• First attempt in estimating the burden of illness of moderate/severe menopause-related vasomotor symptoms (VMS) in Denmark. • Many assumptions taken from the literature in lack of robust epidemiological data. • The estimated prevalence of women with moderate/severe VMS ranges from 72-85,000 • With an average productivity loss of 12.2% per person, the production loss amounts to 3.6 to 4.3 billion DKK/year, depending on the amount of symptom relief already used. • The quality-of-life implications are substantial and in parity with some severe conditions. • There is a great lack in research on menopause and their effect on the society.