UTIs, Pain Gaps, and a Menopause Guide Written for Men

Key Takeaways

• ✦Recurrent UTIs become significantly more common after menopause due to dropping estrogen levels, and USA Today's investigation found FDA warnings about deadly infections in this group were issued but not effectively acted on.
• ✦A major global study found women report more pain than men across every body region studied, with the steepest increase happening before age 55 — squarely in perimenopause territory.
• ✦The gender gap in clinical research isn't ancient history: Spain's official menopause guide was built largely on studies conducted on men, drawing criticism from medical societies and women's health advocates.
• ✦Local estrogen therapy (applied directly to the vaginal area) is well-supported by evidence for reducing recurrent UTIs after menopause, but many women and their doctors don't know this or don't discuss it.
• ✦Women being undertreated for pain is a documented pattern, not anecdote — this global study adds large-scale evidence to something many women have experienced firsthand.