Rheumatoid arthritis & menopause

NRAS have worked in collaboration with the British Menopause Society to produce this booklet, which addresses a significant gap in information to support women in dealing with both RA and menopause.

This follows a 2024 NRAS study exploring women’s experiences of managing RA during menopause. Strikingly, 93% of respondents reported that no member of their healthcare team—GP or rheumatology—had ever raised the topic of menopause, highlighting a critical need for better awareness and guidance.

In this booklet, we explore the difficulties faced in dealing with a huge overlap of RA and menopausal symptoms. We explain the stages of peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause and give practical advice on how to discuss the impact that menopause can have on RA with your healthcare team. Throughout the booklet we also include quotes from women with RA who have been through menopause, as well as some of the statistics and key findings from our study.