Voice Changes: A Lesser Known Symptom of Menopause
- Dr. Rochelle Bernstein
- Sep 11, 2023
- 5 min read
As many as 77% of women report changes in their voice, typically described as deepening, raspiness, and/or fatigue, associated with menopause. For most women, the change is, at most, annoying, but for women who use their voice professionally, a subtle voice change can end their careers. Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) have a profound effect on voice, particularly during puberty and menopause. Testosterone causes the larynx to elongate and enlarge as well as the vocal cords to become thicker, producing a lower pitched sound in men. In the presence of higher levels of estrogen and progesterone and lower levels of testosterone in girls during puberty, the vocal cords become more thin than before puberty and stay short, producing a higher pitched sound.
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