Guidance
This guideline covers the diagnosis and management of menopause, including in women who have premature ovarian insufficiency. The guideline aims to improve the consistency of support and information provided to women in menopause.
For information on related topics see our women's and reproductive health summary page.
In December 2019, in response to an MHRA safety alert on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the risk of breast cancer, we replaced the table in the recommendation on breast cancer risk with a link to the MHRA's advice on HRT risks and benefits. We will also update this recommendation as part of the planned update to the guideline.
Recommendations
The guideline includes recommendations on:
- individualised care
- diagnosis of perimenopause and menopause
- information and advice
- managing short-term menopausal symptoms
- long-term benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy
- diagnosing and managing premature ovarian insufficiency
Who is it for?
- Healthcare professionals who care for women in menopause.
- Women in menopause, and their families and carers
Is this guideline up to date?
We checked this guideline in December 2019 and September 2021, and are updating it. The update will focus on managing urogenital atrophy, the long-term benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy, and cognitive behavioural therapy for managing menopausal symptoms. See the guideline in development page for progress on the update.
Guideline development process
How we develop NICE guidelines
Your responsibility
The recommendations in this guideline represent the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, professionals and practitioners are expected to take this guideline fully into account, alongside the individual needs, preferences and values of their patients or the people using their service. It is not mandatory to apply the recommendations, and the guideline does not override the responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families and carers or guardian.
All problems (adverse events) related to a medicine or medical device used for treatment or in a procedure should be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency using the Yellow Card Scheme.
Local commissioners and providers of healthcare have a responsibility to enable the guideline to be applied when individual professionals and people using services wish to use it. They should do so in the context of local and national priorities for funding and developing services, and in light of their duties to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, to advance equality of opportunity and to reduce health inequalities. Nothing in this guideline should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with complying with those duties.
Commissioners and providers have a responsibility to promote an environmentally sustainable health and care system and should assess and reduce the environmental impact of implementing NICE recommendations wherever possible.