The impact of menopause on work ability in women with severe menopausal symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Geukes, Marije; van Aalst, Mariëlle P; Robroek, Suzan J W; Laven, Joop S E; Oosterhof, Henk

2016-08-01

To measure the impact of menopause on work ability in women with severe menopausal symptoms. This cross-sectional study compared the work ability of a sample of otherwise healthy employed Dutch women (n=205) with that of a sample of first-time attendees of a menopause clinic (n=60); both groups were aged 44-60 years. Self-reported questionnaire data assessing work ability (Work Ability Index; WAI) and menopausal symptoms (Greene Climacteric Scale; GCS) were used. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine whether women with severe menopausal symptoms were more likely to have low work ability (defined as a score work ability than their healthy counterparts: 76.7% versus 30.2% (OR 8.4, 95% CI 4.1-17.2). Over three-quarters of symptomatic menopausal women report serious problems in dealing with the physical and mental demands of their work (recorded here as low work ability); hence these women might be at risk of prolonged sickness absence from work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

From menarche to menopause: the fertile life span of celiac women.

Science.gov (United States)

Santonicola, Antonella; Iovino, Paola; Cappello, Carmelina; Capone, Pietro; Andreozzi, Paolo; Ciacci, Carolina

2011-10-01

We evaluated menopause-associated disorders and fertile life span in women with celiac disease (CD) under untreated conditions and after long-term treatment with a gluten-free diet. The participants were 33 women with CD after menopause (untreated CD group), 25 celiac women consuming a gluten-free diet at least 10 years before menopause (treated CD group), and 45 healthy volunteers (control group). The Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire was used to gather information on menopause-associated disorders. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to acquire information on physical activity. Untreated celiac women had a shorter duration of fertile life span than did the control women because of an older age of menarche and a younger age of menopause (P menopause causes a shorter fertile period in untreated celiac women compared with control women. A gluten-free diet that started at least 10 years before menopause prolongs the fertile life span of celiac women. The perception of intensity of hot flushes and irritability is more severe in untreated celiac women than in controls. Low physical exercise and/or poorer quality of life frequently reported by untreated celiac women might be the cause of reduced discomfort tolerance, thus increasing the subjective perception of menopausal symptoms.

Menopausal symptoms in an intercultural context: a comparison between German women, Chinese women and migrant Chinese women using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS II).

Science.gov (United States)

Hinrichsen, Grete; Wernecke, Klaus-D; Schalinski, Adelheid; Borde, Theda; David, Matthias

2014-11-01

What are the differences between the occurrence of menopausal symptoms in German women, migrant Chinese women in Germany and Chinese women in their native country? Can these potential discrepancies be explained by sociocultural differences? What are the differences in menopausal symptoms in connection with the consumption of soya? Cross-sectional study 2005-2008. Survey of three groups of women aged between 45 and 60 years (native German women in Berlin, migrant Chinese women in several German cities, Chinese women in Beijing) with an evaluated set of questionnaires surveying socio-demographic data, use of hormone therapy, migration/acculturation, MRS II and other areas. A total of 2,109 questionnaires were sent out and a 41 % response rate was achieved, although this varied greatly across the three individual study groups. The results of the MRS II factor analysis were almost identical for German women and migrant Chinese women, but there were some differences in content compared to the Chinese study group. Chinese women surveyed in Beijing reported severe symptoms significantly less frequently in all three symptom groups (factors) of MRS II than the German women and the migrant Chinese women, but the values from the German women and migrant Chinese women surveyed are relatively similar. In all three study groups there are no significant differences in the stated severity of the symptoms, regardless of whether soya is consumed frequently or less frequently. The question whether the differences found are solely cultural or migration-related must be examined in further studies. The special experiences and situation in life of migrant women should be taken into particular account by attending physicians during the care and treatment of women in this phase of life.

Effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms and quality of life in women in natural menopause: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

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Chiu, Hsiao-Yean; Pan, Chieh-Hsin; Shyu, Yuh-Kae; Han, Bor-Cheng; Tsai, Pei-Shan

2015-02-01

This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on hot flash frequency and severity, menopause-related symptoms, and quality of life in women in natural menopause. We systematically searched PubMed/Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and CINAHL using keywords such as acupuncture, hot flash, menopause-related symptoms, and quality of life. Heterogeneity, moderator analysis, publication bias, and risk of bias associated with the included studies were examined. Of 104 relevant studies, 12 studies with 869 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. We found that acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency (g = -0.35; 95% CI, -0.5 to -0.21) and severity (g = -0.44; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.23) of hot flashes. Acupuncture significantly decreased the psychological, somatic, and urogenital subscale scores on the Menopause Rating Scale (g = -1.56, g = -1.39, and g = -0.82, respectively; P Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (g= -0.46; 95% CI, -0.9 to -0.02). Long-term effects (up to 3 mo) on hot flash frequency and severity (g = -0.53 and g = -0.55, respectively) were found. This meta-analysis confirms that acupuncture improves hot flash frequency and severity, menopause-related symptoms, and quality of life (in the vasomotor domain) in women experiencing natural menopause.

[Menopause-related symptoms in middle-aged women residing in the Zaragoza Province].

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Roncero, Gonzalo Ramón; Martínez-Dearth, Rebeca; López-Baena, María Teresa; Ornat-Clemente, Lía

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess menopausal symptoms and related sociodemographic conditions in middle-aged women from the Spanish province of Zaragoza. This was a cross-sectional study in which 241 women (40-59 years old) from the Zaragoza province completed the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and a sociodemographic questionnaire containing personal and partner data to assess symptoms associated with the menopause. The most prevalent symptoms were musculoskeletal, followed by hot flushes and perspiration. Somatic, psychological and urogenital symptoms were more severe in post-menopausal women. Somatic and urogenital symptoms worsen with age, body mass index, age at menopause, and partner age. Multiple linear regression analysis (MA) for somatic symptoms was related with the menopausal status, psychiatric treatment, problems with sexual relationships, and history of gender violence. The MA for psychological symptoms was associated with menopausal status, psychiatric treatment and a history of gender violence. The MA for urogenital symptoms was associated with menopausal status, problems with sexual relationships, urinary incontinence and partner alcohol abuse. A history of gender violence was reported by 11.6% of the women. In this sample of middle-aged women, menopausal symptoms were related to menopausal status, and other factors associated with their partner factors, including gender violence. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

No sweat: managing menopausal symptoms at work.

