Perimenopause is the transitional period before menopause.
Business reality show Shark Tank India is currently in its third season and has been making headlines for interesting pitches by aspiring entrepreneurs. In one of the episodes, businesswoman and the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Namita Thapar, opened up about her battle with perimenopause, which is the transitional period before menopause. Many women experience an array of symptoms as their hormones shift during the time leading up to menopause, the natural end of menstruation.
In a video shared on X, Ms Thapar revealed that she became anemic, and bled so much during her periods that it was uncomfortable for her to even sit down while shooting for the reality show. She added that hemoglobin went to 8 (g/dl), and she had to take injections for five months.
The Shark Tank judge shared her ordeal with perimenopause during a pitch by the founders of Matri, a company creating devices to alleviate menstrual pain.
''Women don't prioritise their health & don't speak up. I've used the Shark Tank platform to speak about my experiences with mental health, IVF, fitness & now perimenopause. Most women are not aware of the symptoms, or treatment options, let's get educated & take charge of our health,'' the 46-year-old wrote while sharing the video on X.
Watch it here:
Several internet users praised her for talking about the seldom-discussed topic and igniting a much-needed dialogue on women's health issues.
One user wrote, ''Thank you for breaking the silence and sharing your journey. Women need to prioritize their health and speak up. Education empowers us to take control. Let's continue raising awareness and supporting each other.''
Another commented, ''Being an entrepreneur, you have the guts to talk about how this issue but the medical industry is profiting from this problem rather than trying to educate people. I adore you so much.''
A third added, ''Most of the girls don't even know about 'perimenopause'. It must be included in our syllabus so that women are well aware of the phase.''
During perimenopause, levels of estrogen, a key female hormone, start to decrease. Women may experience symptoms like:
- Mood changes.
- Changes in sexual desire.
- Trouble concentrating.
- Headaches.
- Night sweats.
- Hot flashes.
- Vaginal dryness.
- Trouble with sleep.
Last year, Ms Thapar also talked about her struggles with conceiving her second child through in-vitro fertilization. Notably, the businesswoman became a mother by naturally conceiving at the age of 28. She, however, faced fertility problems, after three to four years when she wished for a second child. She chose to undergo the IVF way twice, enduring 25 injections that caused her excruciating physical and mental suffering.