Menopause


Updated July 2006

The menopause is the time at which a woman stops menstruating and it is a normal consequence of the ageing process. It occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, when a woman’s ovaries stop responding to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and produce less of the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone. This drop in hormone levels brings an end to ovulation and menstruation. More than eight in 10 women feel well throughout the menopause or experience only mild symptoms, but some women have severe problems that affect their lifestyle.

Menopausal symptoms may begin up to five years before menstruation finally stops and usually lasts for a year or two. Many women find that one of the first signs of the menopause is irregularity in their menstrual cycle.

Increased levels of FSH in the body cause many of the other common symptoms that can occur during the menopause. These include:
  • hot flushes, in which the head, chest and arms become red and feel hot, lasting from a couple of minutes to as long as an hour
  • heavy sweating, which is often especially troublesome at night
  • feelings of anxiety, panic, or depression, which may be made worse if the menopause coincides with a stressful life event such as the departure of adult children from the home
The decline in oestrogen levels may also increase the risk of developing certain long-term conditions, such as coronary artery disease and osteoporosis.
The longer-term effects of a decline in oestrogen levels also include:
  • drying of the skin, which encourages the formation of wrinkles
  • vaginal dryness and discomfort during sexual intercourse as a result of the thinning of the lining of the vagina
  • urinary infections that occur due to thinning of the urethra (the passage leading from the bladder to the outside of the body)
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), may help to relieve many of the symptoms that occur at the menopause by boosting the level of oestrogen in the body and reducing the production of FSH. HRT is also very effective in preventing both osteoporosis and maintaining reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

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