STOCKHOLM - In conjunction with World Menopause Day on October 18, hygiene and health company Essity is launching a new product area and the new product brand Issviva for women+ experiencing menopause

The Issviva product range comprises vitamins, minerals, supplements and intimate hygiene products that complement Essity’s current brands in incontinence and feminine care and is aimed at raising awareness and breaking the taboo surrounding this transition that impacts millions of women around the world.

Issviva is described as an innovative global e-commerce platform that provides knowledge, solutions and products for women+ during the various stages of the menopause. Visitors can use forums to submit questions to experts and share experiences and lessons learned with others. There are also complete expert guides with articles and material aimed at teaching about and preparing for the transition, as well as products and services that help women+ by alleviating symptoms that normally appear during the different stages of the menopause.

In 2025, more than one billion women are expected to experience one of the phases associated with the menopause. Even though the menopause is a natural part of life, it is perceived as being a taboo subject with many preconceptions linked to fertility, sexuality and aging. In some parts of the world, the menopause is associated with disease or problems, and is often referred to sarcastically.

A global survey of 15,000 respondents, conducted by Essity, also highlights significant knowledge gaps. For example, 41% of respondents state that they are knowledgeable or very knowledgeable about the menopause, though a full 75% gave the wrong answer or could not answer the false claim that menopausal women cannot become pregnant. Most of the respondents also said they would not speak out if a friend or family member mocked someone experiencing the menopause.

“Essity is committed to breaking barriers to well-being, including stigmas and taboos around menopause," said Cristina Arbelaez, Global Director New Menopause at Essity. "We have successfully worked for many years supporting women+ in different phases of life, providing feminine care products and incontinence products. Our extensive experience, good customer understanding and focus on education provide us with the knowledge and capacity to broaden our offering with our new brand Issviva.”

Issviva is currently available in the Brazilian and UK markets and will be launched in additional markets in the near future.