From puberty to pregnancy, childbirth to motherhood, and all the pauses in between, it seems there’s not a decade where women don’t go through intense physical, emotional, and mental changes. And that’s before we add the daily life stressors of school, work, family, and society to the mix.
Let’s face it. Women rarely talk about their health experiences, no matter how natural they may be. After all, perimenopause and menopause aren’t considered polite conversation topics. And on top of that, women often have to bear the brunt of bad jokes about mood swings and hot flushes.
For far too long, discussing women’s health issues publicly got the silent treatment. The w-Spot wants to change the conversation on the natural journey of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, and give South African women their power back.
What is the w-Spot?
The w-Spot is a new health website dedicated to educating and empowering South African women as they navigate the seasons of their lives, from perimenopause to menopause and postmenopause. “This website is a credible and trustworthy space to raise awareness on women’s health, so women can recognize the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, and be prepared for when they visit their doctor,” said Dr Abofele Khoele, Managing Director of Organon South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, a global healthcare company committed to educating and empowering women so that they can make informed choices to enhance their health and well-being.
Going through the pause while working
Each year, 47 million women worldwide reach menopause. Many of them are still navigating the workplace.“Menopause is also an important occupational health issue,” said Khoele. He explained that many employees may find it challenging navigating menopause at work, while line managers often don’t have the training or skills to give their direct reports the right support, may it be flexible working hours or creating a comfortable environment, such as improved ventilation, so that employees can deal better with their symptoms, meet their deliverables, and thrive.
Support through perimenopause, menopause or postmenopause
For many women, perimenopause or menopause may be overwhelming. The w-Spot is designed to give women tips to help manage their perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, as it affects all aspects of their lives from diet and mental health to exercise, sleep, and even their sex lives.
What’s more, is that the w-Spot educates women on the annual screenings they shouldn’t miss out on and includes a questionnaire that helps women share their perimenopause and menopause experience and general health with their doctor.
Empowering women with an online community
Through the w-Spot, Organon South Africa aims to broaden the conversation on a woman’s natural health journey. “We want to create an online space where South African women can share information about their experiences, where they can be heard and supported by a community that knows what they’re going through,” Khoele explained.
The w-Spot is ready to facilitate honest conversations on one of the most natural things in life. “Menopause has such a bad reputation, we want to empower women, give them back their power so that they can go through this journey with confidence,” Khoele concluded.
The perimenopause and menopause journeys are unique for every woman. Some may breeze through it with minimal discomfort, while others may experience uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. If you think you’re experiencing these symptoms, talk to your doctor. You can also visit the wspot.co.za website to learn more about perimenopause and menopause and what you may experience, so that you can feel empowered and in control of the new season of your life.