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WHAT IS THE MENOPAUSE?
The menopause is a normal and natural event in every woman's life. It is defined as 'the last menstrual period.' This term is generally unhelpful as it is somewhat simplistic and gives no clear indication as to what a woman might expect. The last period may often only come about after a fairly protracted period of time during which menstruation may well have been unpredictable and erratic. Many other symptoms, affecting both body and mind, may have been experienced and these may have caused disruption in social activities and occupations. For women who have had their womb removed but not their ovaries, at a time when they were still menstruating regularly, the hysterectomy will have brought about a cessation of menstruation, but not the menopause.
WHY DOES THE MENOPAUSE HAPPEN?
The menopause is brought about when the ovaries become exhausted of eggs and no longer produce oestrogen. This is generally because nature intended ovaries to produce eggs and consequently manufacture oestrogen for a limited period of time.
Of course if the ovaries have to be removed surgically, or if the woman requires medical treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy, which may destroy the egg reserve, then menopause can result.
WHEN WILL THE MENOPAUSE HAPPEN?
Unfortunately many people consider the menopause as being a phenomena associated with a certain age. Whilst it is true that the commonest time to become menopausal is between 45 - 55 years, the menopause can occur at any point in time from the onset of menstruation. So the age range of women becoming menopausal is from teenagers to those who are 60+.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BECOMING MENOPAUSAL?
Being menopausal means that you will be short of the hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen is used throughout the body, and so when it is no longer present you may well become aware of a whole variety of symptoms, which illustrate its absence. If the menopause occurs at the average time of the late 40's early 50's, and you achieve the average life expectancy of 80 years. Then you are going to have a potential 30 years at least in which to experience these symptoms. If it occurs earlier, you may well be vulnerable to the effects of oestrogen deficiency for half of your life, or even longer.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF BEING MENOPAUSAL?
The potential effects that may be experienced on becoming menopausal are many and varied. They can range from affecting an individual minimally, to totally disrupting their lives. The effects may occur at any time and may be present intermittently or, continuously. The individual may notice the effects in the early stages of being menopausal, but equally these effects may appear for the first time many years later. Consequently symptoms tend to be discussed within a time framework, i.e. those that may occur during the transition from regular menstruation to the menopause and in the early years beyond. Those effects that may be seen a few years after the periods went away, and those effects that may occur a long time after the cessation of menstruation. It must be remembered that the experience of these effects is extremely individual. This applies not only to the range of symptoms, but also to their intensity and duration.
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