Withings’ new report, The Menopause Transition 2026, analyzed real-world data from 2.5 million women across 11 countries and found that menopause is closely tied to major cardiovascular changes, not just reproductive aging. The data shows AFib prevalence rises sharply across the transition, increasing nearly fourfold globally and 3.8 times in the U.S. from early reproductive years to late postmenopause. At the same time, heart rate variability declines, arterial stiffness increases and cardiovascular risk markers accelerate most noticeably in the years immediately after menopause.
The findings suggest that the loss of estrogen during menopause may reduce important vascular and autonomic protections, causing women’s cardiovascular risk profiles to move closer to those of men. AFib rates rise particularly fast after menopause, reaching 7% in U.S. women and 10.5% globally by late postmenopause. The report also identified an “HRV paradox,” where U.S. women showed smaller declines in heart rate variability than the global average despite having higher body fat and poorer sleep scores, pointing to possible differences in medication use, genetics or healthcare access.
A key concern is that many women may not recognize the transition early enough. The report found that nearly half of women do not report perimenopause until age 50 or later, even though measurable changes such as increases in visceral fat and blood pressure can begin in the early 40s. Since many cardiovascular risk factors around menopause can be modified through lifestyle changes, the report emphasizes the importance of earlier monitoring, including tracking blood pressure and body composition over time. However, the findings are based on Withings device users and age-based reproductive stage estimates, so they may not fully represent the broader population.
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