How Menopause Policies Can Boost Mexico’s Bottom Line

On Wednesday, Oct. 1, I stepped into the Club de Industriales in Mexico City. The room was alive with anticipation: more than 300 people, women and men, leaders from business, government, health, and media, had gathered for a conversation that, until now, had rarely left the private sphere. The subject? Perimenopause and menopause. At first glance, some might wonder why a topic so personal belongs in such a prestigious business forum. The answer revealed itself as the day unfolded: menopause is not only a health milestone, it is a social, economic, and business issue that affects productivity, workforce retention, healthcare spending, consumer markets, and, ultimately, Mexico’s growth. 

Quick Stats at a Glance 

● 6 million women in Mexico are in menopause 

● 80% workforce participation for midlife women 

● US: US$1.8 billion annual productivity losses from symptoms 

● UK: 14 million workdays lost per year 

● 10:1 ratio of fertility versus menopause research studies 

Adolescence, Fertility … and Menopause 

Human development is marked by stages we have long learned to navigate with structure and support. Adolescence comes with programs, schools, and social investments. Fertility and reproductive years are supported by prenatal care, maternity leave, and entire consumer categories, from baby food to family insurance plans. 

And then comes midlife. For decades, this transition was framed as decline or invisibility. Yet, science shows otherwise: women spend up to a third of their lives post-menopause. This stage, like adolescence or fertility, comes with biological changes, but also with opportunities for growth, productivity, and innovation. 

The Cumbre SinReglas, Mexico’s first summit on menopause in the workplace, put this clearly: It is time to recognize menopause as the next great stage of life, deserving the same social, economic, and institutional investment. 

Why Now?

Several forces are converging to make menopause impossible to ignore:

● Demographics. In Mexico, more than 6 million women are in menopause, and by 2030, women aged 45–60 will be among the fastest-growing cohorts. Over 80% are in the workforce, many in senior roles. The United States counts 55 million midlife women, the UK notes 8 in 10 women 45–55 employed, and in Australia, 1 in 5 workers is over 50. Mexico lacks equally granular data, a gap that limits planning and investment. 

● Economics. Symptoms can cut productivity by up to 24%. In the United States, losses reach US$1.8 billion annually; in the UK, 14 million workdays vanish every year. No Mexico figure exists, but the hidden cost of losing midlife female talent is undeniable. 

● Policy and Culture. At the summit, the Ministry of Health confirmed a new national protocol that will, for the first time, include menopause. Other countries are further ahead: the UK’s Menopause Workplace Pledge has 2,500-plus signatories, while Australia distributes HR toolkits nationally. Cultural shifts are also gaining speed, from Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama in the United States to BBC coverage in the UK, while in Mexico, visibility is only starting with campaigns like “Dale un Nuevo Aire a la Menopausia” (a collaboration of SinReglas, UNFPA, Essity, Bayer, McCann Worldgroup). 

● Business Pressures. Employers everywhere face a talent crunch. US companies like Goldman Sachs now offer menopause benefits; in the UK, insurers like Aviva report better retention; Australia links midlife support to stronger engagement scores. In Mexico, formal programs remain rare, leaving a wide-open opportunity for employers and innovators. 

Lessons from Adolescence and Fertility 

The parallels are striking. 

When adolescence was recognized as a distinct stage, schools introduced health classes, governments launched vaccination programs, and consumer industries developed entire product lines, from skincare to mental health services. 

When fertility became an institutional focus, workplaces introduced maternity leave, insurers developed maternal health riders, and retailers built billion-dollar markets around baby care. 

Now, menopause is reaching its inflection point. Businesses, policymakers, and innovators that step up to create structured support will shape not just markets, but culture. 

The Business Case: Retention and ROI 

Inside the summit, one message rang clear: menopause is a workforce issue. 

● Rafael Sánchez Loza, CEO of Microsoft Mexico, shared candidly that without support, many talented women choose to leave their jobs. Losing a senior leader in her 40s or 50s costs companies 100–150% of her salary in replacement and lost productivity. 

● COPRED, together with SinReglas, presented a guide for employers with practical measures: training managers, adjusting policies, and offering flexible support. These are low-cost, high-impact interventions.

For companies, this is not philanthropy, it is smart economics. Just as maternity benefits improved retention, menopause policies can protect pipelines of leadership talent and strengthen employer brands. 

Beyond the Workplace: The Consumer Shift 

Menopause is also reshaping consumer demand. The women driving it are not only older, they are staying longer in positions of power, holding more purchasing and decision-making authority than any generation before them. They are also the primary decision-makers in household health expenditure, influencing everything from supplements to insurance. 

Yet, many feel isolated by science. There are more than 1 million published studies on fertility, but fewer than 100,000 on menopause. The shortage of trained specialists further compounds this gap. That silence is now being broken, by women themselves and by communities determined to change the narrative, regardless of age or gender. 