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Hickey, Martha; Riach, Kathleen; Kachouie, Reza; Jack, Gavin

2017-09-01

Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, a time when women are likely to be in the paid workforce. Most women have menopausal symptoms and these may impact on daytime function and work performance. This study examines the relationship between reproductive stage, menopausal symptoms and work, and advises how employers can best support menopausal women. An online and paper-based survey was completed in 2015-16 by 1092 women (22% response rate) aged 40 years plus employed in three hospitals in metropolitan Australia. Survey questions examined demographics, health and lifestyle variables, menopausal symptom reporting, and work-related variables. Reproductive stage was determined using modified STRAW +10 principal and descriptive criteria. Reproductive stage was not significantly associated with work engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, work limitations and perceived supervisor support. Postmenopausal women had lower intention to leave their organizations than pre- and peri-menopausal women. While sleep problems were the most commonly reported menopausal symptom by peri-menopausal women, for postmenopausal women it was joint and muscular discomfort. Only hot flushes and vaginal dryness were significantly more frequent in peri- and post, compared to pre-menopausal women. In general, women rated their work performance as high and did not feel that menopausal symptoms impaired their work ability. Most women would appreciate greater organizational support, specifically temperature control, flexible work hours and information about menopause for employees and managers. Most women did not believe that menopausal symptoms negatively impacted on their work. Organizational changes may reduce the burden of menopausal symptoms in the workplace.

Aromatherapy for managing menopausal symptoms: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Choi, Jiae; Lee, Hye Won; Lee, Ju Ah; Lim, Hyun-Ja; Lee, Myeong Soo

2018-02-01

Aromatherapy is often used as a complementary therapy for women's health. This systematic review aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy as a management for menopausal symptoms. Eleven electronic databases will be searched from inception to February 2018. Randomized controlled trials that evaluated any type of aromatherapy against any type of control in individuals with menopausal symptoms will be eligible. The methodological quality will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Two authors will independently assess each study for eligibility and risk of bias and to extract data. This study will provide a high quality synthesis of current evidence of aromatherapy for menopausal symptoms measured with Menopause Rating Scale, the Kupperman Index, the Greene Climacteric Scale, or other validated questionnaires. The conclusion of our systematic review will provide evidence to judge whether aromatherapy is an effective intervention for patient with menopausal women. Ethical approval will not be required, given that this protocol is for a systematic review. The systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. The review will also be disseminated electronically and in print. PROSPERO CRD42017079191.

The impact of menopausal symptoms on work ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Geukes, Marije; van Aalst, Mariëlle P; Nauta, Mary C E; Oosterhof, Henk

2012-03-01

Menopause is an important life event that may have a negative influence on quality of life. Work ability, a concept widely used in occupational health, can predict both future impairment and duration of sickness absence. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of menopausal symptoms on work ability. This was a cross-sectional study that used a sample of healthy working Dutch women aged 44 to 60 years. Work ability was measured using the Work Ability Index, and menopausal symptoms were measured using the Greene Climacteric Scale. Stepwise multiple linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between menopausal symptoms and work ability. A total of 208 women were included in this study. There was a significant negative correlation between total Greene Climacteric Scale score and Work Ability Index score. Total Greene Climacteric Scale score predicted 33.8% of the total variance in the Work Ability Index score. Only the psychological and somatic subscales of the Greene Climacteric Scale were significant predictors in multiple linear regression analysis. Together, they accounted for 36.5% of total variance in Work Ability Index score. Menopausal symptoms are negatively associated with work ability and may increase the risk of sickness absence.

Perceptions of menopause and aging in rural villages of Limpopo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-11-13

Nov 13, 2014 ... cultures, because of cultural beliefs and the manner in which symptoms are .... Focus group interviews promoted self-disclosure and were able to discern what ... Participants were protected from all forms of harm resulting ..... symptoms among healthy middle aged women with the Menopause Rating Scale',.

Impact of menopausal status on background parenchymal enhancement and fibroglandular tissue on breast MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, Valencia; Gu, Yajia; Kaplan, Jennifer B.; Morris, Elizabeth A.; Brooks, Jennifer D.; Pike, Malcolm C.

2012-01-01

To evaluate the effect of menopausal status on the background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) and amount of fibroglandular tissue (FGT) on breast MRI. Retrospective review identified 1,130 women who underwent screening breast MRI between July and November 2010. In 28 of these women, breast MRI was performed both at one time point while pre- and one time point while post-menopausal (median interval 49 months). Two independent readers blinded to menopausal status used categorical scales to rate BPE (minimal/mild/moderate/marked) and FGT (fatty/scattered/heterogeneously dense/dense). Consensus was reached when there was disagreement. The sign test was used to assess changes in rating categories, and the Spearman rank and Fisher's exact tests were used to measure correlations and associations between variables. Significant proportions of women demonstrated decreases in BPE and FGT on post-menopausal breast MRI (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0009). BPE category was unchanged in 39 % (11/28) and decreased in 61 % (17/28) of women. FGT category was unchanged in 61 % (17/28) and decreased in 39 % (11/28) of women. Age, reason for menopause, or interval between MRIs had no significant impact on changes in BPE and FGT. On MRI, BPE, and FGT decrease after menopause in significant proportions of women; BPE decreases more than FGT. (orig.)

Factors affecting age of onset of menopause and determination of quality of life in menopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burcu Ceylan

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Menopause is a process in the climacteric period, characterized by a reduction in ovarian activity, a fall in the fertility rate, and a range of symptoms including irregular menstruation intervals. Most women enter menopause in their 40s, but this can vary from one individual to another. Although there are many factors affecting the age of menopause onset, there is no general agreement on them. Studies have shown many factors to affect the age of menopause, such as the mother’s age at menopause, the age at menarche, gestational age, use of oral contraceptives, irregular menstrual cycle, number of pregnancies, body mass index, use of tobacco and alcohol, physical activity, unilateral oophorectomy, serum lead levels, consumption of polyunsaturated fat, socioeconomic status and educational level. During this period, hormonal and biochemical changes give rise to various symptoms in the woman’s body. In menopause period, physical, psychological, social and sexual changes have a negative effect on quality of life in women. Recently, different measures have been used to assess women’s quality of life in this period of change. The purpose of this review was to examine the factors affecting the onset age of menopause and the measures of quality of life related to menopause.

