For Ankita Wamburkar, founder of the jewellery brand Justpeachy, the past few years were marked by confusion and distress. The 39-year-old from Gurgaon struggled with poor sleep, severe mood swings, sudden weight gain, body aches and intense anxiety—with no clear cause. Misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, she was on medication for six months. Nothing improved, so she stopped. Seven months ago, an Instagram reel by Dr Anagha Karkhanis on perimenopause caught her attention. She reached out—and is finally on the mend.
Karkhanis, a consultant in menopause and fertility at Cocoon Fertility, IVF & Gynaecology in Mumbai and Thane, says social media is reshaping menopause conversations, from “what is wrong with me” to “why it’s happening”. Today’s awareness, she says, is driven largely by digital content. “Gen X and millennial women are entering this phase of life with awareness. They also realise that they may live 30 years or more after menopause as life expectancy is going up. The focus can’t be on shortterm symptom relief—it has to be on the long-term quality of life.”
A social media scroll will reveal that menopause has shifted from silence to storytelling, from a condition to content and from isolation to a community-led experience.
The global menopause market is projected to reach about $24 billion by 2030, according to the market research firm Grand View Research. The segment is being repositioned as a wellness category. It also marks a cultural shift where midlife women are claiming space for menopause in health conversations.
About time too, says actor Lisa Ray, who has been open about her menopause journey. Ray, who went into chemo-induced menopause at 37, says, “Even though I was open about my cancer, I felt a deep sense of shame around menopause and kept it hidden for years. It was only after starting conversations publicly on menopause that I sought the support and the hormone replacement therapy I needed. I don’t want other women to go through that silence.” Ray has cofounded a women’s health medical clinic, NuHer. “I’ve never felt more empowered, strong, or clear than I do in my 50s.”
Two years ago, Ray teamed up with her friend and Dubai-based fashion editor Sujata Assomull to create content for midlifers. Says Assomull: “I started creating the content when I turned50, partly in response to people who asked in shock if I would continue in fashion. But it became more personal after a difficult perimenopause—I didn’t even recognise what I was going through at first.” She notes that while menopause has long been discussed in the West, it’s only now gaining visibility in South Asia.
A lot of the women want to feel “we are not alone”. Says Karkhanis: “Communities can be incredibly helpful for support—women learning from other women, sharing experiences.” Dubai-based marketer Kamal Kapur says her menopause looked easier when she read about other stories. “There’s comfort in knowing that you are not alone or the ‘weird’ one.”
Some seek information. Like 34-year-old physics researcher Ankita Ray, who follows lifestyle influencer Anna Mae Groves to learn about the nuances of perimenopause, as she finds her to be “authentic”: “She does not push products.”
It is a growing problem in the menopause space, says Assomull. She pulled back her menopause content after coaches, supplements and brand tie-ins rushed in and the space got increasingly monetised. “It’s important that this space doesn’t become just another bandwagon as women are looking for genuine information.”
Shah of Fabulous Midlife Club plans to have offline meetups of the community as she feels Instagram has its limitations. “Navigating midlife changes can feel very isolating. Community helps break that. Perimenopause is completelyunpredictable. That’s why women need spaces to share, compare and learn from each other—whether it’s through conversations, WhatsApp groups, or offline meetups,” says Shah.
What is also helping, says Assomull, is celebrities talking about it. Along with Ray, actors Soha Ali Khan and Mini Mathur have talked about their menopause journey.
Mathur, 54, started an Instagram page called Pauseitive in 2025. She says her perimenopause blindsided her although she is very health conscious. “When I sought help, it was brushed off as ‘part of the process’. That’s when I realised there’s a huge black hole around menopause—generations of women have gone through this without information, support, or even acknowledgement.”
Karkhanis says the medical community is still catching up: “Our systems are still working in silos. Many women get turned away unless they have classic symptoms like hot flashes. Menopause care needs a more holistic, long-term approach—but we are not there yet.”
