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National Research Report · 2026
The State of Menopause Care Report
Help make menopause impossible to overlook.
Findings across perimenopause, menopause, and hormone health, based on a national survey of 1,251 women ages 35 and older on symptoms, quality of life, provider experience, and hormone therapy awareness. Presented by RegenCen.
1251
Respondents
35+
Age eligibility
63.2%
Felt dismissed by a provider
55%
Never discussed prevention benefits
Report Overview
Perimenopause and menopause affect nearly every woman, yet care experiences vary widely and symptom recognition is often delayed. RegenCen conducted this national survey to quantify what women are actually experiencing, how they are being treated, and where care conversations are falling short.
This report presents findings from 1,251 respondents on symptom burden, quality of life impact, provider communication, and awareness of hormone therapy. It is intended as a citable reference for journalists, medical writers, clinicians, and researchers working on women's midlife health. Structured data, defined methodology, and sourced statistics are provided throughout so findings can be quoted and attributed accurately.
Key findings
Eight findings from the survey that are most relevant to journalists, clinicians, and researchers covering menopause care.
69.8% reported fatigue or low energy
Fatigue was the most commonly reported symptom in the past 12 months, followed closely by sleep problems (67.8%) and brain fog (64.3%).
63.2% have felt dismissed by a provider
Among 1,040 respondents, 63.2% said a medical provider had at some point minimized, dismissed, or did not fully address their symptoms; 49.3% said this happened more than once.
55.0% never discussed prevention benefits
Beyond symptom relief, 55.0% of respondents said a provider never discussed long-term prevention benefits of hormone therapy, such as bone, heart, brain, or sexual health.
76.4% did not immediately connect symptoms to hormones
Only 23.6% of respondents in perimenopause or unsure of their stage said they knew what was happening immediately; the rest attributed symptoms to stress, aging, or something else, or remain unsure.
56.1% have ever used hormone therapy
44.1% are currently using hormone therapy and 12.0% have previously used it. Of those not on it, fear of risks or side effects (13.8%) was the leading stated reason.
36.9% say risks and benefits were never discussed
36.9% of respondents said a provider never discussed the risks and benefits of hormone therapy with them at all; 31.9% said this was discussed in detail.
42.2% were unaware of the FDA's Nov. 2025 label change
In November 2025, the FDA announced that estrogen replacement products do not increase breast cancer risk and removed cancer warning labels. 42.2% of respondents had not heard about this.
33.0% thought menopause was temporary
Before completing this survey, a third of respondents believed menopause was a transition women eventually "get through," rather than a permanent hormone-deficient state.
Methodology
| Survey title | State of Perimenopause & Menopause Care Survey 2026 |
|---|---|
| Fielding start | June 25, 2026 |
| Sample size | 1,251 respondents |
| Eligibility | Women ages 35 and older. Respondents did not need to know whether they were in perimenopause or menopause to participate. |
| Collection method | Anonymous online survey |
| Length | Approximately 5 to 7 minutes |
| Distribution | RegenCen patient email list |
| Anonymity | Fully anonymous; respondents could optionally provide an email address to receive a copy of the completed report. Email addresses are not linked to survey answers in this report. |
| Margin of error | Not calculated. This is a self-selected convenience sample drawn from RegenCen's patient list, not a random probability sample, so a traditional margin of error would not be statistically meaningful. See Limitations. |
Who participated
1,251 women responded. The sample is weighted toward women in midlife and beyond: 44.0% were 60 or older, 31.7% were 50–59, and 24.1% were 35–49. Three respondents (0.2%) reported being under 35 despite the survey's eligibility criteria; these responses are included in totals below but flagged as a data quality note.
| Age group | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 35–39 | 49 | 3.9% |
| 40–44 | 106 | 8.5% |
| 45–49 | 146 | 11.7% |
| 50–54 | 191 | 15.3% |
| 55–59 | 205 | 16.4% |
| 60+ | 551 | 44.0% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,251.
| Status | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| No period in 12+ months | 570 | 47.3% |
| Still having periods (regular or irregular) | 260 | 21.6% |
| Hysterectomy, ovaries intact | 145 | 12.0% |
| Hysterectomy, ovaries removed | 96 | 8.0% |
| Has an IUD | 60 | 5.0% |
| Menopause caused by medical treatment | 40 | 3.3% |
| Not sure | 34 | 2.8% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,205.
Definitions
- Perimenopause
- The transitional period leading up to menopause, marked by irregular hormone production from the ovaries. It can begin years before periods stop, sometimes in the mid-to-late 30s, and often includes changes in cycle length, sleep, mood, and other symptoms.
