Bill Text: NJ SJR85 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Designates October of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month" October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day," and October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in New Jersey.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-09 - Reported from Senate Committee as a Substitute, 2nd Reading [SJR85 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-SJR85-Comm_Sub.html
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION No. 85
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
ADOPTED DECEMBER 9, 2024
Sponsored by:
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Designates October of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month," October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day," and October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Substitute as adopted by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
A Joint Resolution designating October of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month," October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day", and October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in New Jersey.
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
Whereas, Menopause is the natural biological process during which a woman's hormone levels change and the woman permanently stops having menstrual periods, and is diagnosed after 12 months without a menstrual period; and
Whereas, The average age a woman begins menopause is 51, but it can commence anytime in a woman's 40s or 50s; and
Whereas, In 2019, there were 1.2 million women in New Jersey between 40 and 59 years of age; and
Whereas, Symptoms of menopause may disrupt a woman's daily life and include hot flashes, low energy, genital dryness, irritation, sexual dysfunction, urinary issues, dizziness, thinning hair, mood swings, and night sweats and other sleep problems; and
Whereas, Menopause is not a disease and does not require treatment, but there are actions that can be taken under the care of a physician that can help mitigate the symptoms, such as hormone therapy to help adjust the hormone changes associated with menopause, vaginal estrogen to relieve vaginal dryness and some urinary symptoms, low-dose antidepressants to decrease menopausal hot flashes, and homeopathy and herbal treatments; and
Whereas, In addition to enduring the symptoms of menopause, the process is often a shrouded subject, not discussed in families or the community, which results in women feeling alone and isolated; and
Whereas, Since 2009, the International Menopause Society alongside the World Health Organization have designated October as "World Menopause Awareness Month" to raise awareness on menopause, to serve as an opportunity to educate women, their families, and the clinical community regarding the health and wellness of women as they age, and to draw attention to the characterization of menopause by the mass media, which often casts aging women in a negative light; and
Whereas, Menopause is preceded by a two to 10 year period known as perimenopause during which a woman's body makes the natural transition to menopause with the production of eggs, estrogen, and progesterone decreasing; and
Whereas, Perimenopause is caused by the gradual decline of ovary function and estrogen production, during which ovulation may become erratic, the menstrual cycle may lengthen, and flow may become irregular before a woman's final period; and
Whereas, Common symptoms can last for a few months to many years and may include: irregular periods or skipping periods; hot flashes; vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex; urinary urgency; sleep problems; changes in mood; and depression; and
Whereas, Perimenopause is a lesser known stage of the menopause process and individuals may not realize that the symptoms the person is experiencing are associated with perimenopause and may instead attribute the symptoms to aging, stress, anxiety, and depression, which may result in the delay of appropriate treatment from health care professionals; and
Whereas, October 11 is recognized as "World Perimenopause Day" with the purposes of educating people about mental health and the early signs of perimenopause and supporting women going through perimenopause who may feel lost; and
Whereas, Postmenopause is the period of time after menopause when a woman's menstrual periods have ceased for 12 consecutive months. Natural postmenopause typically occurs sometime between a woman's late 40s and early 60s; and
Whereas, Postmenopause is caused by the same hormonal changes that drive the entire menopause transition and can be influenced by internal factors such as fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone hormones and external factors such as lifestyle habits, stress, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy; and
Whereas, It is a common belief that the uncomfortable symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause will disappear once postmenopause begins; however, some women can continue to experience these symptoms during postmenopause; and
Whereas, Symptoms of postmenopause can include vaginal bleeding and hot flashes in the early stages of postmenopause, as well as vaginal dryness, urinary tract infections, weight gain, incontinence, insomnia, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure throughout the process; and
Whereas, Postmenopausal women may be at an increased risk for health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and urinary tract infections. Early detection of these health conditions can help women receive appropriate and timely healthcare. For example, a bone density screening test can help postmenopausal women determine the levels of calcium in bones and allow postmenopausal women to take timely action to prevent osteoporosis; and
Whereas, The International Menopause Society has designated October 18 as "World Menopause Awareness Day" with the purpose of raising awareness of menopause and the support options available for improving health and well-being throughout the menopause process; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper for New Jersey to join organizations across the globe by designating October of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month," October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day," and October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in order to: raise awareness regarding the symptoms associated with perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause; to support the health and well-being of, and promote management options for, women experiencing these natural biological processes; and to combat stigma and misinformation surrounding this period in a woman's life; now, therefore,
1. In the State of New Jersey, October of each year is designated "Menopause Awareness Month," October 11 of each year is designated as "Perimenopause Day," and October 18 of each year is designated as "Postmenopause Day" in order to: raise awareness regarding the symptoms associated with perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause; to support the health and well-being of, and promote management options for, women experiencing these natural biological processes; and to combat stigma and misinformation surrounding this period in a woman's life.
2. The Governor is respectfully requested to issue an annual proclamation recognizing October as "Menopause Awareness Month," October 11 as "Perimenopause Day," and October 18 as "Postmenopause Day" and calling upon public officials and citizens of this State to observe "Menopause Awareness Month," "Perimenopause Day," and "Postmenopause Day" with appropriate activities and programs.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