Menopause

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... for you. Menopause and Hormones: Common Questions La menopausia y las hormonas: Preguntas más frecuentes Menopause: Medicines ... PDF - 1.3MB) Menopause and Hormones Card La menopausia y las hormonas tarjeta (PDF - 1.6MB) Order ...

Quality of life Among Women who were Attending to Trakya University Hospital Menopause clinic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Tokuç

2006-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To asses the menopause symptoms and the impact of menopause and some socio-demographic variables and the hormon replacement therapy on quality of life among women who were attending to a menopause\tMatreial and METHOD: The study was a cross-sectional and descriptive study which was conducted on 299 women who were\tattending to Trakya University Hospital Menopause Clinic, between February –September 2005. After applying a questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, Menopause Rating Scale (MRS, SF-36 Health Survey and Hospital\tAnxiety and Depression Scale were applied by trained interns respectively.\tRESULTS: The mean age of respondents was 52.07±6.12 r(36.0 – 76.0. The mean age of menopause was 45.8±5.1 (26.0 – 56.0. 18.9 % of women were still using HRT, 37.0% have used in the past and 44.1% of them have never used HRT. Women who were stil using HRT, who were stil working, who were educated more than 8 years and who have had no problems in the family have had significantly lower MRS scores and significantly higher SF-36 scores than the others. While MRS scores and SF-36 scores were increasing, the HAD scores were decreasing significantly.\tCONCLUSION: We could say that the menopause symptoms effected the women’s health and quality of life, negatively. But it was\tnot the only determinant of health perception and quality of life. The socio-economic, environmental and cultural factors and life style were also effective in menopause period like the other periods of life.

Soy-isoflavone supplementation tends to reduce menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women

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Raditya Wratsangka

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background Menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women tend to decrease health-related quality of life (HRQoL. The present study’s objective was to determine the effect of daily supplementation of 100 mg soy isoflavones on menopausal symptoms of healthy postmenopausal women. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens abundantly found in soy beans, and several studies have demonstrated that isoflavones are the best among the phytoestrogens. Methods The study was a community-based double blind randomized controlled trial involving 60 healthy postmenopausal women, aged between 48–60 years, in the Mampang Prapatan District, South Jakarta. Participants were block-randomized to receive either 100 mg soy-isoflavone + 500 mg calcium carbonate (intervention group or 500 mg calcium carbonate only (control group. Both supplements were taken daily for 12 weeks, from January to April 2010. Menopausal symptoms (measured by Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire were assessed at baseline and after supplementation. Chi-square test was used to examine the effect of soy isoflavone supplementation on menopausal symptoms. Results Fifty-six (93.3% of participants completed the study. There were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05 in the prevalence of menopausal symptoms between the isoflavone group and the control group. However, supplementation of soy isoflavones for 12 weeks tended to decrease the prevalence of menopausal symptoms in women with normal body mass index and adequate daily dietary isoflavone intake. Conclusion Daily supplementation of 100 mg soy isoflavones for 12 weeks tend to decrease the incidence of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women.

Impact of menopausal status on background parenchymal enhancement and fibroglandular tissue on breast MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

King, Valencia [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Breast Imaging Section, New York, NY (United States); Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Gu, Yajia [Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Shanghai (China); Fudan University, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Kaplan, Jennifer B.; Morris, Elizabeth A. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Breast Imaging Section, New York, NY (United States); Brooks, Jennifer D.; Pike, Malcolm C. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, New York, NY (United States)

2012-12-15

To evaluate the effect of menopausal status on the background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) and amount of fibroglandular tissue (FGT) on breast MRI. Retrospective review identified 1,130 women who underwent screening breast MRI between July and November 2010. In 28 of these women, breast MRI was performed both at one time point while pre- and one time point while post-menopausal (median interval 49 months). Two independent readers blinded to menopausal status used categorical scales to rate BPE (minimal/mild/moderate/marked) and FGT (fatty/scattered/heterogeneously dense/dense). Consensus was reached when there was disagreement. The sign test was used to assess changes in rating categories, and the Spearman rank and Fisher's exact tests were used to measure correlations and associations between variables. Significant proportions of women demonstrated decreases in BPE and FGT on post-menopausal breast MRI (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0009). BPE category was unchanged in 39 % (11/28) and decreased in 61 % (17/28) of women. FGT category was unchanged in 61 % (17/28) and decreased in 39 % (11/28) of women. Age, reason for menopause, or interval between MRIs had no significant impact on changes in BPE and FGT. On MRI, BPE, and FGT decrease after menopause in significant proportions of women; BPE decreases more than FGT. (orig.)

Positive Effekte eines Kuraufenthaltes auf menopausale Beschwerden // Positive Effects of Health Cure on Menopausal Complaints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Foisner W

2016-01-01

Full Text Available 100 patients in menopause were recruited in an open duo-centre study during a health cure for musculoskeletal system to investigate if health cure is able to achieve additive effects on menopausal afflictions. Patients were differentiated in pre-, periand postmenopausal stadium due to their hormonal state (TSH, estradiol, LH, FSH. Survey dates were admission, discharge, 3, 6, 9, 12 months. MRS (Menopause Rating Scale and HADS-D (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – German version were used as main outcome parameters.brThe analysis revealed that beside the total score also the subscale of both questionnaires improved during the cure. This “success of cure” lasted over a period of 6 months. Afterwards the values approached to the initial situation. Indeed all subscales stayed beyond baseline during the whole study.brThe results of the present investigation may be concluded as a temporary improvement of discomforts, life quality and psyche of peri- and postmenopausal women due to inpatient health cure. p bKurzfassung/b: Während eines Kurheilverfahrens zu Beschwerden des Stütz- und Bewegungsapparates wurden in einer offenen Duo-Center-Studie 100 Patientinnen in der Menopause rekrutiert, um zu untersuchen, ob der Kuraufenthalt additive Effekte auf menopausale Beschwerden besitzt. Anhand eines Hormonstatus (TSH, Estradiol, LH, FSH wurden die Patientinnen in die Menopause-Stadien prä-, peri- und postmenopausal eingeteilt. Erhebungszeitpunkte: Aufnahme, Entlassung, 3, 6, 9 und 12 Monate. Die „Menopause Rating Scale“ (MRS und die „Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – deutsche Version“ (HADS-D wurden als Haupt-Outcomeparameter herangezogen.brDie Auswertung ergab, dass sich neben dem Gesamtscore auch die Teilskalen der beiden Fragebögen während des Kuraufenthaltes verbesserten. Dieser „Kurerfolg“ hielt über einen Zeitraum von 6 Monaten an, danach näherten sich die Werte wieder der Ausgangssituation. Alle Teilscores blieben über dem

Influence of menopausal symptoms on perceived work ability among women in a Nigerian University.

