The Menopause “Penalty”

Gabriella Conti, Rita Ginja, Petra Persson and Barton Willage

No 25141, RFBerlin Discussion Paper Series from ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin)

Abstract: The motherhood penalty is well-documented, but what happens at the other end of the reproductive spectrum? Menopause-a transition often marked by debilitating physical and psychological symptoms-also entails substantial costs. Using population-wide Norwegian and Swedish data and quasi-experimental methods, we show that a menopause diagnosis leads to lasting drops in earnings and employment, alongside greater reliance on social transfers. Increasing access to menopause-related health care can help offset these losses. Our findings reveal the hidden economic toll of menopause and the potential gains from better support policies.

Keywords: Menopause; Health; Labor Market (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 J01 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-12
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