51% of the Population. Less Than 10% of Research. Why Are We Still Uneducated on Perimenopause?

Perimenopause, the biological shift that precedes menopause, isn’t just a “phase” that all women have to eventually go through. It is a complex hormonal transition that impacts every system in the body, yet it remains profoundly misunderstood, under-resourced, and largely ignored by mainstream healthcare, employers, and public discourse.

That’s the clear message from Laurel Wilson, a certified menopause practitioner, parenting coach, maternal and women’s health expert with more than three decades of experience as a lactation consultant, integrative health coach, educator, and international speaker.

Perimenopause Begins Long Before “Middle Age”

In her recent conversation on MissPoppins: The Art of Parenting, Wilson emphasizes that perimenopause is not something that only happens after age 50, it begins much earlier and escalates over time.

“Perimenopause is happening earlier and earlier… we even have some cases… early 32.”

This challenges the long-standing misconception that hormonal transitions only occur around traditional “menopause ag

“Every single cell in our body has progesterone and estrogen receptors.”

This means that as estrogen and progesterone levels decline, often starting in one’s 30s. Wilson highlights the depth of the changes women experience:

“When every cell in our body needs the communication of those hormones and those hormone levels are dropping, every single system in our body starts to go haywire.”

This isn’t just about heat waves or mood swings, changes in these hormones affect sleep, metabolism, cognition, cardiac health, bone density- virtually every bodily system. This compounding effect, as Lauren describes, can be expressed in over 125 possible symptoms.

For many women, disrupted sleep becomes one of the most pervasive issues. Sleep fragmentation alone can cascade into cognitive fog, metabolic dysregulation, disrupted immunity, and emotional dysregulation. 

Under research for menopause care leaves women feeling confused and dismissed both in the real world and in their doctor’s appointments as just someone going through hot flashes and natural body experiences. 

When Workplaces Don’t Support Transitions, Women Leave

Wilson sheds light on the socio-economic toll of this invisibilized health challenge.

“One out of four women… have seriously considered quitting their job.”

This statistic reflects not a lack of willpower or commitment, but a lack of structural support in workplaces that understand or accommodate hormonal health transitions.

As Wilson notes:

“You can’t tell your boss… that you were not able to get to sleep until 5:30 a.m. and you are running on fumes.” This disconnect between lived reality and job expectations is not just personally costly — it’s an economic waste of leadership.

Wilson underscores that these women are not “tired and over it” — they are still bringing immense professional value:

“Women who get to the age of perimenopause… are bringing this historical, amazing amount of knowledge and creativity.”

The Systemic Funding Crisis: Women’s Health in the Basement

One reason perimenopause remains under-recognized is simple: it is vastly under-funded.

“We are 51% of the world, and yet we get less than 10% dedicated research and support.”

Wilson points to a deeply rooted scientific bias, noting that many medications historically were developed based on experiments solely tested for men. Gender bias in healthcare is rampant, and it wasn’t until after the early 90s that it became a legal mandate in the US health care suitability across both sexes.

Despite living in 2026, this gap persists as we noticed the effects in daily living and workplace structures.

Coaching as Critical Infrastructure for Empathetic Support

Given these gaps in research, clinical understanding, and workplace support, coaching emerges as a powerful ally for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

Wilson, who has spent decades training professionals, speaking at international conferences, and guiding women through life transitions, champions a holistic and humanized model of support.

Coaching offers:

• Personal validation and symptom literacy

• Integration of nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle science

• Emotional intelligence in navigating identity and life shifts

• Tools for advocating within systems in traditional healthcare that some may not yet understand

And it fills a gap that medicine, research, and policy have yet to fully address.As Wilson notes:

“There is a very important place for having… someone who can provide compassion, understanding, and emotional intelligence.”

In an era enamored with AI, wearables, and digital tracking, the human element of connection, empathy, and human guidance seems to trail. There is real scientific evidence that emphasizes the importance of human connection.

In our conversation, Lauren explained that human-to-human interaction has measurable biological effects, including heart resonance and neurological mirroring.

“We also have these things called mirror neurons in our brain so that when we are making eye-to-eye contact with another human, not typing on our computers, that we actually can feel the feelings they are because our mirror neurons are mirroring what the person in front of us is feeling.”

Healthcare is in the Business of Empathy

Aside from tactical steps like coaching to increase access to formal education, it is a nuanced conversation that revolves around listening to women and individuals more intently when they express need for care, dignity, and respect.

“We don’t want people to just live longer. We want them to live healthier, more joyful lives that feel good in our bodies.”

Perimenopause and menopause are not endings. They are transitions. But transitions require guidance.Until research funding increases, workplace systems adapt, and medical training fully integrates hormonal lifespan education, coaching may be one of the most responsive forms of infrastructure available.