Congress recently convened a first-ever hearing on menopause. That it took this long for lawmakers to address this important issue mirrors how we as a nation have failed to publicly confront, thoughtfully study and allocate meaningful federal funding to address this predictable stage of women’s health.

Last month, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) invited physicians and experts to testify before Congress on the current state of menopause training, research and care. Their collective assessment was discouraging — physician shortages, inadequate access to care, insurance challenges and a lack of medical education were cited among many reasons why there’s been little progress.

The senators also asked the Government Accountability Office to examine how the federal government has funded menopause research to identify gaps in training, treatment and oversight.

Menopause is the normal part of a woman’s aging process that marks the end of her reproductive years.…