Women living with multiple sclerosis may wonder how the physical and mental changes that come with menopause will affect their MS. A study earlier this year from researchers in Australia offers reassuring news: Menopause itself does not appear to cause MS to worsen or speed up disability progression.

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“MS disability typically gets worse in both men and women as people age, with a noticeable shift at about the age of 50, which is also around the age of menopause for most women,” said Vilija Jokubaitis, deputy head of Monash University’s School of Translational Medicine Department of Neuroscience in Melbourne.

Instead, the study shows that three other factors — your age, how long you’ve had MS, and what type of treatment you’ve had — play a much bigger role in how disability changes over time.

What Is Menopause?

Menopause is a natural stage of life, marking the end of menstrual periods. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, after 12 months without a period. The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, can include symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and changes in memory or concentration. These symptoms are caused by shifting hormone levels, mainly a drop in estrogen and progesterone.

Notably, symptoms of perimenopause and menopause often overlap with those of MS, including fatigue, brain fog, and mood changes.

What the Study Found

To better understand the link between menopause and MS, researchers studied nearly 1,000 Australian women living with MS — both premenopausal and postmenopausal. They looked at how disability from MS changed over time, using measures that track physical abilities, such as walking and daily function.

The main finding was that menopause did not cause MS to get worse or progress more quickly. Whether someone had undergone menopause or not, the risk of disability progression remained about the same.

3 Factors That Affect Disability Over Time

The study found that these three factors had the greatest impact on disability progression:

• Biological aging — The natural aging process itself
• Duration of MS — The amount of time a person has lived with MS
• Use of high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies — Medications considered especially powerful in controlling MS activity

Researchers also looked at whether early menopause (before age 45) made a difference, but found no evidence that it increased the risk of MS progression.

Why This Matters for People Living With MS

The findings from this study may bring some peace of mind for those with MS who are approaching or going through menopause. While the menopausal transition can be challenging — and symptoms like hot flashes, sleep problems, and brain fog can still affect quality of life — menopause itself is not a main driver of MS worsening.

If you notice new or changing symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Sometimes, adjusting your MS treatment, finding ways to manage menopause symptoms, or making lifestyle changes (like staying active and eating well) can help.

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Have you noticed any changes in your MS symptoms during menopause or perimenopause? Let others know in the comments below.