Menopause Myths Debunked
Research by the University of Delaware sheds new light on the topic of menopause, offering fresh insights and challenging dominant Western narratives.
In Japan, women tend to experience fewer menopausal symptoms, undergo less hormone replacement therapy, and report smoother transitions into older age compared to their Western counterparts. According to UD anthropology professor Melissa Melby, this difference is not genetic, but rather cultural, linguistic, and medical.
"The Japanese perspective might provide a counterbalance," said Melby.
Melby has spent nearly three decades studying menopause in Japan, beginning her research in her late 20s. Now, at 53, she has published her first book, Reframing Aging: Insights from Biology and Culture of Midlife Japanese, which challenges common Western views on hormones, aging, and women's health.
Author's summary: Research challenges Western menopause narratives.