Menopause Supports
Supports Available
91制片厂 and MISU provides self-care products in all toilets.
In addition, if you experience flooding, there are 鈥楥aught Out Kits鈥 located in the 91制片厂 Main Reception in Thurles and Limerick and the MISU in Thurles and Limerick.
If you feel that you might need a fan for your desk or study space at 91制片厂, please email EDII@mic.ul.ie and one can be organised for you.
The聽Caught-Out Kit
The Caught-Out Kit contains:
- Wet wipe packs (1 per bag)
- Deodorant (1 per bag)
- Hand sanitiser (1 per bag)
- Disposable knickers (1 per bag)
- Sanctuary towels for heavy period
The Caught-Out Kits are located in the following:
Limerick Campus
- Tailteann Reception
- MISU Reception
- Founding Building Staff Toilets - middle drawer
Thurles Campus
- Staff Canteen Room 127 - press under staff drawers
- Student Union Office
Hot and Brain Bothered - EDII Project Award
Hot and Brain Bothered - Menopausal Symptoms and Educator Workplace Performance
The current 91制片厂 EDII funded project focused on how menopausal symptoms may affect the workplace performance of educators, by conducting a review of available international evidence. The review findings highlighted educator workplace challenges, including reduced work capacity and changes in professional identity. As Nordling (2022, p. 382) noted in relation to the menopause and academia, 鈥淎nything that affects your ability to process information, your decision making, your focus - that鈥檚 not a good look for an academic鈥. Building upon the findings of the international review, the research also aims to explore effective evidence based strategies to support educators experiencing menopause.
Dr Suzanne Egan and Professor Niamh Stack, Department of Psychology, presented their findings to the 91制片厂 community in a Menopause Caf茅 on 20 October 2025.
Their project findings are available below.
Menopause, along with the stages before and after it (perimenopause and post menopause), can cause dozens of negative symptoms that can last for years.
These symptoms span a wide range and include:
- Physical e.g. hot flushes, dry mouth, heart palpitations
- Cognitive e.g. brain fog, forgetfulness
- Socioemotional e.g. anxiety, low mood, anger
Can limit performance in the workplace, as well as everyday life.
Some workplaces and occupations are known to be dominated by female employees (Charles & Grusky, 2004).
In Ireland 83% of jobs in social work and health care are female dominated, while 90% of jobs in construction and agriculture are male dominated (SOLAS)
What research is available on menopause and education workplaces, and what does it tell us?
- About the effect on workplace performance?
- About the potential supports?
For educators, some of the many symptoms can make it challenging to perform well:
- In front of classes
- Giving conference presentations
- During meetings
- When sustained focus is required e.g. marking
- When writing
Brain Zaps, Dry Mouth, Tinnitus, Loss of Breast Fullness, Brittle Nails, Muscle and Joint Pain, Dizziness, Metallic Mouth Taste, Body Odour, Bladder Weakness, Pins and Needles, Itchy Skin.
.
A scoping review was conducted of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research following the PRISMA-ScR methodology.
Literature was systematically searched in the SCOPUS database using defined inclusion criteria:
- Educators
- Performance in Workplace
- Menopausal
Findings
Search process found:
- 52 peer reviewed articles initially
- 11 articles read in full for eligibility
- 6 met the criteria for inclusion in review
Of the 6 articles:
- 2 from England, 2 from Pakistan, 1 each from France, Japan
- 2 included academics, 3 included teachers, 1 included both
- 3 used survey methods, others methods included interviews
- 3 focused on menopause, 3 had menopause included but not main focus of research (e.g. early retirement; life stages)
Memon et al. (2014) - 30% of respondents experienced altered work capacity as a result of menopause.
Quickfalls (2024) - challenges to identity as an educator.
Cau-Bareille et al. (2011) 鈥 menopause increased work related fatigue in kindergarten teachers.
Batool et al. (2017) - anxiety greater for peri than post menopausal teachers.
Matsuura et al. (2024) - mental health symptoms may not be identified as menopausal symptoms, more likely to be tolerated.
I went through the menopause when I was 47. And suddenly, from then on it was all tiredness, terrible tiredness. And the feeling of no longer鈥 Because before that, I managed to do lots of things. I managed to work late in the evening, go to meetings and lots of other stuff. But from then on, I don鈥檛 think that physically I understood what was happening 鈥 In fact that鈥檚 what it is - tiredness.
鈥ometimes I鈥檇 say to myself 鈥榥o more kindergarten for me!鈥.
鈥ne to two years ago somebody started a menopause group. When you hear about menopause, which is very rarely, it's all about the hot flushes鈥 What they don't tell you are the issues
brainwise. I didn't realize it at the time.
鈥'm a person who knows things, and that was part of my identity, and I wasn't that anymore. It's very disquieting. And it was only later when we were in this menopause group that I was realizing that that's one of the chief symptoms of menopause is that you do start forgetting stuff.
...And I've spoken to quite a few other women, women of the similar age and a bunch of us have all thought we had early onset of Alzheimer's. So it was really helpful having that group just to
talk through issues. (Amy)
I wonder about women and ageing. I think there are different narratives to men and ageing. Men get more wise and distinguished, and we just become barren and an old maid. That sense of, you know, 鈥榶ou're a man. You get to an old age and you're ripe鈥. (Robyn)
Do women seem to age out of wisdom? You know, there used to be the old crone stage. The grandma stage, whether she was the matriarch and the queen of all things. (Xanthe)
鈥ooking at allocating a named worker to cover my work if I had a migraine. Practical solutions to think about urgent needs to go to the toilet. So informing students I had a medical condition which might necessitate urgent trips to the toilet.
...How can I maintain my professionalism, manage student wellbeing issues and manage such embarrassing health concerns which may be viewed as unprofessional in a classroom context?
Coping Strategies and Workplace Supports
Coping strategies and workplace supports suggested by research include:
- Education for staff and managers
- Individualised and personalised supports
- Support groups
Different roles within an organisation may need different types of supports.
Conclusions
Educators workplace performance is affected by menopause symptoms in a number of negative ways, including professional identity issues, reduced work capacity, increased fatigue and anxiety, poor concentration and forgetfulness.
More research is needed to establish how best these challenges might be addressed.
Thanks to Dr Clara Hoyne for assistance with the database searching.
Thanks to 91制片厂 EDII Office for funding this project.
Wellness Warrior & Resources
Catherine O鈥橩eefe, also known online as , is Ireland鈥檚 first menopause coach. 91制片厂 has been lucky enough to have had Catherine be a guest at our Menopause Caf茅s 鈥 an EDII initiative to destigmatize and open the conversation about menopause in the workplace.
Catherine is a coach, speaker, founder of the Menopause Success Summit, and best-selling author of "All You Need to Know About Menopause".
- Supports Available
- Hot and Brain Bothered - EDII Project Award
- Wellness Warrior & Resources
