MenoSaathi is an app that’s currently being developed as part of a Ripple Scale Challenge cohort.
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MenoSaathi

Menopause care has a gap that falls hardest on underserved communities. MenoSaathi is being built with the women it aims to support.

Many women in the UK have limited access to appropriate support during perimenopause and menopause, particularly women from ethnic minority backgrounds, lower-income households and isolated or rural communities. Existing services often focus primarily on medical management, overlooking lifestyle, psychological and cultural needs.

Research shows stark disparities: Black African women are far less likely to be prescribed HRT than white women, a gap that reflects not just access barriers but a system that has not been designed with these communities in mind.

Helen Ryder is a PhD researcher and specialist pelvic health physiotherapist whose research focuses on co-designing digital health support for underserved women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.

“I want to see a future where every woman can access menopause support that reflects her language, culture and lived experience, regardless of her background or where she lives. My vision is for MenoSaathi to help women understand their symptoms, feel confident managing their health and know where to turn for trusted support.”

MenoSaathi is being developed as an accessible, evidence-based app offering symptom tracking, educational content, self-management guidance, peer connection and signposting to trusted healthcare services, local resources and community support. Its culturally sensitive design and multilingual options aim to make menopause support more relevant and accessible to women who may be overlooked by conventional healthcare pathways.

Every detail of content, language, and interface will be co-designed with women from underserved communities who will use it. Another key output of the project will also be a set of transferable guidelines for creating socially and culturally appropriate health technology interventions, providing a framework that could support other inclusive digital health projects.

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FOUNDER

Helen Ryder
PhD Researcher and Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, Coventry University | Founder, MenoSaathi

Helen Ryder is a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist and PhD candidate at Coventry University, with expertise in women’s health, menopause and digital health interventions. Her research focuses on the role of health technology in supporting underserved communities during perimenopause and menopause, including the co-design of socially and culturally appropriate solutions.

Her team also includes University Professors with expertise in co-design, health technology and linguistics. The PhD is part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre in Long-term Conditions and the Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecology Physiotherapy (POGP).

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

References

  • The Women’s Health Strategy reported that many respondents found it difficult to access appropriate menopause care, and only 9% felt they had enough information about menopause. It also set an explicit ambition to reduce disparities in access to menopause treatment. [Source]

  • The strategy clearly supports disparities affecting women from ethnic minority groups, deprived communities and different geographical areas. It states that socioeconomic and geographic disparities must be addressed, and identifies ethnic minority women and people living in deprived areas as groups that may experience poorer access or outcomes. [Source]

  • A 2025 population study of almost two million women in England found that rates of receiving at least two HRT prescriptions were 22.6% among white women and 3.9% among Black African women. Oxford’s summary describes Black African women as nearly six times less likely to receive HRT. [Source]