Menopause is hard enough without a language barrier and an unfamiliar healthcare system. In the Netherlands the route is not what many newcomers expect: it starts with your huisarts (GP), not a specialist. Here is the vocabulary and what to expect.
The word: de overgang
The Dutch call menopause de overgang, literally “the transition”, the years of hormonal change around your last period. Technically de menopauze is that final menstrual period itself, but in everyday speech both words are used and understood. The symptoms are overgangsklachten.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de overgang | the menopausal transition |
| de menopauze | menopause (the last period) |
| de opvliegers | hot flushes |
| nachtelijk zweten | night sweats |
| stemmingswisselingen | mood swings |
| slecht slapen | poor sleep |
| de overgangsklachten | menopausal symptoms |
The huisarts comes first
This is the key cultural difference: in the Dutch system the huisarts is the gateway to nearly all care, and the overgang is no exception. You do not book a gynaecologist directly. You see your GP, who can discuss symptoms, advise on lifestyle, and prescribe treatment. Being heard at that appointment matters, so it pairs with knowing how to make yourself understood at the Dutch doctor. The patient-information site Thuisarts.nl has neutral explainers on the overgang you can read before you go.
What your GP can offer
Your huisarts can:
- Advise on lifestyle and symptom management.
- Prescribe hormone therapy (hormoontherapie or hormonale substitutietherapie, often HST) where it fits your situation, which you then collect at the apotheek. Repeat supplies go via a herhaalrecept.
- Refer you (een verwijzing) to a gynaecologist or an overgangsconsulent (menopause nurse-consultant) if your case is complex.
The Rijksoverheid health pages and the medicine information at Apotheek.nl explain what is covered and how prescriptions work.
Useful phrases for the appointment
- Ik heb last van overgangsklachten. (I’m having menopausal symptoms.)
- Ik heb veel opvliegers en slaap slecht. (I have a lot of hot flushes and sleep badly.)
- Welke mogelijkheden zijn er? (What options are there?)
- Kan ik hormoontherapie proberen? (Can I try hormone therapy?)
- Kunt u mij doorverwijzen? (Could you refer me on?)
Note that treatment may touch your eigen risico, so it is worth asking about costs.
Where it connects
The overgang is part of the broader skill of using Dutch healthcare as an expat woman, alongside the cervical screening invite and getting contraception at the huisarts. All of it rests on being able to describe symptoms clearly, which is why the GP conversation is worth rehearsing.
The bottom line
Menopause care in the Netherlands starts at the huisarts, not a specialist. Learn the words, de overgang, opvliegers, overgangsklachten, hormoontherapie, verwijzing, and you can have a real conversation. Your GP can advise, prescribe hormone therapy, and refer you if needed. Read up on Thuisarts.nl first, describe your symptoms plainly, and ask about your options and costs.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the health words you need to be heard at the huisarts, de overgang, opvliegers, hormoontherapie, verwijzing, in five-minute lessons built on real appointments, so you get a useful consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Who do I see for menopause in the Netherlands?
Your huisarts (GP) first. In the Dutch system the GP is the gateway for almost all care, including the overgang (menopause). The GP can discuss your symptoms, advise on lifestyle, and prescribe hormone therapy where suitable. They refer you to a gynaecologist or a specialised overgangsconsulent only if there is a specific reason. So you do not book a specialist directly; you start with the huisarts.
What is ‘de overgang’ in Dutch?
De overgang (literally ‘the transition’) is the Dutch word for the menopausal years, the time of hormonal change around your last menstrual period (de menopauze is technically that final period). Symptoms are overgangsklachten, and common ones include opvliegers (hot flushes), nachtelijk zweten (night sweats), slecht slapen (poor sleep), and stemmingswisselingen (mood swings). Both overgang and menopauze are widely understood.
Can my Dutch GP prescribe HRT (hormone therapy)?
Yes. Your huisarts can prescribe hormone therapy, in Dutch hormoontherapie or hormonale substitutietherapie (often shortened to HST), when it is appropriate for your symptoms, and you collect it at the apotheek. The GP weighs benefits and risks with you. If your situation is complex, they can refer you (a verwijzing) to a gynaecologist or an overgangsconsulent for specialised advice.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for doctor’s appointments?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the exact health vocabulary you need to be understood, de overgang, opvliegers, hormoontherapie, verwijzing, klachten, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so a GP appointment about something personal is clear and productive instead of lost in translation.
