Menopause means "pause in menstruation," a definition that does not fully describe the condition. The term refers to a time of life, usually after age 45, during which a woman’s body goes through three phases:
- Premenopause refers to the time just before a woman’s menstrual cycle ceases, when menstrual periods are irregular and heavy.
- Perimenopause refers to the years on either side of menopause when women can experience some of the menopausal symptoms.
- Menopause proper is defined as starting 12 months after the last period stops.
Postmenopause extends from after menopause for the rest of a woman’s life.
What is Happening During Menopause?
The ovaries produce three important hormones: estrogen, progesterone and relaxin. After menopause, estrogen and progesterone are no longer produced. Estrogen is needed for healthy body tissues and a long-term deficiency can cause problems including stroke, dowager’s hump, angina, genital degeneration and bone fractures due to osteoporosis.
Menopause Symptoms
Women may experience some of the following symptoms:
- periods that change in frequency, duration and intensity
- hot flashes and/or night sweats
- trouble sleeping (this is as a result of changes in the normal working of the blood vessels)
- vaginal dryness and decreased or no interest in sex
- mood swings
- trouble focusing
- hair thins out on the head and increases on the face
- palpitations
- anxiety and depression
- poor bladder control as the pelvic floor muscles lose strength and elasticity
- breasts flattening and losing their fullness
- dry skin more prone to wrinkles; also more likely to burn as less melanin is produced
- fat distribution changes, collecting around the breasts, abdomen and waist.
Some of the changes are less obvious:
- a reduction of blood to the urogenital tissue creates an alkaline environment which may result in infections and itching
- the ovaries no longer produce eggs
- calcium loss due to insufficient estrogen production can lead to osteoporosis
- loss of muscle strength and mobility
- increased chance of heart disease.
Menopause and Mental Health
Midlife is often considered a period of increased risk for depression in women, but the reasons for emotional problems are not always clear. Research shows menopausal symptoms such as sleep problems, hot flashes, night sweats and fatigue can affect mood and well-being. The drop in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause might also affect a woman’s mood. But changes in mood, feelings of depression or anxiety can have other causes unrelated to menopause, such as:
- having depression before menopause
- feeling negative about menopause and getting older
- increased stress
- smoking
- lack of exercise
- severe menopausal symptoms
- unhappiness with relationship status
- not having a job or enough money
- having low self-esteem
- not having social support
- being disappointed that childbearing years are over.
Menopause can be a difficult time for a woman but if she maintains a healthy lifestyle and seeks help for any symptoms, she may find that the menopause brings a sense of freedom and a new lease of life.
References:
Anatomica, published by Gordon Cheers, Global Book Publishing, 2001.
National Women’s Health Information Center http://medlineplus.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menopause.html
Consumer Reports Health
Understanding Menopause
Menopause and Mental Health
http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/mental/
US Dept of Health and Human Services.
VRS 101
Gillian Handley - I am a Sydney-based freelance writer. I have lived, worked and studied in the UK, South Africa, USA and Australia and I have travelled ...
