Despite being a natural part of every woman’s life, the menopause remains poorly understood — both by the general public and, to a degree, within medical research. The University Clinic for Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine in Innsbruck is working to close these gaps and provide women with well-founded guidance through this phase of life.
A widespread misconception
Many women believe the menopause begins at around the age of 60. In reality, in Austria the average age of menopause is 49. Symptoms such as cycle irregularities, hot flushes and sleep disturbances often begin four to five years earlier. “To be fair, women tend to downplay their symptoms or struggle to make sense of them,” says Bettina Toth, Director of the Innsbruck clinic. “In Austria, approximately one million women are currently in the (peri-)menopause. According to international studies, around 80 per cent of these women experience symptoms.”
Early education is essential
Access to early and comprehensive information about women’s health is crucial — not only for quality of life, but for long-term prevention. “Early and thorough education about reproductive health is vital to minimising later health risks,” stresses Bettina Böttcher, Senior Physician at the University Clinic for Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine. She is also a member of the Zürcher Kreis, an expert network spanning Austria, Germany and Switzerland that develops guidelines and recommendations for menopausal hormone therapy. “There are risks that accompany women from pregnancy through to old age. They need to be identified early.”
Certain vascular changes, high blood pressure or gestational diabetes during pregnancy, for example, significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, heart attack and stroke — or type 2 diabetes (with a risk increase of up to 70%) — after the menopause.
Research into new therapeutic approaches
The Innsbruck clinic is advancing menopause research on several fronts. International studies have, for example, investigated non-hormonal compounds that specifically target hot flushes and sleep disturbances without directly intervening in the hormonal system. One current approach addresses neurokinin receptors in the brain, which are responsible for temperature and sleep regulation.
“There is a great deal of exciting progress in research at the moment,” explains Bettina Toth. “Earlier studies involving children who had not entered puberty identified that the neurokinin receptor plays a major role and affects an area of the brain also responsible for temperature regulation. Further investigation then showed that this area enlarges in women after the menopause.”
Researchers are also working on biomarkers that could predict the onset of the menopause at an early stage. One promising candidate is a protein named after Klotho, the Greek goddess of ageing. The study requires only a simple blood draw, allowing interested women to participate actively in the research.
Women’s health across every stage of life
A further focus of the clinic’s work is the protection of reproductive cells during medical treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Researchers are investigating the toxicity of such therapies on egg cells and developing strategies to preserve fertility.
The clinic is also committed to evidence-based public education that reaches beyond the medical community. Working together with the state of Tyrol, an electronic health education programme has been developed for delivery to schoolgirls from the summer semester. The aim is to inform young women about reproductive health and the long-term consequences of hormonal changes at an early stage.
Expert knowledge to counter social media myths
Alongside its research work, the clinic is also focused on credible public communication. Inaccurate and misleading information about the menopause circulates widely on social media, while genuine medical expertise remains underrepresented. “We are seeing a significant increase in self-proclaimed experts with no medical training, while qualified specialists are conspicuously absent from the conversation,” observes Bettina Toth. “We want to counter this with rigorous science and evidence-based education.”
The menopause is a central chapter in every woman’s life — with direct implications for health and well-being. Thanks to the work of the University Clinic for Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine in Innsbruck, research, early education and new therapeutic approaches are gaining greater public visibility. Yet much remains to be done: menopause research continues to offer enormous potential for further development, and the insights it generates must reach clinical practice and the wider public far more broadly than they do today.
New study: alarming gaps in contraceptive knowledge in Austria
