Menopause

Staying young with full of vibrancy is not forever. No matter how hard we try to do a daily regimen like exercising, taking in antioxidants or eating a balanced diet, we will all face the consequences of aging, a fact of life that all of us will experience.

For aging women, bodily changes all lead to menopause. This phase is characterized by a change in lifestyle, the end of reproduction and menstruation. It is the moment to be more cautious in taking good care of one’'s body.

Basically, menopause is an event in every woman’s life where her fertility or the capability to bear a child is lost. This is when the ovaries no longer produce eggs while the woman’s sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone and androgen begin to decline.

Menopause is not an abnormality. This is a natural experience as both men and women age. However, in women, this becomes an issue especially if they are not aware of the bodily changes that happen as they reach this stage.

Examining the reproductive design of women, each female carries about 500,000 egg cells. From these eggs produced, only about 500 eggs become mature and are released during the menstrual cycle. The other eggs are being damaged as a woman gets older.

During the prime years of reproduction, the pituitary gland in the brain helps release the hormones letting a new egg be drawn away from its follicle every month. As the follicle is formed, it produces sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which make the lining of the uterus thicker. This developed lining is ready to become a fertilized egg and later form a fetus if a mature sperm is present. If fertilization will not occur, the estrogen and progesterone levels decrease as the lining of the uterus is broken, which results in menstruation.

For several reasons that remain unknown, the ovaries experience gradual changes in hormonal production in mid 30s. When a woman reaches 40, the process speeds up as the hormones begin to decrease causing irregular menstrual cycles and unpredictable events of menstrual bleeding.

In mid 50s, menstrual periods along with menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, mood swings, decreased libido and insomnia or sleep difficulties are no longer visible. However, estrogen production may not completely end. The ovaries may decline in their output significantly, but can still manufacture a small amount of estrogen.

Changing menstrual periods among aging women is an indication that they are nearing menopausal period. This stage is usually known as “menopause transition.” If a woman is experiencing menopause symptoms, this event is known as perimenopause.

For health care professionals, menopause is technically defined as the day in a woman’s life where she has not had any menstrual period for a year. Identifying the physiological and biological causes why this happens remains unidentified. In some cases, however, a woman in her late 40s may still get pregnant when she experiences delays or irregular menses.

Not all women experience the same menopause symptoms. About 15 to 20 percent of women simply have the end of menstruation and no physical symptoms are felt. Some go through menopause before they reach 51 or others at a later age.

Early menopause may also occur at a younger age before 40 or 45. Different women may have different menopausal symptoms and varying stages when they experience them. Some become menopause at early 30s, while others are in their 60s. To remedy confusions, it is advised to consult your doctor to identify if you are suffering from an underlying condition or simply experiencing the signs of menopause for proper recommendations and treatments to ease some discomfort.

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Understanding Menopause Recommended Resources:

University of Maryland - Medical Center

University of Michigan Depression Center