Story Highlights
- 44% of British women say health has kept them from all they want to do in life
- 22% of British women understand menopause treatment options well
- 35% who have sought menopause care have had to push to be taken seriously
LONDON — For many women in the U.K., health shapes not only how they feel but also how fully they can take part in everyday life. More than four in 10 (44%) say that in the past five years, their health has kept them from doing everything they want to do, and 46% say it has made them feel less able to pursue activities that interest them.
Health also affects women’s relationships through issues that make it harder to care for themselves (38%) and that result in missing events with loved ones (36%). Another 34% say their health has kept them from living up to their potential at work, and more than one in four (29%) say they have reduced their hours or shifts because of their health.
These findings come from the Gallup-Pivotal U.K. Women's Health Survey, conducted online July 30-Aug. 10, 2026, among 2,004 U.K. adults.
Fewer Than One in Four British Women Have a Good Understanding of Menopause Treatment Options
Women's health needs change throughout different periods of life, and menopause is one stage when gaps between experiencing a health issue and knowing how to address it become apparent.
Women are more likely to feel informed about the symptoms of menopause than about the treatments available to help them. Forty-two percent say they have a good understanding of menopause and all of its symptoms. However, only 22% of women say they have a good understanding of treatment options, while 33% say they know little or nothing about them.
Women in U.K. Hear About Menopause From Friends, Family More Often Than Doctors
Many British women encounter menopause information outside the healthcare system. Friends (62%) and family members (61%) are the most common sources, slightly ahead of doctors or other medical professionals (53%).
Media also play a substantial role. Half of U.K. women (50%) have encountered information about menopause on social media, and 43% have seen it in a newspaper or magazine article. AI is emerging as another source: 26% of all U.K. women have gotten menopause information from tools such as ChatGPT or other chatbots, including 44% of women aged 18 to 34.
Personal networks sometimes serve another role when women do not get the answers they are seeking from healthcare providers. Among U.K. women who have sought treatment for menopause symptoms, 29% say they have relied on advice from family and friends when they could not get answers from their providers.
Over One in Three British Women Seeking Menopause Care Have Had to Push to Be Taken Seriously
Experiences with menopause care present a mixed picture. About three in 10 U.K. women aged 35 and older (31%) have sought treatment for menopause symptoms, and most who have (78%) say their healthcare professionals proactively addressed their symptoms.
Yet getting care is not straightforward for all women. Thirty-five percent say they had to push to be taken seriously or to receive treatment, including 44% of women aged 45 to 54.
Among those who have sought care, about one in four say they had to see multiple providers before their symptoms were addressed or diagnosed (26%) or were unable to get the care they felt they needed despite trying (25%).
Menopause Symptoms Can Affect British Women at Work and in Life
The challenges associated with menopause are not limited to symptoms alone. More than half of British women (58%) who have experienced menopause or perimenopause say it has negatively impacted their life or work in at least one way.
Forty-four percent say menopause-related physical or mental health challenges have made it harder to care for themselves, and 37% say they have felt limited in how much effort they could give at work.
For some, menopause-related challenges influence consequential work decisions. Twenty-nine percent say they decided not to pursue a promotion or leadership position, 27% took an extended leave from work or did not return to work, and 25% reduced their hours. Beyond the workplace, 23% of women in the U.K. say challenges related to menopause have contributed to them stepping back from involvement in their communities.
Bottom Line
Health issues are limiting how fully British women can participate at work, at home and in their communities. Menopause brings these challenges into particularly sharp focus, especially when women are navigating significant symptoms without clear information about treatment or easy access to the care they need.
The findings point to an opportunity to better support women through this stage of life. Clearer information about menopause and available treatments, paired with responsive care, can make these challenges easier to navigate and reduce the need for women to advocate for themselves to get answers or treatment. Closing these gaps could help more women manage their health while continuing to participate fully in their careers, families and communities.
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