Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause is that period of a woman's life in which menstruations stop and never come back. Menopause is part of the natural aging process in women. In this phase, the ovaries no longer produce ova (eggs) and the hormones estrogen and progesterone, making pregnancy impossible for the woman.

When do women enter menopause?

The average age at which women enter menopause is 52 years. However, it can vary from 42 to 56 years. Menopause is established when a woman at this age has gone a year without menstruation.

What is “premenopause”?

Entering menopause does not happen overnight; it is not immediate. It is preceded by a phase that can last several months or years called premenopause. ‘Premenopause’ represents those years before the onset of menopause in which a woman begins to experience the first symptoms of menopause. But in most cases, in everyday jargon, women include perimenopause in menopause.

What are the signs of menopause?

Since menopause is a normal part of a woman’s life, it should not be considered a disease or a problem. However, some women find it difficult to experience and adapt to its symptoms, which are caused by the lack of hormones.

It should be noted that women experience menopause in different ways. Some may have no signs or symptoms, while others may have more serious symptoms.

The main sign is the change in menstruation which becomes irregular (too close or too far apart), and when the flow of blood changes (decreases or becomes more abundant). Eventually, they stop altogether. Other signs may include:

• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Night sweats
• Hot flashes
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Vaginal dryness
• Memory problems
• Urinary infections
• Mood changes
• Skin itching
• Depression

In most cases, these signs disappear after the first year of menopause.

Major menopause problems

The more serious problems a woman can experience during menopause are those related to osteoporosis and the heart.

Osteoporosis. Every day, the human body “destroys” old bone tissue and replaces it with new bone tissue. In this regeneration, estrogens play a key role. Menopause is characterized by the lack of estrogens and therefore bone regeneration does not occur. As a result, they become more porous and often break more easily. The most common fractures that osteoporosis causes in menopausal women are those of the femur neck and the vertebrae. This condition is called osteoporosis. For this reason, women over 45 years old should undergo specific routine examinations for bone density (bone densitometry).

Heart diseases. In menopause, women are very predisposed to heart diseases. Here too, the lack of estrogens is blamed as the cause. Problems can be aggravated with the addition of other factors such as overweight, the appearance of diabetes, or hypertension. All these changes increase the risk of heart diseases. For this reason, women in this period of life should be regularly checked by a cardiologist, have a balanced diet, keep blood sugar, blood fats under control, and continuously engage in physical exercise. In this way, the risk for heart disease will be reduced.

Are menopause symptoms experienced the same way?

Menopause is an experience that women go through in different ways. The way of experiencing it is related to genetic factors, diet, lifestyle, and the socio-cultural attitude towards women in the environment where she lives.

• Women in rural areas and those who have given birth to many children complain much less about menopause symptoms.
• Women who lead a sedentary life, have a diet rich in carbohydrates and fats, those who have given birth to few children usually complain more about menopause symptoms.

What is premature menopause?

Premature menopause occurs when a woman enters menopause earlier than normal. This can happen immediately or gradually in the following situations:

Premature immediate menopause:

• Surgeries that involve the removal of the ovaries.
• Chemotherapy for cancer treatment.
• Radiotherapy for cancer treatment.

Premature gradual menopause:

• The ovaries stop their function much earlier. Some women experience the cessation of menstruation very early (before the age of 40). This situation is due to the very reduced ovarian reserve they have.

In all these situations, the ovaries are either removed or fail to produce hormones anymore. Women who enter menopause immediately and prematurely experience more menopause symptoms and therefore need hormone replacement therapy.

How should women prepare for menopause?

Menopause is an important stage in a woman's life. For some, it may be a difficult period filled with physical and emotional problems. For others, it is a period of rebirth. It’s no coincidence that many women experience an increase in physical activity in menopause, which is also called the menopause zeal.

Some of the recommended measures are as follows:

• Do not smoke.
• Have a healthy diet: low in fats, high in fiber, with lots of fruits, vegetables, and rich in minerals and vitamins.
• Ensure you get enough calcium and vitamin D – through diet or through medications that the doctor may prescribe.
• Keeping body weight within normal limits.
• Engage in continuous physical activity.
• Consume plenty of fluids.
• Consume cold drinks when a hot flash occurs.
• Wear loose clothing so that the skin can breathe normally.
• Use vaginal lubricants or vaginal / vulvar cream with estrogen content.
• Regular check-ups that include: pap-test, gynecological ultrasound, mammography, and breast ultrasound.