Science.gov (United States)

Olajubu, A O; Olowokere, A E; Amujo, D O; Olajubu, T O

2017-12-01

This study investigated the menopausal symptoms experienced by women of menopausal age in Ekiti State, Nigeria and the influence on their perceived work ability. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed and the study was conducted among 200 working-class women aged 45 years and above who had experienced at least 12 continuous months of amenorrhea in Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. A semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Greene Climacteric Scale and the work ability index was used to assess menopausal symptoms and work ability, respectively. The prevalence of menopausal symptoms in this study was 96.5%. The commonest menopausal symptom experienced by the respondents was muscle pain (81.5%), followed by sweating at night (80%), while spells of crying were the least (27.5%). Out of the symptoms, hot flushes were rated most severe followed by sweating at night, while crying spells were also the least severe symptom. Only 27% expressed excellent work ability. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed a negative significant relationship (r = -0.311, p work ability. The study concluded that menopausal symptoms had a negative influence on work ability of the respondents.

Urinary incontinence: the role of menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Trutnovsky, Gerda; Rojas, Rodrigo Guzman; Mann, Kristy Pamela; Dietz, Hans P

2014-04-01

This study aims to explore the effects of menopause and hormone therapy on the symptoms and signs of stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence. Records of women who attended a tertiary urogynecological unit were reviewed retrospectively. A standardized interview included evaluations of symptoms, menopause age (ie, time since last menstrual period or onset of menopausal symptoms), current or previous hormone use, and visual analogue scales for bother. Multichannel urodynamics, including urethral pressure profilometry and determination of abdominal leak point pressure, was performed. Of 382 women seen during the inclusion period, 62% were postmenopausal. Current systemic or local hormone use was reported by 7% and 6%, respectively. Two hundred eighty-eight women (76%) reported symptoms of stress urinary incontinence, with a mean bother of 5.7, and 273 women (72%) reported symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, with a mean bother of 6.4. On univariate analysis, symptoms and bother of urge incontinence were significantly related to menopause age, whereas this relationship was not found for stress incontinence. After calendar age was controlled for, length of menopause showed no significant relationship with any symptom or sign of urinary incontinence. Hormone deficiency after menopause is unlikely to play a major role in urinary incontinence.

Menopause Map

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... alone. Learn more about your personal journey with menopause. The Menopause Map™ will help you: Understand the stages of ... About It! Start your Journey Your journey through menopause is unique and we understand that. Answer a ...

Premature menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Okeke, Tc; Anyaehie, Ub; Ezenyeaku, Cc

2013-01-01

Premature menopause affects 1% of women under the age of 40 years. The women are at risk of premature death, neurological diseases, psychosexual dysfunction, mood disorders, osteoporosis, ischemic heart disease and infertility. There is need to use simplified protocols and improved techniques in oocyte donation to achieve pregnancy and mother a baby in those women at risk. Review of the pertinent literature on premature menopause, selected references, internet services using the PubMed and Medline databases were included in this review. In the past, pregnancy in women with premature menopause was rare but with recent advancement in oocyte donation, women with premature menopause now have hoped to mother a child. Hormone replacement therapy is beneficial to adverse consequences of premature menopause. Women with premature menopause are at risk of premature death, neurological diseases, psychosexual dysfunction, mood disorders, osteoporosis, ischemic heart disease and infertility. Public enlightenment and education is important tool to save those at risk.

Differential genetic basis for pre-menopausal and post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Victoria L M; Pasion, Khristine A; Moran, Ann Marie; Ruiz-Opazo, Nelson

2012-01-01

Essential hypertension affects 75% of post-menopausal women in the United States causing greater cardiovascular complications compared with age-matched men and pre-menopausal women. Hormone replacement and current anti-hypertensive therapies do not correct this post-menopausal increased risk suggesting a distinct pathogenic framework. We investigated the hypothesis that distinct genetic determinants might underlie susceptibility to salt sensitive hypertension in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal states. To determine whether distinct genetic loci contribute to post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension, we performed a genome-wide scan for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting blood pressure (BP) in 16-month old post-menopausal F2 (Dahl S×R)-intercross female rats characterized for blood pressure by radiotelemetry. Given identical environments and high salt challenge, post-menopausal BP levels were significantly higher than observed in pre-menopausal (post-menopausal versus pre-menopausal SBP, P<0.0001) and ovariectomized (post-menopausal versus ovariectomized SBP, P<0.001) F2-intercross female rats. We detected four significant to highly significant BP-QTLs (BP-pm1 on chromosome 13, LOD 3.78; BP-pm2 on chromosome 11, LOD 2.76; BP-pm3 on chromosome 2, LOD 2.61; BP-pm4 on chromosome 4, LOD 2.50) and two suggestive BP-QTLs (BP-pm5 on chromosome 15, LOD 2.37; BP-f1 on chromosome 5, LOD 1.65), four of which (BP-pm2, BP-pm3, BP-pm4, BP-pm5) were unique to this post-menopausal cohort. These data demonstrate distinct polygenic susceptibility underlying post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension providing a pathway towards the identification of mechanism-based therapy for post-menopausal hypertension and ensuing target-organ complications.

