Immunization for midlife women

Menopause occurs at a critical juncture in life when preventative health care can have a major impact. However, recommendations for immunizations are often neglected, leading to unnecessary morbidity and mortality in aging women. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of immunization checkpoints at menopause to optimize the quality of care and health maintenance in older women and to provide an overview of the impact of immunizations on women's health.

This is an opinion article based on the current US and Canadian guidelines. A review of various guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Advisory Committee on Immunizations were conducted for each vaccine.

Disease prevention benefits are well established for several diseases, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, human papillomavirus, streptococcus pneumonia, shingles, and COVID-19. During clinical encounters, a needs assessment regarding vaccinations should be conducted. However, barriers to adult vaccination including lack of patient and provider knowledge about the need for vaccination, lack of priority for preventive services, and concerns regarding costs, insurance coverage, and reimbursement all contribute to the adult immunization gap. Given the importance of immunization and the need to decrease vaccine-preventable diseases, it is the obligation of healthcare practitioners to recommend vaccines and provide education on vaccination guidelines and associated risks. As women often seek medical attention at menopause because of changes in their physiology that require attention, it is the ideal time to discuss the importance of immunization.