- Menopause
- A single point in time, defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. In the United States, the average age of menopause is 51 to 52.
- Postmenopause
- The stage of life after menopause has occurred. Hormone levels remain low on a long-term basis, and some symptoms may persist or new health considerations, such as bone and cardiovascular health, become more relevant.
- Hormone changes
- The decline and fluctuation of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone that occurs during the menopause transition. These changes can affect sleep, mood, metabolism, cognition, and sexual and urinary health.
- Hormone therapy
- Medical treatment that replaces hormones the body no longer produces in sufficient amounts, commonly estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone. It is available in multiple forms, including patches, pills, creams, and pellets, and is sometimes referred to as hormone replacement therapy or HRT.
- Menopause care
- The full scope of medical support for the menopause transition, including symptom management, long-term prevention counseling for bone, heart, brain, and sexual health, and shared decision-making about treatment options such as hormone therapy.
Symptom findings
Respondents were asked which symptoms they had experienced in the past 12 months. Multiple selections were allowed.
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,251. Respondents could select multiple symptoms; percentages do not sum to 100%.
Quality of life findings
Respondents were asked which areas of life their symptoms had affected. Sleep, mood, and sexual health or intimacy were the most commonly cited.
| Area | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep | 794 | 76.3% |
| Mood or mental clarity | 716 | 68.8% |
| Sexual health or intimacy | 632 | 60.8% |
| Daily activities | 589 | 56.6% |
| Exercise or physical strength | 574 | 55.2% |
| Relationships | 428 | 41.2% |
| Work or career | 351 | 33.8% |
| Social life | 305 | 29.3% |
| None of the above | 22 | 2.1% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,040. Respondents could select multiple areas.
84.2% already knew symptoms could be hormone-related
Before taking the survey, 84.2% of respondents said they were aware these symptoms may be associated with hormone changes; 8.5% were not aware and 7.3% were unsure. Because respondents self-selected into a menopause-focused survey, this figure likely overstates awareness in the general population. See Limitations.
Provider experience findings
| Response | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, more than once | 513 | 49.3% |
| Yes, once | 145 | 13.9% |
| No | 255 | 24.5% |
| Not sure | 63 | 6.1% |
| Have not discussed symptoms with a provider | 64 | 6.2% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,040. "Yes" categories combined equal 63.2%.
| Response | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 613 | 55.0% |
| Briefly | 276 | 24.8% |
| Yes, in detail | 198 | 17.8% |
| Not sure | 27 | 2.4% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,114.
| Response | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 230 | 59.0% |
| Yes | 119 | 30.5% |
| Have not discussed symptoms with a provider | 41 | 10.5% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=390.
Care gap findings
Recognition delay
| Response | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Did not connect it to hormones until later | 124 | 31.8% |
| Thought it was stress or aging | 95 | 24.4% |
| Knew what was happening right away | 92 | 23.6% |
| Still not sure what is happening | 41 | 10.5% |
| Thought something else was wrong | 38 | 9.7% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=390.
“I wish I had known that perimenopause can start in your 30s. I feel like I missed a decade of preparation for menopause and then was completely taken off guard by the effects of it.”
— Anonymous respondent, RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey.
Treatment offered
| Option | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication | 356 | 34.2% |
| Nutrition or exercise changes | 315 | 30.3% |
| Progesterone | 294 | 28.3% |
| Vaginal moisturizer or lubricant | 269 | 25.9% |
| Lifestyle changes | 263 | 25.3% |
| Estrogen patch | 224 | 21.5% |
| Estrogen cream | 187 | 18.0% |
| Sleep support | 175 | 16.8% |
| Testosterone | 175 | 16.8% |
| No treatment recommended | 167 | 16.1% |
| Told not a candidate for hormone therapy | 117 | 11.2% |
| Pelvic floor therapy | 107 | 10.3% |
| Estrogen pill | 105 | 10.1% |
| Estrogen pellet | 89 | 8.6% |
| Birth control pills | 87 | 8.4% |
| Non-hormonal prescription treatment | 64 | 6.2% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,040. 109 respondents (10.5%) specified another option not listed.
Hormone therapy awareness and confidence
| Response | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Currently using HRT | 449 | 44.1% |
| Never considered HRT | 283 | 27.8% |
| Previously used HRT | 122 | 12.0% |
| Not sure | 84 | 8.3% |
| Considered HRT but decided against it | 79 | 7.8% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,017. Current and previous use combined equal 56.1%.
| Response | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| No | 375 | 36.9% |
| Yes, in detail | 324 | 31.9% |
| Briefly | 293 | 28.8% |
| Not sure | 25 | 2.5% |
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,017.
