What is MenopauseMenopause is the cessation of periods.It is generally between the age of 45- 50 years. It is a normal aging process. It is due to low production of hormone, estrogen. Menopause occurs after 1 year of amenorrhoea. Get more information on menopause, read on.
What is menopause
Menopause is derived from the Greek word menos (m
onth) and pause (to stop) refers to the last menstrual period and is generally considered to have occurred after 1 year of amenorrhoea. At the age of 45- 50 years:
The sexual cycles in a female usually become irregular;
Ovulation fails to occur during many of the cycles.
After a few months to a few years, the cycles cease and the female sex hormones diminish rapidly to almost none at all. Sometimes the phrase 'the change of life' is used and often doctors use the term 'climacteric'.
Whom does menopause affect
Menopause, occurring on an average at the age of 45, is a normal event but it leads to much pathology in excess of that of the normal aging process. The average age of menopause has not changed for centuries. The age of menopause seems unrelated to socioeconomic factors, race, weight or height although severe malnutrition or cigarette smoking may result in an earlier onset.
The real importance of menopause today lies in the increasing longevity of the 20th century woman. With the increased longevity, women will now spend a third of their lives in the postmenopausal state (characterized by estrogen deficiency) attendant to many long-term symptomatic and metabolic complications.
Why does menopause occur
The cause of menopause is 'burning out' of the ovaries. The aging of the ovary begins even before birth when a progressive decline in the number of primordial follicles compresses. The percentage of growing follicles increases substantially at puberty and is maintained throughout reproductive life and declines in the climacteric period (period of time around menopause).
Natural menopause: Estrogens are produced in sub critical quantities for a short time after menopause, but over a few years falls almost to zero.
"Artificial" menopause: Besides natural menopause, loss of ovarian function can also occur in patients receiving pelvic radiation or chemotherapy or those having ovarian failure or bilateral surgical removal of ovaries.
What are the different phases of menopause
Menopause can be divided into three phases:
Pre-menopause: There is a little disruption of the ovarian function and the menstrual cycle remains regular. Some symptoms may begin to occur in this phase.
Post-menopause: Once there have been no menses for 12 months the post-menopause phase is entered.
Side-Effects of Menopause and HRT
Menopause is the term given to cessation of periods. It is characterized by many symptoms. The ill effects of menopause can be prevented by ERT or estrogen replacement therapy, which is actually a part of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).Read here to know the benefits of HRT.
How can the ill-effects of menopause be reduced
The ill-effects of menopause can largely be prevented with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). ERT reduces the incidence of osteoporosis, heart attacks, strokes and generally improves the well being and life span of women. For more than three decades estrogens have been prescribed to relieve menopausal symptoms. Treatments like Estrogen Replacement Therapies (ERT) and Hormone Replacement Therapies (HRT) can reduce the gynecological and psychological changes associated with menopause while inhibiting bone resorption and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
What is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
All menopausal and post-menopausal women go through estrogen deficient years, which can manifest in both physical and emotional ways leading to an impairment in the quality of life. As the female life expectancy has increased, it is possible for a woman to live one third of the life after menopause. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a treatment for menopause given to women to correct the hormonal deficiency in peri- and post-menopausal state.
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