Oprah to Speak Candidly About Menopause on ABC Special

It’s an inevitable phase of life for women, but one that has been traditionally taboo in open discourse. Now, Oprah is bringing menopause out of the shadows in an ABC special featuring Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, and Maria Shriver.

The discussion will address the sometimes uncomfortable topic before a live studio audience on An Oprah Winfrey Special: The Menopause Revolution, airing on March 31.

“When I was around 48 years old, I thought I was dying and went from doctor to doctor trying to understand why my heart was racing, and did not receive any answers until I picked up a book and read how heart palpitations can be a symptom indicating a change is coming to your body,” Winfrey said in a press release.

“This show starts the revolution of answers for millions of women throughout this country. We discuss what you need to know to best advocate for yourself when it comes to mental health, sleep, weight, sex and your brain so we can ultimately see how freeing menopause can be in your life,” the media mogul added.

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The program will explore new research that shows women as young as 35 starting to show symptoms of perimenopause. Winfrey reached out to renowned medical experts and leading voices to examine that and other physical changes that emerge with aging, according to ABC.

Oprah’s conversations with Berry, Watts and Shriver illuminate the experiences of three women who have been outspoken about their journeys of misdiagnosis and painful symptoms.

A key feature will be a group of women from all walks of life who have experienced a wide array of midlife transitions,

Other guests on the program include No. 1 New York Times bestselling author and OB-GYN Dr. Mary Claire Haver; Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a professor of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles; and comedienne Leanne Morgan, who speaks about perimenopause and menopause in her recent comedy special.

An Oprah Winfrey Special: The Menopause Revolution airs Monday, March 31 from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.