Menopause, commonly known as "change of life" is also often thought of as a disease, but just as menstruation is a normal phase or a natural process in a woman's life, so is menopause. It is a gradual process which takes place over a period of anywhere from six to fourteen years. There is actually no particular age for menopause, like there is no particular age for the beginning of menstruation. However, the average age assumed for menopause to take place is around 52 years. It can happen anywhere around the ages of 45 to 55 years. It is difficult to say when menopause actually begins, but it is said to be complete when a woman has not had her period for about a year. It is also been found that a woman reaches menopause roughly as the same age as her mother did.
It must be noted that if you have had your uterus and your ovaries surgically removed then you would almost immediately be in menopause, as there would be no ovaries to produce estrogen. But if only your uterus has been surgically removed without the ovaries then your ovaries would still produce the estrogen and you would not undergo menopause till your time is up.
There is no direct influence of race, number of children borne, the use of contraceptives, or the first time you begin menstruating on when you would reach menopause. However smoking is thought to be a factor for early menopause.
The different terms used in menopause are perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Perimenopause is known as when the actual changes are taking place. Menopause is the time when these changes are all completed. Postmenopause lasts for the rest of a woman's life and it is after menopause.
When you reach menopausal age you may notice certain changes in your period. The flow of your period, the length of time of your period, the occurrence may vary, also a more common occurrence would be hot flushes owing to the changes in the levels of your estrogen. Hot flushes are where you would suddenly feel rather warm during the day or even during the night.
The reduction in the hormone estrogen during menopause causes two conditions. One is Osteoporosis - as this hormone helps in the control of bone loss. Therefore, loss of estrogen means more bone is lost than is replaced causing the bones to become weak and as a result being more vulnerable to breakage. The other is heart disease - the reduction in the production of estrogen plus the fact of age could lead to this condition. It is best if one talks to ones doctor in order to maintain a healthy life during this period. Generally what he would recommend is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Hormone treatment is of two kinds HRT or ERT, Hormone Replacement Therapy and Estrogen Replacement Therapy, respectively. HRT involves the hormones Estrogen plus Progesterone whilst ERT as the name implies, only Estrogen. However, ERT can only be undergone by women who have had a hysterectomy as an unlimited quantity of estrogen could give rise to uterine cancer. HRT is only recommended for women who have completely have had their periods stopped as during their period estrogen is still being produced. Hormone treatment is actually not a direct treatment for menopause but it is a preventive treatment for other health conditions. It must be noted that there could be several side effects to this treatment. However, this could be overcome by changing the dosage.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Menopause | |