Differential genetic basis for pre-menopausal and post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria L M Herrera

Full Text Available Essential hypertension affects 75% of post-menopausal women in the United States causing greater cardiovascular complications compared with age-matched men and pre-menopausal women. Hormone replacement and current anti-hypertensive therapies do not correct this post-menopausal increased risk suggesting a distinct pathogenic framework. We investigated the hypothesis that distinct genetic determinants might underlie susceptibility to salt sensitive hypertension in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal states. To determine whether distinct genetic loci contribute to post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension, we performed a genome-wide scan for quantitative trait loci (QTLs affecting blood pressure (BP in 16-month old post-menopausal F2 (Dahl S×R-intercross female rats characterized for blood pressure by radiotelemetry. Given identical environments and high salt challenge, post-menopausal BP levels were significantly higher than observed in pre-menopausal (post-menopausal versus pre-menopausal SBP, P<0.0001 and ovariectomized (post-menopausal versus ovariectomized SBP, P<0.001 F2-intercross female rats. We detected four significant to highly significant BP-QTLs (BP-pm1 on chromosome 13, LOD 3.78; BP-pm2 on chromosome 11, LOD 2.76; BP-pm3 on chromosome 2, LOD 2.61; BP-pm4 on chromosome 4, LOD 2.50 and two suggestive BP-QTLs (BP-pm5 on chromosome 15, LOD 2.37; BP-f1 on chromosome 5, LOD 1.65, four of which (BP-pm2, BP-pm3, BP-pm4, BP-pm5 were unique to this post-menopausal cohort. These data demonstrate distinct polygenic susceptibility underlying post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension providing a pathway towards the identification of mechanism-based therapy for post-menopausal hypertension and ensuing target-organ complications.

The efficacy of acupuncture on menopausal symptoms (ACOM study)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Kamma Sundgaard; Brodersen, John; Siersma, Volkert

2017-01-01

acupuncturists will be medical doctors educated in acupuncture. The primary outcome is change in HF from baseline to week 6 measured by the HF scale from the MenoScores Questionnaire (MSQ). Secondary outcomes are change in other menopausal symptoms, in particular day and night sweats and menopausal......-specific sleeping problems, also measured by other scales from the MSQ. A total of 68 patients must be enrolled to detect a relevant clinical reduction on the above MSQ scales. Both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be conducted; four or more treatments are considered adequate adherence. CONCLUSIONS...

Prevalence and predictors of severe menopause symptoms among HIV-positive and -negative Nigerian women.

Science.gov (United States)

Agaba, Patricia A; Meloni, Seema T; Sule, Halima M; Ocheke, Amaka N; Agaba, Emmanuel I; Idoko, John A; Kanki, Phyllis J

2017-11-01

We compared the prevalence of menopause symptoms between women living with HIV to their HIV-negative peers and determined predictors of severe menopause symptoms in Jos, Nigeria. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 714 women aged 40-80 years. We compared prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms using the menopause rating scale (MRS). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of severe symptoms. Six-hundred and seven (85.0%) were HIV-positive, with a mean duration of infection of 5.6 ± 2.7 years. The mean age of the cohort was 46 ± 5 years. The most prevalent menopause symptoms were hot flushes (67.2%), joint and muscle discomfort (66.2%), physical/mental exhaustion (65.3%), heart discomfort (60.4%), and anxiety (56.4%). The median MRS score was higher for HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative women (p = 0.01). Factors associated with severe menopause symptoms included HIV-positive status (aOR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.20-7.54) and history of cigarette smoking (aOR: 4.18, 95% CI: 1.31-13.26). Being married (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32-0.77), premenopausal (aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.94), and self-reporting good quality of life (aOR: 0.62. 95% CI: 0.39-0.98) were protective against severe menopause symptoms. We found HIV infection, cigarette smoking, quality of life, and stage of the menopause transition to be associated with severe menopause symptoms. As HIV-positive populations are aging, additional attention should be given to the reproductive health of these women.

Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Menstruation, Pregnancy and Menopause on Salivary Flow Rate, pH and Gustatory Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Saluja, Pulin; Shetty, Vishwaprakash; Dave, Aparna; Arora, Manpreet; Hans, Vibha; Madan, Ajay

2014-10-01

There are five situations in a women's life during which hormone fluctuations make them more susceptible to oral health problems - during puberty, at certain points in the monthly menstrual cycle, when using birth control pills, during pregnancy, and at menopause. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of menstruation, pregnancy and menopause on salivary flow rate, pH and gustatory function. The study was carried out on 120 patients including 30 controls (with normal menstrual cycle of 28 to 30 d) and 90 cases (30 patients within three days of menstruation, 30 pregnant and 30 postmenopausal). Paraffin-stimulated saliva samples were obtained by expectoration to calculate salivary flow rate, pH was measured electrometically and patients were prospectively evaluated for gustatory function. Then, whole mouth taste test was performed in which the quality identification and intensity ratings of taste solutions were measured. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups with respect to salivary flow rate but pH values were significantly lower in post menopausal women (pwomen than intensity of taste perception for other tastes (pwomen reported change in their dietary habits as all of them expressed liking for sweeter food. Reduced salivary flow rate and pH in postmen-opausal women may make them more prone to the occurrence of oral health problems. Also, pregnant and postmenopausal women appeared to have a reduced perception of sucrose, which can alter eating habits, such as intake of more sweet foods whereas no significant difference is observed in taste perception of NaCl, citric acid and quinine hydrochloride between the subjects.

Menopause and Hormones

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... Consumer Information by Audience For Women Menopause and Hormones: Common Questions Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ... reproduction and distribution. Learn More about Menopause and Hormones Menopause--Medicines to Help You Links to other ...

The demography of menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, K

1996-03-01

Menopause marks a time of dramatic hormonal and often social change for women. Both risk factors and health needs are likely to change as women pass through menopause. This paper examines the demographic characteristics of the world population of menopausal and post-menopausal women, and also examines the implication of menopause for mortality risks. The numbers of women involved are large. Using age 50 as a proxy for menopause, about 25 million women pass through menopause each year, and we estimate that in 1990 there were 467 million post-menopausal women in the world, with an average age of about 60 years. By 2030, the world population of menopausal and postmenopausal women is projected to increase to 1.2 billion, with 47 million new entrants each year. The mortality implications of menopause are also substantial. Ratios of female to male mortality risks from all causes and from all major cause groups except neoplasms decline to low levels around menopause or shortly thereafter, and then rise again to near unity. This pattern is taken as evidence that the female reproductive period is broadly protective of health, but that this protection disappears after menopause. The main protective effect is through reduced risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, partially offset by increased risks of cancer mortality, particularly of the breast and endometrium.