Awareness of proven hormone therapy benefits
Respondents were shown a list of established benefits of hormone therapy and asked which they were already aware of.
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+, n=1,040. Respondents could select multiple benefits. Awareness of a benefit is not an endorsement of treatment; see Limitations.
42.2% unaware of the FDA's November 2025 label change
In November 2025, the FDA announced that estrogen replacement products do not increase breast cancer risk and removed cancer warning labels from those products. 57.8% of respondents were aware of this; 42.2% were not.
What women want providers to understand
The survey included two open-ended questions asking respondents to describe the impact of their symptoms and what they wish they had known sooner. 683 respondents answered the first and 650 answered the second, indicating a high level of engagement with these questions relative to the closed-ended items on the same pages.
Taken together with the closed-ended findings above, three patterns stand out:
- Recognition takes time. Roughly three in four respondents who identified as perimenopausal did not immediately connect their symptoms to hormones.
- Dismissal is common, not rare. Nearly two-thirds of respondents have felt minimized or dismissed by a provider at least once when raising symptoms.
- Prevention counseling is inconsistent. More than half of respondents said a provider never discussed the long-term prevention benefits of hormone therapy at all.
In their own words
A review of a sample of the free-text responses surfaces recurring themes echoed in the closed-ended data: symptoms starting earlier than expected, providers attributing symptoms to normal aging, and relief once hormone therapy was started. A few illustrative responses:
“I live in a city and am an avid walker. I feel almost housebound because of my joint pain. I also have fatigue and low motivation to exercise, so it just feels like a vicious circle.”
“I'm on HRT but still experiencing these symptoms.”
“Sleep problems have been the worst. Forced to take medication in order to get sleep and be able to function at work.”
Source: RegenCen 2026 national menopause care survey, women ages 35+. Illustrative selections from a sample of 25 of 683 and 650 total free-text responses; not a comprehensive thematic analysis. Quotes are reproduced anonymously as submitted; no identifying information was included in or added to any quote.
What better menopause care should look like
Based on these findings, a more complete standard of menopause care would include:
- Earlier recognition. Since perimenopause symptoms can begin in a woman's 30s, screening conversations should not wait until a patient raises menopause specifically.
- Prevention counseling as standard practice, not an afterthought. Bone, heart, brain, and sexual health benefits of hormone therapy should be discussed alongside symptom relief, not only when a patient asks.
- Explicit risk-benefit conversations. More than a third of respondents said this conversation never happened; shared decision-making requires that it does.
- Being taken seriously on the first conversation. Nearly half of respondents who felt dismissed said it happened more than once, suggesting the issue is systemic rather than a single bad visit.
RegenCen's approach to menopause care is built around these findings: evidence-based hormone therapy, informed by a full discussion of risks and benefits, paired with attention to the long-term health considerations that extend beyond symptom relief.
Data tables
All data tables referenced in this report, with source lines, are included in their respective sections above:
Frequently Asked Questions
Limitations
- Survey respondents are not a random sample of the general population. Respondents were recruited from RegenCen's existing patient email list, so this sample reflects women who have already sought menopause-related care, not the general population.
- These are preliminary findings. The survey remains open at the time of this report (1,251 responses as of August 4, 2026). Figures may shift as additional responses are collected; a final report should specify the fielding close date and final n.
- Findings are patient-reported experiences, not clinical conclusions. Statements about symptoms, provider communication, and treatment history reflect respondents' own recollection and perception. They are not verified against medical records and should not be read as clinical or epidemiological findings.
- Awareness of a hormone therapy benefit is not the same as an endorsement of hormone therapy. A respondent selecting that she is aware of a benefit, such as reduced osteoporosis risk, is not stating a treatment recommendation or a personal outcome.
- Several questions were shown only to subsets of respondents based on earlier answers (skip logic). Sample sizes are reported individually with each finding; readers and citers should use the specific n listed rather than the full 1,251 for those items.
- Open-ended responses have not been thematically coded as of this version of the report. Response counts are reported, but specific themes or quotes from these 683 and 650 free-text answers are not yet included.
- No margin of error is reported. Because this is a non-probability, self-selected sample rather than a random probability sample, a traditional margin of error is not statistically meaningful and has not been calculated.
Citations
Journalists, researchers, and medical writers are welcome to cite findings from this report. Please attribute individual statistics using the source line provided beneath each finding or table, and cite the report as a whole as follows:
RegenCen. The State of Menopause Care Report. 2026 national survey of women ages 35 and older, n=1,251. Published August 2026. https://regencen.com/menopause-care-report/
For interview requests, additional data cuts, or questions about methodology, contact Kathryn Brown at kathryn.brown@cslcbeauty.com.
