Quality standard

Quality statement 5: Information before treatment likely to cause menopause

Quality statement 5: Information before treatment likely to cause menopause

Quality statement

Women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth who are likely to go through menopause as a result of medical or surgical treatment are given information about menopause and fertility before they have their treatment.

Rationale

Some medical or surgical treatments can affect fertility and induce menopause. Women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth should be given information so that they know about these long-term consequences of treatment. Those who go through menopause as a result of medical or surgical treatment may be younger than those having natural menopause, and so are less likely to know about menopause-associated symptoms. Awareness of symptoms ensures that people can access treatment and services as soon as they need them. This is important because this population are at higher risk of psychological and physical morbidity.

Quality measures

The following measure can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. It is an example of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Process

Proportion of women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth having medical or surgical treatment that is likely to cause the menopause who are given information about menopause and fertility before they have their treatment.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who are given information about menopause and fertility before they have their treatment.

Denominator – the number of women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth who have medical or surgical treatment that is likely to cause the menopause.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (secondary care) ensure that systems are in place for women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth who are likely to go through menopause as a result of medical or surgical treatment to be given information about menopause and fertility before they have their treatment.

Healthcare professionals (such as secondary care consultants) ensure that before treatment they give information about menopause and fertility to women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth who are likely to go through menopause as a result of medical or surgical treatment.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services in which women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth who are likely to go through menopause as a result of medical or surgical treatment are given information about menopause and fertility before they have their treatment.

Women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth having treatment or surgery that is likely to cause the menopause are given information about menopause and effects on fertility before they have their treatment. This is so that they have all the information they need before deciding to go ahead with the treatment. Treatments that are likely to cause the menopause include chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat cancer, and surgery that involves the ovaries.

Source guidance

Menopause: identification and management. NICE guideline NG23 (2015, updated 2024), recommendation 1.2.6

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Information

Information should include:

  • risk of impaired or loss of fertility

  • risk of early menopause

  • common menopause-associated symptoms

  • longer-term health implications of menopause

  • contraceptive advice.

[Adapted from NICE's guideline on menopause, recommendations 1.2.1, 1.2.3 and 1.2.4, and full guideline on menopause]

Equality and diversity considerations

All information should be culturally appropriate and accessible to women with additional needs, such as physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and to women, trans men and non-binary people registered female at birth who do not speak or read English. Interpreters and advocates should be provided if needed.