Early or Premature Menopause

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... email updates Enter email Submit Early or premature menopause Menopause that happens before age 40 is called ... What is the difference between early and premature menopause? Early or premature menopause happens when ovaries stop ...

Do stages of menopause affect the outcomes of pelvic floor muscle training?

Science.gov (United States)

Tosun, Özge Çeliker; Mutlu, Ebru Kaya; Tosun, Gökhan; Ergenoğlu, Ahmet Mete; Yeniel, Ahmet Özgur; Malkoç, Mehtap; Aşkar, Niyazi; İtil, İsmail Mete

2015-02-01

The purpose of our study is to determine whether there is a difference in pelvic floor muscle strength attributable to pelvic floor muscle training conducted during different stages of menopause. One hundred twenty-two women with stress urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence were included in this prospective controlled study. The participants included in this study were separated into three groups according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop staging system as follows: group 1 (n = 41): stages -3 and -2; group 2 (n = 32): stages +1 and -1; and group 3 (n = 30): stage +2. All three groups were provided an individual home exercise program throughout the 12-week study. Pelvic floor muscle strength before and after the 12-week treatment was measured in all participants (using the PERFECT [power, endurance, number of repetitions, and number of fast (1-s) contractions; every contraction is timed] scheme, perineometry, transabdominal ultrasound, Brink scale, pad test, and stop test). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. There were no statistically significant differences in pre-exercise training pelvic floor muscle strength parameters among the three groups. After 12 weeks, there were statistically significant increases in PERFECT scheme, Brink scale, perineometry, and ultrasound values. In contrast, there were significant decreases in stop test and 1-hour pad test values observed in the three groups (P = 0.001, dependent t test). In comparison with the other groups, group 1 demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the following postexercise training parameters: power, repetition, speed, Brink vertical displacement, and stop test. The lowest increase was observed in group 2 (P menopause with pelvic floor muscle training, but the rates of increase vary according to the menopausal stage of the participants. Women in the late menopausal transition and early menopause are least responsive to pelvic floor muscle strength training

The Use Of Alternative Methods In Reducing Menopausal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Millions of women experience menopause every year, therefore the aim of this study is to determine the rates of application of alternative methods applied by women in order to reduce their complaints caused by menopause and alternative application methods. Materials and Methods: This study was carried ...

The relation among steroid hormone levels, lipid profile and menopausal symptom severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Cihan; Cengiz, Hüseyin; Yeşil, Ali; Ekin, Murat; Yaşar, Levent

2017-12-01

Many postmenopausal women experience hot flashes, night sweats, non-specific emotional and psychological distresses. Our aim was to investigate the relation among steroid hormone levels, lipid profile and menopausal symptom severity using the menopause rating scale (MRS). A cross-sectional study was performed at our outpatient clinic with natural postmenopausal women. A total of 444 women were included in this study. The basic characteristics of the study population, such as age, gravidity, parity, time to menopause onset and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Venous blood samples were collected from subjects after overnight fasting. The levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), cortisol, estradiol (E2), progesterone, testosterone and dehydroepiandrostenedione sulfate (DHEA-S) were analyzed. The MRS questionnaire validated for the Turkish population was used to assess the menopausal symptoms. There was a statistically significant difference between mild and severe total symptom scores for TG, and elevated TG levels were observed in the severe group (p = 0.04). Elevated testosterone levels were observed with severe psychological symptom and total symptom scores. There were significant differences in progesterone level in psychological, urogenital, and total scores and lower levels were seen in severe symptom groups. There was a significant negative correlation between urogenital symptom scores and progesterone levels (p symptom and total menopausal symptom scores. A decrease in progesterone levels was related to high psychological, urogenital and total menopausal symptom scores. Elevated TG levels were also related to the total severe symptom scores.

Life Course Exposure to Smoke and Early Menopause and Menopausal Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Tawfik, Heba; Kline, Jennie; Jacobson, Judith; Tehranifar, Parisa; Protacio, Angeline; Flom, Julie D.; Cirillo, Piera; Cohn, Barbara A.; Terry, Mary Beth

2015-01-01

Objective Early age at menopause is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis and all-cause mortality. Cigarette smoke exposure in adulthood is an established risk factor for earlier age at natural menopause and may be related to age at menopausal transition. Using data from two U.S. birth cohorts, we examined the association between smoke exposure at various stages of the life course (prenatal, childhood exposure to parental smoking and adult smoke exposure) with menopause status in 1,001 women aged 39 – 49 years at follow-up. Methods We used logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age at follow-up, to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) relating smoke exposure to natural menopause and menopausal transition. Results The magnitudes of the associations for natural menopause were similar, but not statistically significant after adjustment for confounders for i) women with prenatal smoke exposure who did not smoke at adult follow-up (OR= 2.7 [95% CI 0.8, 9.4]) and ii) current adult smokers who were not exposed prenatally (OR= 2.8 [95% CI 0.9, 9.0]). Women who had been exposed to prenatal smoke and were current smokers had three times the risk of experiencing natural menopause (adjusted OR=3.4 [95% CI 1.1, 10.3]) compared to women without smoke exposure in either time period. Only current smoking of long duration (>26 years) was associated with the timing of the menopausal transition. Conclusion Our data suggest that exposure to smoke both prenatally and around the time of menopause accelerates ovarian aging. PMID:25803667

Life course exposure to smoke and early menopause and menopausal transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Tawfik, Hebatullah; Kline, Jennie; Jacobson, Judith; Tehranifar, Parisa; Protacio, Angeline; Flom, Julie D; Cirillo, Piera; Cohn, Barbara A; Terry, Mary Beth

2015-10-01

Early age at menopause is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and all-cause mortality. Cigarette smoke exposure in adulthood is an established risk factor for earlier age at natural menopause and may be related to age at the menopausal transition. Using data from two US birth cohorts, we examined the association between smoke exposure at various stages of the life course (prenatal exposure, childhood exposure to parental smoking, and adult smoke exposure) and menopause status in 1,001 women aged 39 to 49 years at follow-up. We used logistic regression analysis (adjusting for age at follow-up) to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) relating smoke exposure to natural menopause and the menopausal transition. The magnitudes of the associations for natural menopause were similar but not statistically significant after adjustment for confounders among (i) women with prenatal smoke exposure who did not smoke on adult follow-up (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 0.8-9.4) and (ii) current adult smokers who were not exposed prenatally (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 0.9-9.0). Women who had been exposed to prenatal smoke and were current smokers had three times the risk of experiencing earlier natural menopause (adjusted OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.1-10.3) compared with women without smoke exposure in either period. Only current smoking of long duration (>26 y) was associated with the timing of the menopausal transition. Our data suggest that exposure to smoke both prenatally and around the time of menopause accelerates ovarian aging.

