What is Menopause?
Definition of Menopause
Menopause : The Basic
The menopause is defined as:
“Ovarian failure due to loss of ovarian follicular function accompanied by oestrogen deficiency resulting in permanent cessation of menstruation and loss of reproductive function” (Utian, 1999).
Menopause is the time in a woman’s life after her menses has stopped. Many people use the term menopause to describe the years leading up to and following the last period. The time before the total cessation of menses when periods are irregular (usually 3 to 5 years before the final menstrual period) is more accurately termed the climacteric or perimenopause. Menopause may be natural, artificial, or premature. Menopause is usually identified retrospectively, when it has been over a year since the woman’s last monthly period. Everything afterward is generally referred to as postmenopause, a time of estrogen-deficiency.
The average age of menopause in American women is 51 but it may begin as early as age 35 and as late as 59. Cigarette smokers tend to reach menopause earlier than non-smokers. Menopause is an experience that is unique to each woman. Some women notice little difference in their physiology while others find the change extremely troublesome and upsetting.
Risk Factors
Aging is the most obvious risk factor for menopause. Genetic factors may predispose some women to an early menopause (under age 50). The only modifiable risk factor for early menopause is smoking, with heavy smokers starting earlier than light smokers. Menopausal and postmenopausal women have a greater risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer, and diabetes. The incidence of these conditions is also largely affected by genetic and lifestyle factors.
Menopause: Go In-dept
These are some facts that you should know about menopause.
“Menopause is different for each woman.”
Each woman’s menopause experience is different. The greatest diff
erences observed are between women who have spontaneous menopause at the typical age and those whose menopause is reached earlier, either spontaneously or induced. Women experiencing early menopause may require specialized care.
Many women who have spontaneous menopause report no physical changes at all during the perimenopausal years except irregular menstrual periods that eventually stop when menopause is reached. In addition to irregular menstrual periods, some women experience symptoms of hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, and/or vaginal dryness.
The severity of these changes varies from woman to woman, but for the most part, they are perfectly natural and normal. In fact, some experts and women prefer not to call perimenopausal changes “Menopause Symptoms,” a term usually reserved to describe diseases.
“Menopause Can Not Be a Natural thing.”
Women who have induced menopause have similar changes, although they may be more abrupt and severe. Many factors contribute to the amount of distress caused by these changes, including the life stresses and the physiological effects of aging and disease, if any.
“Menopause is NOT Decease.”
As a rule, most changes end soon after menopause and don’t require treatment. Others, however, are problematic or may be signals of other ailments, such as a thyroid disorder, depression, or side effects of medication. That’s why it’s important to report any health changes to a healthcare provider for evaluation and, if necessary, treatment.
Menopause-related discomforts can often be reduced with lifestyle changes, such as exercise, diet modification, weight management, and the changing body stopping smoking. A healthy lifestyle can contribute significantly to improved well-being, not just around menopause but throughout life. For symptom relief, some woman turn to nonprescription remedies found “over the counter” in the drugstore or health food store.
Other women may require prescription medications to not only relieve symptoms, but also reduce risk of diseases in later years. The decisions about treatment are based on the severity of a woman’s symptoms, her risk of disease later in life, and her personal attitudes about menopause and medication.
There is a long list of physical changes that women may experience around menopause. The changes may be related to menopause or aging—or both. No woman will experience every one of the following changes, but becoming familiar with them will help women know what may occur.
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