Originally posted by MyChesCo.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation’s capital announced on Friday that Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK) introduced a groundbreaking piece of legislation: the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act. This act is set to mandate that the Department of Defense (DoD), in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), investigates the impact of military service on menopause. This could potentially change the landscape of healthcare and support provided to servicewomen and women veterans.

For the uninitiated, menopause is a natural process in a woman’s life, marking the end of menstrual cycles. Perimenopause is a precursor to menopause, often characterized by irregular periods and hormonal changes. Stress, as has been shown by numerous researches, can lead to an earlier onset of menopause, which is the core concern of this newly proposed act.

The Act is the first of its kind that mandates an analysis of the treatment and research gaps that plague servicewomen and women veterans experiencing perimenopause or menopause. Key focus areas include the effects of combat roles, toxic exposure, and general mental health.

Chrissy Houlahan expressed, “It’s not just a health care issue – it’s a workforce and family-building issue. Servicewomen are dealing with early onsets of perimenopause, grueling health conditions and are forced to exit the workforce prematurely due to medical complications from menopause.” Houlahan emphasized the urgency of understanding these health implications through research, “not only for the readiness of our force, but our broader workforce as well.”

Echoing these sentiments, Stephanie Bice stated her commitment to improve the quality of life for veterans was unwavering. “This study is an important first step as we examine the impacts of military service on health.”

The proposed bill is poised to enable the DoD to create a more robust healthcare structure for servicewomen, improve overall military readiness, and shed light on how stress and service can potentially hasten the onset of menopause. It’s a clear move toward understanding and consequently improving women’s health in the military.

Earlier this year, Houlahan also introduced the Maintaining Our Obligation to Moms Who Serve Act which aimed to implement mental health programs for expecting and postpartum service members. The Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act is just another step in her continuing advocacy.

Receiving endorsements from multiple organizations, this bill is an important initiative toward a better understanding of servicewomen’s unique health challenges. Donna Klassen, Co-Founder/CEO of Let’s Talk Menopause, highlighted that understanding these challenges is “crucial for developing tailored support and treatments, ensuring our heroes receive the care they deserve.”

As a nation, it is essential that we continue to prioritize and focus on these critical issues confronting our service members and veterans – it’s a matter of dignity, respect and sound public health policy. Women in military service have unique health concerns, and our research and healthcare systems must rise to meet their needs.