HUBUNGAN ANTARA SINDROM MENOPAUSE DENGAN KUALITAS HIDUP PEREMPUAN MENOPAUSE DI PUSKESMAS SUKAHAJI KABUPATEN MAJALENGKA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruri Yuni Astari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractMenopause is a natural phase experienced by every woman, a reproduction process characterized by the end of the fertile period of a woman because the ovaries are no longer produce estrogen and progesterone, and may cause menopausal complaints which are referred to as menopausal syndrome. Problems or changes experienced by menopause women may lead to a crisis that will affect the quality of life. This study aims to analyze the correlation between menopausal syndrome and the quality of life. The study method was analytic observational with cross sectional design. The population were women who had experienced menopause for 1-2 years in Sukahaji Majalengka Primary Health Center area and met the study criteria such as were still have a husband, had no menstruation experience for 1-2 years and were able to read. Sampling technique was performed by total sampling, conducted in February until March 2013. Menopausal syndrome was measured by using MSQ (Menopause Symptom Questionnaire and quality of life was measured by using The World Health Organization Quality Of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL - BREF. Data was analyzed with univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis. The results presented strong negative correlation between physiological and psychological menopausal syndrome aspects in quality of life (r = -0.786, p = 0.000 and r = -0.706, p = 0.000, a negative correlation was simultaneouly strong in physiological and psychological aspects of menopausal syndrome and the quality of life of women (r = -0.772, p = 0.000, a significant correlation between income and education and quality of life (r = -0.313 p = 0.011 and r = -0.359 p = 0.003. Parity was not significantly associated with quality of life of menopause women. Conclusion: menopausal syndrome had impacts on the quality of life of menopause women. Social support, self-confidence and positive attitude towards the complaints of the menopause women to accept menopause as a gift

The association between recent abuse and menopausal symptom bother: results from the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause, and Sexuality (DREAMS).

Science.gov (United States)

Vegunta, Suneela; Kuhle, Carol; Kling, Juliana M; Files, Julia A; Kapoor, Ekta; David, Paru S; Rullo, Jordan; Sood, Richa; Thielen, Jacqueline M; Jatoi, Aminah; Schroeder, Darrell R; Faubion, Stephanie S

2016-05-01

The aim of the study was to determine whether there is an association between current menopausal symptom bother and a history of abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional/verbal) in the last year. A cross-sectional survey was completed using the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause, and Sexuality and the Menopause Health Questionnaire. Data from the Menopause Health Questionnaire were collected from 4,956 women seen consecutively for menopause consultation in the Women's Health Clinic at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) from January 1, 2006 through October 7, 2014. Data from 3,740 women were included in the analysis. Menopausal symptom ratings were compared between women reporting a history of abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional/verbal) in the last year and those not using a two-sample t test. Analysis of covariance was used to assess whether abuse was associated with menopausal symptom bother after adjusting for baseline participant characteristics. Of the 3,740 women, 253 (6.8%) reported experiencing one or more forms of abuse in the last year, the majority (96%) of which was verbal/emotional abuse. Those reporting abuse in the last year had higher (P menopausal symptom bother scores. Consistent findings were obtained from multivariable analyses adjusting for all demographic and substance use characteristics. In the present study from the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause, and Sexuality, menopausal symptom bother scores were directly associated with recent self-reported abuse.

Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Menstruation, Pregnancy and Menopause on Salivary Flow Rate, pH and Gustatory Function

Science.gov (United States)

Shetty, Vishwaprakash; Dave, Aparna; Arora, Manpreet; Hans, Vibha; Madan, Ajay

2014-01-01

Objective: There are five situations in a women’s life during which hormone fluctuations make them more susceptible to oral health problems – during puberty, at certain points in the monthly menstrual cycle, when using birth control pills, during pregnancy, and at menopause. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of menstruation, pregnancy and menopause on salivary flow rate, pH and gustatory function. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 120 patients including 30 controls (with normal menstrual cycle of 28 to 30 d) and 90 cases (30 patients within three days of menstruation, 30 pregnant and 30 postmenopausal). Paraffin-stimulated saliva samples were obtained by expectoration to calculate salivary flow rate, pH was measured electrometically and patients were prospectively evaluated for gustatory function. Then, whole mouth taste test was performed in which the quality identification and intensity ratings of taste solutions were measured. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the groups with respect to salivary flow rate but pH values were significantly lower in post menopausal women (pwomen than intensity of taste perception for other tastes (pwomen reported change in their dietary habits as all of them expressed liking for sweeter food. Conclusion: Reduced salivary flow rate and pH in postmen­opausal women may make them more prone to the occurrence of oral health problems. Also, pregnant and postmenopausal women appeared to have a reduced perception of sucrose, which can alter eating habits, such as intake of more sweet foods whereas no significant difference is observed in taste perception of NaCl, citric acid and quinine hydrochloride between the subjects. PMID:25478455

Effectiveness of coaching for enhancing the health of menopausal Japanese women.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Kaoru

2017-01-01

We conducted and evaluated a coaching intervention aimed at encouraging menopausal women's engagement in goal-oriented actions, self-efficacy enhancement, menopausal symptom alleviation, and quality of life improvement. The study was a randomized controlled trial comprising women aged 40-60 who were not receiving hormone therapy. The intervention group received leaflets and three monthly coaching sessions. Instruments included the Simplified Menopausal Index, Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and goal achievement scale. Participants were measured preintervention, immediately postintervention, and three months postintervention. A 3-month coaching intervention to enhance menopausal women's health increased their self-efficacy. This effect was not maintained 3 months postintervention.

