Perimenopause and menopause in the military: a scoping review

Importance and objective: Military service shapes the health and wellness of its members through a complex interplay of factors. These dynamics may influence the perimenopausal and menopausal experiences among military servicemembers. The objective of this scoping review is to identify and analyze literature on perimenopause/menopause in the military, explore geographical differences in menopausal experiences, and highlight knowledge gaps to guide future research studies and policy development. Methods: CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception until September 2024. The results were reported using PRISMA-ScR. Discussion: Eighteen articles were included in this scoping review. Most studies were conducted in the United States (83%), among veterans (67%), and focused on a variety of outcomes. The major themes addressed in the articles included participant menopausal knowledge, menopausal hormone therapy, experience of menopause, and resources. Conclusions: This scoping review systematically synthesized the evidence to offer a comprehensive overview of perimenopausal and menopausal research in a military context. Several gaps were identified, leading to the establishment of focused priorities for future research.