Almost half the world will go through menopause. Yet it remains criminally underdiscussed, with recent surveys showing that a surprising number of women never discuss their menopausal symptoms with their health care provider, let alone friends or family. Those same surveys also suggest that more than 80% of women have menopause symptons that interfere with their lives and over 10% say they interfere "a great deal" or are debilitating. Author Niki Bezzant's new book, This Changes Everything, has been billed as a "must-read" for any woman over the age of 35. The book draws on latest menopause research and advice, giving readers information on everything from recognising and understanding common symptoms to expert advice from doctors and specialists, and includes menopause stories from well-known New Zealanders, including Robyn Malcolm, Carol Hirschfeld, Michele A'Court and Theresa Gattung, and other lesser-known Kiwis. Niki joins the show to discuss the new book.
Author Niki Bezzant's new book about menopause is called This Changes Everything. Photo: Reuben Looi
