Fifty years after 165 delegates gathered in France for the
first International Congress on Menopause, the 20th World Congress on Menopause
has grown into a sold-out, international event, attracting 4,500 delegates to
the Windsor Oceanico Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Taking place from 30 September to 3 October 2026, the
Congress will bring together experts from 86 countries, reflecting the growing
international focus on menopause and midlife women’s health.
Organised by the International Menopause Society (IMS), the
event received more than 900 abstract submissions on topics including menopause
medicine and healthy ageing.
The four-day programme will feature discussions on whether
ovarian ageing can be influenced, cognitive health and brain fog during the
menopause transition, sexual health, contraception for women approaching
menopause, frailty and healthy ageing, and how midlife women’s healthcare can
be better integrated into national health systems.
The congress will also tackle some of the more challenging
issues emerging alongside increased public awareness of menopause, including
misinformation, commercialisation and the rapidly expanding menopause
marketplace.
Professor Rossella Nappi, president of the International
Menopause Society, who will deliver the Pieter Van Keep plenary lecture, Sexual
Health in the Menopause, said the event’s growth reflects a significant
shift in the global conversation around women’s health.
“The conversation around menopause has changed enormously
over the past five decades, and the level of interest in this year’s Congress
reflects that,” she said.
“It is incredibly encouraging to see professionals on a
global scale looking for credible, evidence-based information and for
continuing to improve the care women receive around the world.”
Scientific programme
Among the headline speakers is professor
Nick Panay of Imperial College London, who will present the latest
recommendations on premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), including emerging
thinking around POI and early menopause as chronic endocrine conditions with
potential long-term implications for health.
Professor Richard Anderson of the University of Edinburgh
will explore whether aspects of ovarian ageing could potentially be influenced,
including emerging research into DNA damage, inflammation and fibrosis.
Professor Aimee Spector of University College London will
examine women’s cognitive health during the menopause transition, including
what is known about brain fog, how it differs from dementia and the evidence
surrounding Menopause Hormone Therapy and cognitive health.
Other plenary sessions include Professor Luis Bahamondes of
the University of Campinas in Brazil on contraception for women approaching
menopause, professor Antonio Cano of the University of Valencia on frailty and
healthy ageing, and professor Unnop Jaisamrarn of Chulalongkorn University in
Thailand on integrating midlife women’s healthcare into national health
systems.
The plenary programme will conclude with Dr Jen Gunter’s
presentation, ‘Menopause for Sale: Misinformation, Commercialization, and
Monetization’, which will explore the ‘blurred boundaries between health
information, medical care and commercial opportunity within the rapidly
expanding menopause market.
Professor Nappi said the scientific community must continue
to adapt as women’s health needs and expectations evolve.
“Women today are not the same as those of previous
generations, and the women of the future will be different again,” she said.
“Their lives, health, expectations and experiences continue
to change, and our understanding of midlife health must evolve with them.
“It is vital to make it easier for women and healthcare
professionals to distinguish evidence and facts from opinion, misinformation
and commercial claims. Menopause may be discussed more openly than ever, but
there is still much more work to do, and we hope this Congress will contribute
to that work.”
On demand
For delegates unable to attend in Rio, the IMS 2026 Digital
On Demand Congress will be available worldwide from 10 November 2026, providing
access to scientific sessions from the Congress for a further 12 months.
