Menopause

Menopause is a normal and unavoidable phase in females, and it’s the age when a woman can’t get pregnant anymore.

Menopause

Menopause is the menstrual cycle (the period) in females stops for a consecutive 12 months, and it usually occurs after the age of 45.

In females, the ovaries produce the eggs in addition to the female hormones, and the period occurs when there isn’t a pregnancy after the egg sticks to the uterus. Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing the eggs, and the hormone level decreases as well.

In some cases, menopause could occur before the age of 45, and that’s called early menopause, and it might occur before the age of 40, which is called premature menopause.

Menopause stages

Menopause can be divided into three stages:

• Perimenopause: this could start 2-10 years or a few months before menopause, and during it the ovaries start reducing the production of the estrogen hormone gradually.
• Menopause: the stage of a complete stop of the period due to the cease of egg releasing and a decreased estrogen production. It’s characterized by 12 consecutive months without a period.
• Postmenopause: it’s the time after menopause in which females stay the rest of their lives. Usually, menopause symptoms ease up in this stage, but in some cases, some symptoms might continue for a few years.

Causes of menopause

• Natural state with aging due to the decrease in the production of the female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in addition to the stopping of the egg releasing from the ovaries.
• Surgery to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) due to certain conditions, and it causes the female to enter the menopause immediately regardless of her age.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy might cause menopause, which might be temporarily.
• Primary ovarian insufficiency, which causes premature menopause (before the age of 40) as a result of not producing enough hormones, might occur due to genetic changes or an autoimmune disease, but most often there isn’t a clear reason.

Symptoms of menopause

• Irregular menstrual cycles until they completely stop.
• Hot flashes.
• Vaginal dryness.
• Night sweats.
• Insomnia.
• Mood swings, irritability, and depression.
• Breast soreness.
• Dry eyes, mouth, and skin.
• The urge to urinate frequently.
• Weight gain.
• Headaches.
• Joints and muscles pain.
• Difficulty concentrating and remembering.
• Heart racing.
• Changes in the sex drive.
• Hair loss or thinning.
• Menopause could also lead to the following complications: osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, and urinary incontinence (losing the ability to control the bladder).

Diagnosis of menopause

• In most cases, menopause is diagnosed after asking about the symptoms.
• Some cases might require blood tests for some hormones.

Management of menopause

Symptoms are managed by:

• Following a healthy diet.
• Exercising regularly.
• Avoiding smoking.
• Losing weight if needed.
• Having enough sleep.
• Hormonal medications in some cases.