Jenna Bush Hager has never been afraid to share her life with the public — whether it’s funny parenting moments, stories from her Texas childhood, or honest reflections about adulthood. But now, as she approaches her 44th birthday, the Today co-host is opening up about something she’s never discussed publicly before: her experience entering perimenopause.

The mother of three and longtime broadcaster is partnering with Midi Health, a virtual clinic that specializes in menopause-related care, to start a conversation she feels women desperately need. For Jenna, this isn’t simply a personal milestone — it’s the beginning of a mission.

“Women my age were never told anything about this.”

Jenna says that growing up, menopause wasn’t something anyone explained. It wasn’t covered in school, and it wasn’t a topic her mother and her friends openly discussed. Now, that silence feels shocking.

“There was just no conversation,” Jenna recalls. “My mom and her friends weren’t talking about it, and now suddenly all my friends are.”

After she briefly mentioned perimenopause on social media, messages poured in. “A million friends texted,” she says. “Everyone was like, ‘Thank you for saying this.’ That shows how much women want to talk — and how little information we’ve had.”

Because she spends her days interviewing experts, authors, and celebrities on Today, Jenna says she recognizes how wide the gap in women’s health knowledge still is. Teaming up with Midi felt like the right way to push the conversation into the open.

Sleepless nights and emotional swings

Jenna says that her earliest symptoms were subtle but disruptive: unpredictable mood swings and sleep issues. She initially assumed the changes were tied to a demanding job, parenting three young children, or basic mid-forties stress.

But the real cause became clear quickly. “It’s very hormonal,” she says. “You can feel it in your body.”

She hasn’t experienced hot flashes yet, but watching colleagues a decade older — including Hoda Kotb — openly discuss their experiences helped her recognize what was happening.

“I’ve had conversations at 43 that most women never have at this age,” Jenna says. “Seeing women like Halle Berry and Naomi Watts talk about it on morning shows is still so new. Nobody did that in the ’80s and ’90s.”

Her mom’s menopause — revealed by her dad

Jenna shares one particularly vivid memory from her teenage years — one that taught her how important it is for families to understand what women are going through.

She recalls being about 15 or 16 during a Christmas holiday when she and her twin sister Barbara were deep in the emotional chaos of adolescence. Their mom, Laura Bush, always steady and calm, suddenly broke down in tears after a long day.

“It was so unlike her,” Jenna says. “She’s from West Texas. She’s unflappable.”

The reason for the emotional moment didn’t come from Laura — it came from former President George W. Bush himself.

“My dad took us aside and said, ‘Girls, your mom is going through this. Go apologize.’”

Jenna says the clarity and empathy her father showed struck her, even back then. “He helped us understand what was happening,” she says. “It’s such a sign of a wonderful partner. He was really ahead of his time.”

Finding support in her own marriage

Now, as she stands at the beginning of her own transition, Jenna says she feels fortunate to have the same kind of steady support from her husband, Henry Hager. The couple, married since 2008, have built a life full of cross-country moves, demanding careers, and raising three kids — which means Henry knows her as well as anyone could.

“In the last couple months he’s said, ‘Things feel different — make sure you get the help you need,’” Jenna says. “Men feel the shift too.”

He encourages her to find the right doctors and treatments, reminding her that no one should navigate midlife health changes alone.

Why Jenna wants to push the conversation forward

By speaking openly, Jenna hopes to dismantle the shame and confusion that have surrounded menopause for generations. She wants women in their 30s and 40s to recognize symptoms early — and to understand that they don’t have to simply “put up with it.”

“There are doctors who specialize in this stage of life,” she says. “There are solutions. I want women to have the knowledge, support, and confidence to get the help they need.”

Jenna believes that the more women talk, the more normalized the conversation becomes — both in families and in friendships.

“I want women to feel like they can talk to their friends, their moms, their partners,” she says. “And if someone doesn’t have that support, there are experts who can step in.”

For Jenna, the message is simple: perimenopause isn’t a crisis — it’s a transition. And like any major life stage, it becomes far less daunting when women have the tools, resources, and emotional support to navigate it.

As she continues her partnership with Midi and moves forward in her own journey, Jenna hopes her openness helps women feel a little more prepared, a little less alone, and a lot more empowered.

“Your forties are when you figure out what your fifties are going to feel like,” she says. “So let’s make them excellent.”