The market signals are clear: Women in midlife are shifting spending toward sleep aids, supplements, bone and heart health, lubricants, adaptogens, and stress management solutions. Globally, menopause-related supplements grew 5% in 2024, even as the broader wellness category stagnated. 

In Mexico, however, the opportunity remains fragmented. Imagine a “Bienestar 45+” shelf in Farmacias del Ahorro or San Pablo: curated bundles of calcium, vitamin D, lubricants, melatonin, and cooling wear, backed by education and staff training. Online, privacy and discretion give e-commerce an edge, where content plus commerce can build trust and loyalty. 

This is where FemTech Mexico is stepping in. With experience across retail, healthtech, and supply chain, the organization is working to deliver better solutions from design to consumer: smarter packaging, digital journeys that blend education with access, and distribution models that reach both urban and underserved markets. 

This is not a niche, it is a mainstream category in the making, just as baby care and adolescent wellness once were. And like those categories, the “45+ wellness” market has the potential to become one of the most dynamic growth engines of the decade. 

Insurance and Healthcare: Prevention Pays 

When menopause is ignored, healthcare use rises: more ER visits, more prescriptions for sleep and anxiety, and higher chronic disease risks. In the United States, the extra annual cost is estimated at US$2,100 per woman in medical and productivity losses. 

Other countries show what insurers can do: 

● In the United States, health plans now partner with startups like Midi Health to offer virtual menopause clinics, cutting reliance on costly emergency care. 

● In the UK, insurers and NHS pilots cover assessments, referrals, and coaching; companies like Aviva and HSBC UK report lower absenteeism and stronger retention. 

● In Australia, midlife health checks at 45–50, covering menopause screening, bone density, and heart risk, are proving actuarially sound, reducing long-term claims.

For Mexico, the opening is clear. Covering consults, coaching, or wellness bundles could prevent bigger costs like fractures or cardiovascular events. A pilot model, check-up at 45, teleconsultation access, and supplement discounts could show ROI within 12–24 months. 

Just as maternal coverage once differentiated insurers, menopause benefits can be the next loyalty builder. 

Culture and Media: From Taboo to Pride 

Perhaps the most moving moment at the summit was hearing Alanna Armitage of UNFPA reflect: “Todos los temas sobre el cuerpo de la mujer son tabúes, y desde la menstruación aprendemos a hablar en susurro (All topics about a woman's body are taboo, and from menstruation onward, we learn to speak in whispers.)” 

For decades, menopause was spoken of in whispers, if at all. But today, cultural shifts are accelerating. The national campaign launched at the summit reframes the hot flash as a badge of resilience, not shame. Media partners like El Economista are now publishing stories that move menopause from the health section to the business pages, placing it squarely in the conversation about economy, productivity, and social change. 

This reset is reinforced globally by celebrities and cultural icons who are breaking the silence. Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek, Oprah Winfrey, and Drew Barrymore have all spoken publicly about their experiences, normalizing and humanizing the transition. Michelle Obama has even discussed hot flashes at the White House. 

Even MTV, a brand historically associated with youth culture, recently posted about perimenopause and menopause, proof that the narrative is shifting from niche health forums into mainstream pop culture. 

What we are witnessing mirrors what happened with menstruation and maternity: once considered private matters, they are now openly addressed in marketing, media, and workplace policy. Menopause is following the same trajectory, with cultural attention setting the stage for business and policy transformation. 

A New Stage, A New Dividend 

If adolescence and fertility were the stages that shaped earlier investments in health and markets, menopause is the next. Recognizing it formally is not only about justice, it is about unlocking the midlife dividend: 

● For women: dignity, health, and continued opportunity at a pivotal life stage.

● For companies: talent retention and reduced costs. 

● For markets: new categories, products, and services for a growing consumer base.

● For society: healthier aging, stronger productivity, and cultural progress. 

Closing Reflection 

As we left the Cumbre SinReglas, I couldn’t help but feel that something irreversible had begun. For the first time, menopause in Mexico had been discussed not as a decline, but as a stage of potential, like adolescence, like fertility, like every other chapter of life we have learned to honor and support.

The message to business leaders is clear: this is not a women’s issue alone; it is a workforce, market, and growth issue. 

Menopause is not the end of productivity, it is the beginning of a new stage. Those who recognize it now will not only change lives, they will shape the future of business in Mexico. 

Further Reading 

● OECD. (2023). Employment and labour force participation by gender and age. OECD. Link ● INEGI. (2023). Encuesta Nacional de Ocupación y Empleo (ENOE). Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía. Link 

● NHS England. (2024). Menopause in the workplace pilot programs. National Health Service. Link 

● Carrot Fertility. (2023). The cost of menopause in the workplace. Carrot Blog. Link ● Peppy Health. (2023). Hidden costs of menopause: The UK economy. Peppy Blog. Link ● SinReglas, UNFPA, Essity, Bayer & McCann Worldgroup. (2024). Dale un Nuevo Aire a la Menopausia campaign. Link 

● WHO. (2023). Women’s health and research funding gaps. World Health Organization. Link