Menopause Documentation Is Rare in Health Records

Menopause Documentation Was Rare in Health Records

Menopause appeared in electronic health records for only about 7% of women in a large research dataset. The [University of Colorado Anschutz report](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-menopause-electronic-health.html), published September 8, 2026, covered nearly 396,000 women in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program.

Researchers identified about 193,000 menopause observations in participant surveys and roughly 28,000 menopause diagnoses in electronic health records (EHRs). Menopause therefore appeared nearly seven times more often in surveys than in EHRs.

The Study Compared Surveys With Electronic Health Records

The observational study compared menopause information reported in participant surveys with diagnoses recorded in EHRs. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Menopause.

Nearly every participant with an EHR diagnosis of menopause also reported menopause in a survey. This agreement suggests that recorded diagnoses generally matched participant reports when menopause documentation was present. Far fewer participants had any menopause diagnosis in their EHR.

Menopause Documentation Often Lacked Age Data

Age at menopause was frequently unavailable in EHR data. Researchers may need that information to examine whether the timing of menopause is associated with chronic disease risk or other health outcomes.

The study also points to a broader measurement problem. Large research programs can combine surveys, medical records, and genomic data, but missing reproductive information reduces the number of participants available for some menopause studies.

Missing Records Limit Metabolic Health Research

Menopause can affect cardiometabolic health and other aspects of women’s health, according to the report. Incomplete menopause documentation makes it harder to study how the transition relates to disease across diverse populations.

For someone reviewing blood sugar, lipids, or other metabolic health results, the study does not show that missing menopause documentation caused a specific result or changed treatment. It shows that researchers and clinicians may lack a consistently recorded part of the health history.

The Findings Do Not Measure Patient Outcomes

The results apply to women participating in the NIH All of Us Research Program. The study compared two sources of menopause information within that dataset. It did not report whether documentation rates were the same in every health system or population.

The analysis also did not test whether adding menopause information improves care or prevents disease. A patient who wants clearer menopause documentation can talk to a clinician about whether menopause status and age at menopause belong in the medical history.