Periods, PCOS and Premature Menopause | Women Are Finally Speaking Up About the Hormonal Health Crisis
The only thing more out of balance than the estrogen levels of Indian women is the social silence around it.
Published : June 9, 2025 at 5:20 PM IST
There’s something ironic about being a woman. You’re expected to be demure, graceful, naturally radiant, have perfect skin (despite hard water), run a board meeting and a home-cooked kitchen, and never ever talk about your uterus unless you’re announcing a baby or a hysterectomy.
But we’re here to change that. Because women all over the world are in the middle of a hormonal health crisis, and the only thing more out of balance than our estrogen levels is the social silence around it. PCOS is exploding among young Indian women. Menopause is showing up earlier. And the mental load of being told to “adjust” through all of it is starting to show up as anxiety, burnout, infertility, and the question: “Why do I feel like punching everyone in the office even though I used to be nice?”
A Hot Flash and a Hard Stop
Mallika Timblo, entrepreneur and the founder of women’s wellness platform Terrapy, went into menopause early at age 42 (right after giving birth to her second child). However, nobody told her what was really happening to her. “I was shocked when I had my first hot flash,” Mallika says.
“My mom’s first reaction was, ‘Stop being so dramatic.’” Because nothing screams ‘warm maternal support’ like being gaslit by your gene pool while melting from the inside. That singular moment led her to launch Terrapy. It’s a space where women can talk hormones without being told to sip jeera water and smile more.
Even celebrities aren't spared from the gaslighting. Hollywood actress Halle Berry wrote in a column for Oprah Winfrey, “I wish there had been other women [around me] who weren’t afraid to talk about menopause. None of my friends were talking. We acted as if it weren't coming. I wish I had other women to make me understand that I wasn’t crazy, that this was all normal, and that they were going through it as well.” Berry started the platform Respin as a safe space for women to talk about the journey so they don't feel the stigma.
Hormonal Health is Mainstream
Hormonal health isn’t a niche issue. As Mallika puts it, “We make up half the population of this country. And yet, we don’t have a place to talk about what’s happening to our bodies.”
PCOS isn’t just about a few missed periods. It’s about weight gain that defies logic, acne that won’t leave you alone, mood swings that rival Bollywood plot twists, and being handed hormonal birth control like it’s a one-size-fits-all solution to life. Perimenopause is not just about “moodiness” or “getting older.” It’s brain fog, irregular cycles, dry skin, sleep disorders, and the hot flashes that lead to the recurring thought: “Is it me or is the air conditioning broken again?” Then there’s the fact that nobody wants to talk about any of this. Not your mom. Not your HR department. Not your doctor who still recommends “rest and positive thinking” as treatment for PMS rage.
This is about public health, economic productivity, generational wellbeing, and basic human dignity. Imagine if half the population were silently navigating a landmine of symptoms while still being expected to act like Deepika Padukone in a shampoo commercial. It’s time we normalized hormonal health like we normalized overpriced matcha.
What Needs to Change
Conversation: We need more women like Mallika saying “Enough is enough” and less aunties saying “Have you tried turmeric?”
Education: We need to teach girls that menstruation, ovulation, and menopause are natural bodily processes that every female goes through.
Healthcare Access: Indian women deserve hormone-literate doctors who see more than just a BMI number and a wedding ring.
Safe Spaces: Platforms like Respin and Terrapy create spaces for women to speak up without judgement or fear of stigma.
Ladies, your hormones are not being dramatic. Your body is trying to tell you something. The hormonal health crisis is here, and it’s not going away quietly. As for everyone else: If you want strong, empowered, healthy women running your homes, companies, cities, and governments, give women more than a sanitary napkin and a sympathetic nod. Give us access, education and empathy. Most importantly, give us room to speak.
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