, difficulty sleeping, increased irritability and depression.

Advocates hope the inquiry can kickstart crucial conversations and quell the stigma associated with the condition to help women suffering in silence.

Three in four women will experience a mild to moderate menopause, but one-in-four will experience a severe menopause, Menopause Friendly Australia chief executive Grace Molloy said.

"Most people don't understand what menopause is until it hits them in the face, and many struggle to get support if they are experiencing and wanting that support," she told AAP.

Ms Molloy fronted the inquiry calling for employers to educate workforces and break down taboos, develop policies supporting women experiencing the condition and make the working environment more inclusive.

She says the report will be the first step to opening up the conversation meaningfully in Australia.

"We're talking about something that can take generations to break down in terms of stigma, but it's important that we act now."

Women are retiring early due to menopause, resulting in them losing more than $575,000 in salary and super, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Debate on mandating menstrual leave began in 2022, with the Health Services Union again calling for reproductive health leave during the inquiry.

The proposal would give employees who have painful periods or menopause symptoms or other reproductive issues 10 days of paid leave annually.

In the female-dominated health sector, workers are leaving the workforce earlier than they would due to menopause symptoms, HSU national assistant secretary Kate Marshall said.

But she says workplaces aren't doing enough because they're not having conversations, leaving workers embarrassed to bring up the issue.

The inquiry has the potential to make amazing changes to the economy and workplaces, Ms Marshall said.

"It will make the workplace fit us, rather than squeezing women into a workplace that isn't fit for purpose," she said.