It’s these gaps that initiatives such as Pauseitive and NuHer plan to fill. Mathur did an 18-month course from US to become a certified hormone and nutrition coach. With Pauseitive, she aims to create a community that is not about managing symptoms but about building quality of life. “The biggest shift I’m seeing is women saying, ‘I matter.’ Women are finding validation, sharing experiences and realising that it’s okay to prioritise themselves.”
Even entrepreneurs are joining in with a community-first approach. Shaili Chopra, founder of the women-centric platform SheThePeople, has started Gytree Women’s Health, offering products and supplements for women. It is now being developed into a community as Chopra wants to fill the gap between awareness and support with workshops, wellness retreats and talks about menopause at the workplace.
She says, “Years of silence and suffering are finally giving way to acknowledgement. But awareness alone isn’t enough. The shift has to be from talking about menopause to doing something about it.” According to its findings, nearly 80% of menopause content that Indian women consume is rooted in western experiences. “We need to build for the Indian female experience, not import it,” she says.
Agrees Tamanna Singh, founder of Menoveda, a brand of ayurvedic supplements for perimenopause and menopause symptoms. She says, “Menopause in India is at a tipping point—it’s moving from a private biological experience to a public conversation. That shift alone signals a cultural reset.” Menoveda has several WhatsApp groups that cater to different issues and regions. But Singh warns of “menowashing” and misinformation. “Menopause is not a one-size-fits-all phase. Every woman’s journey is different. What worries me is the oversimplification online,” she says. Agrees Karkhanis, who says patients who seek her help are often taking supplements because those worked for a “friend”. “There’s a need for discretion.”
Chopra says nearly 80% of menopause management is about lifestyle—nutrition, strength training, mental health and consistent habits. “The most meaningful communities combine science with sisterhood.” Hot…er news flash: menopause is communal and how.
Karkhanis, a consultant in menopause and fertility at Cocoon Fertility, IVF & Gynaecology in Mumbai and Thane, says social media is reshaping menopause conversations, from “what is wrong with me” to “why it’s happening”. Today’s awareness, she says, is driven largely by digital content. “Gen X and millennial women are entering this phase of life with awareness. They also realise that they may live 30 years or more after menopause as life expectancy is going up. The focus can’t be on shortterm symptom relief—it has to be on the long-term quality of life.”
A social media scroll will reveal that menopause has shifted from silence to storytelling, from a condition to content and from isolation to a community-led experience.
The global menopause market is projected to reach about $24 billion by 2030, according to the market research firm Grand View Research. The segment is being repositioned as a wellness category. It also marks a cultural shift where midlife women are claiming space for menopause in health conversations.
About time too, says actor Lisa Ray, who has been open about her menopause journey. Ray, who went into chemo-induced menopause at 37, says, “Even though I was open about my cancer, I felt a deep sense of shame around menopause and kept it hidden for years. It was only after starting conversations publicly on menopause that I sought the support and the hormone replacement therapy I needed. I don’t want other women to go through that silence.” Ray has cofounded a women’s health medical clinic, NuHer. “I’ve never felt more empowered, strong, or clear than I do in my 50s.”
Two years ago, Ray teamed up with her friend and Dubai-based fashion editor Sujata Assomull to create content for midlifers. Says Assomull: “I started creating the content when I turned50, partly in response to people who asked in shock if I would continue in fashion. But it became more personal after a difficult perimenopause—I didn’t even recognise what I was going through at first.” She notes that while menopause has long been discussed in the West, it’s only now gaining visibility in South Asia.
A lot of the women want to feel “we are not alone”. Says Karkhanis: “Communities can be incredibly helpful for support—women learning from other women, sharing experiences.” Dubai-based marketer Kamal Kapur says her menopause looked easier when she read about other stories. “There’s comfort in knowing that you are not alone or the ‘weird’ one.”
Some seek information. Like 34-year-old physics researcher Ankita Ray, who follows lifestyle influencer Anna Mae Groves to learn about the nuances of perimenopause, as she finds her to be “authentic”: “She does not push products.”
It is a growing problem in the menopause space, says Assomull. She pulled back her menopause content after coaches, supplements and brand tie-ins rushed in and the space got increasingly monetised. “It’s important that this space doesn’t become just another bandwagon as women are looking for genuine information.”
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Ceramicist and entrepreneur Deepika Dhoolypala of Isan Ceramics hit menopause surgically when she was 44. At 47, she started experiencing osteoporosis and arthritis in the hip joint. What helped her was strength training, drinking lots of water, taking proper supplements and eating more protein. While she has a fitness coach, she likes to follow certain doctors on social media for any breakthroughs. Mumbai-based educator Shweta Sankhla, who follows Instagram pages such as Ruchita Dar Shah’s Fabulous Midlife Club and Dr Sukhpreet Patel’s Menopausewize, says she has found nutritionists and doctors and gained knowledge on supplements through these digital communities.Shah of Fabulous Midlife Club plans to have offline meetups of the community as she feels Instagram has its limitations. “Navigating midlife changes can feel very isolating. Community helps break that. Perimenopause is completelyunpredictable. That’s why women need spaces to share, compare and learn from each other—whether it’s through conversations, WhatsApp groups, or offline meetups,” says Shah.
What is also helping, says Assomull, is celebrities talking about it. Along with Ray, actors Soha Ali Khan and Mini Mathur have talked about their menopause journey.
Mathur, 54, started an Instagram page called Pauseitive in 2025. She says her perimenopause blindsided her although she is very health conscious. “When I sought help, it was brushed off as ‘part of the process’. That’s when I realised there’s a huge black hole around menopause—generations of women have gone through this without information, support, or even acknowledgement.”
Karkhanis says the medical community is still catching up: “Our systems are still working in silos. Many women get turned away unless they have classic symptoms like hot flashes. Menopause care needs a more holistic, long-term approach—but we are not there yet.”
It’s these gaps that initiatives such as Pauseitive and NuHer plan to fill. Mathur did an 18-month course from US to become a certified hormone and nutrition coach. With Pauseitive, she aims to create a community that is not about managing symptoms but about building quality of life. “The biggest shift I’m seeing is women saying, ‘I matter.’ Women are finding validation, sharing experiences and realising that it’s okay to prioritise themselves.”
Even entrepreneurs are joining in with a community-first approach. Shaili Chopra, founder of the women-centric platform SheThePeople, has started Gytree Women’s Health, offering products and supplements for women. It is now being developed into a community as Chopra wants to fill the gap between awareness and support with workshops, wellness retreats and talks about menopause at the workplace.
She says, “Years of silence and suffering are finally giving way to acknowledgement. But awareness alone isn’t enough. The shift has to be from talking about menopause to doing something about it.” According to its findings, nearly 80% of menopause content that Indian women consume is rooted in western experiences. “We need to build for the Indian female experience, not import it,” she says.
Agrees Tamanna Singh, founder of Menoveda, a brand of ayurvedic supplements for perimenopause and menopause symptoms. She says, “Menopause in India is at a tipping point—it’s moving from a private biological experience to a public conversation. That shift alone signals a cultural reset.” Menoveda has several WhatsApp groups that cater to different issues and regions. But Singh warns of “menowashing” and misinformation. “Menopause is not a one-size-fits-all phase. Every woman’s journey is different. What worries me is the oversimplification online,” she says. Agrees Karkhanis, who says patients who seek her help are often taking supplements because those worked for a “friend”. “There’s a need for discretion.”
Chopra says nearly 80% of menopause management is about lifestyle—nutrition, strength training, mental health and consistent habits. “The most meaningful communities combine science with sisterhood.” Hot…er news flash: menopause is communal and how.