Exercise through Menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuhr, Robyn M.

2002-01-01

Menopause is associated with many different health effects and symptoms. This paper explains that regular exercise can play a critical role in protecting health and battling the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, pelvic floor atrophy, and joint stiffness associated with menopause. Exercise programs for menopausal women should…

Menopause education: needs assessment of American obstetrics and gynecology residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Christianson, Mindy S; Ducie, Jennifer A; Altman, Kristiina; Khafagy, Ayatallah M; Shen, Wen

2013-11-01

This study aims to understand the current teaching of menopause medicine in American obstetrics and gynecology residency programs. A Web-based survey was e-mailed to all American obstetrics and gynecology residency directors, with a request that they forward it to their residents. Of 258 residency program directors contacted, 79 (30.6%) confirmed forwarding the survey. In all, 1,799 people received the survey, with 510 completions, for a response rate of 28.3%. Most residents reported that they had limited knowledge and needed to learn more about these aspects of menopause medicine: pathophysiology of menopause symptoms (67.1%), hormone therapy (68.1%), nonhormone therapy (79.0%), bone health (66.1%), cardiovascular disease (71.7%), and metabolic syndrome (69.5%). Among fourth-year residents who will be entering clinical practice soon, a large proportion also reported a need to learn more in these areas: pathophysiology of menopause symptoms (45.9%), hormone therapy (54.2%), nonhormone therapy (69.4%), bone health (54.2%), cardiovascular disease (64.3%), and metabolic syndrome (63.8%). When asked to rate the most preferred modalities for learning about menopause, the top choice was supervised clinics (53.2%), followed by case presentations (22.2%), formal lectures (21.3%), small groups (14.7%), Web-based learning (7.8%), and independent reading (5.2%). Only 20.8% of residents reported that their program had a formal menopause medicine learning curriculum, and 16.3% had a defined menopause clinic as part of their residency. It seems that some American residency programs do not fulfill the educational goals of their residents in menopause medicine. A curriculum would be beneficial for increasing knowledge and clinical experience on menopause issues.

SELUK BELUK MENOPAUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lannywati Ghani

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Menopause, especially the symptoms and complications, is always an interesting topic to be discussed. It is actually a normal part of woman's life entering ages of 50. The symptoms of menopause are highly individual to each woman. Some may experience multiple physical and psychological symptoms that may continue to social impacts. Misinterpretation as other disease symptoms could happen and lead to incorrect treatment. Many studies have been done to learn more about the menopause physiological process, symptoms, complication, and treatment. So many preventive and treatment options are offered, including hormone therapy and practicing healthy life style. By understanding the menopause, it is expected that symptoms could be controlled and complications could be avoided.   Key words : Woman, Menstrual Period, Menopause, Healthy

Quality of the relationship and menopausal symptoms of menopausal women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Jarecka

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and intensity of menopausal symptoms, taking into account the length of one’s relationship, its nature and one’s assessment of it. Participants and procedure The study included 200 women between the ages of 45 and 68, with secondary or higher education, married or in cohabiting relationships. Women were divided into three groups depending on the experience related to menopause: premenopause (46 respondents, perimenopause (75 respondents, and postmenopause (79 respondents. The study used a survey of self-design, the “Women’s Health” Questionnaire (WHQ by M. Hunter, and the “Partner Relations Questionnaire” (PFB by K. Hahlweg. Results Most menopausal symptoms – including those of the greatest severity – are experienced by women in perimenopausal and postmenopausal phases, but one’s own relationship’s assessment is the lowest in postmenopausal women. In this group of women, relevant and significant relations between the dimensions of the quality of the relationship and the menopausal symptoms are the most numerous. The most essential assessment was the one relating to intimacy – its poor evaluation is accompanied by higher intensity of experienced depression symptoms, somatic symptoms, and disorders of memory and concentration, sex and sleep, and also the sum of menopausal symptoms is higher. In all three groups, no significant differences in the severity of menopausal symptoms were observed between women in marital and cohabiting relationships. In women in the perimenopausal phase, the shorter the length of the relationship (its seniority, the greater is the severity of sexual dysfunction symptoms, whereas in women in the postmenopausal stage, along with the length of the relationship, the severity of psychological and somatic symptoms increases. Conclusions One should find that the perimenopausal and postmenopausal phases are particularly difficult for women

The Menopause Time of Life.

Science.gov (United States)

National Inst. on Aging (DHHS/NIH), Bethesda, MD.

This pamphlet examines menopause and the changes associated with it. Menopause is briefly described, surgical menopause is explained, and the relationship between menopause and the reproductive cycle is discussed. Signs of menopause are described, including hot flashes and vaginal and urinary tract changes. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is explained…

Influence of the menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids in female volunteers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mones, J. (Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)); Carrio, I. (Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)); Calabuig, R. (Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)); Estorch, M. (Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)); Sainz, S. (Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)); Berna, L. (Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)); Vilardell, F. (Dept. of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain))

1993-07-01

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the normal menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids. Gastric emptying was studied in 15 premenopausal and ten postmenopausal women with an isotopic technique after the ingestion of a radiolabelled test meal. Premenopausal women were studied twice: Within 1 week prior to menses and again 1 week after onset of menses. Postmenopausal women were studied only once. The emptying curves of the solid component of the meal fitted a linear model. The half-emptying time was 78[+-]5 min during the follicular phase, 75[+-]7 min during the luteal phase and 76[+-]6 min in postmenopausal women (differences not statistically significant). The mean percentages of the meal retained in the stomach at different time intervals were also similar in the three groups. These results suggest that the menstrual cycle does not influence the gastric emptying rate of solids, which remains unchanged in relation to the follicular phase or after menopause. (orig.)

Effect of Tribulus terrestris, ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Taavoni, Simin; Ekbatani, Neda Nazem; Haghani, Hamid

2017-03-01

Menopausal symptoms experienced by women vary widely, and while many women transition through menopause with manageable symptoms, others experience severe symptoms, which may impair their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tribulus terrestris , ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms. A randomised, triple-blind, controlled trial design was used for this study. The participants were 80 postmenopausal women aged 50-60 years. A demographic data form and the Menopause Rating Scale were used to collect data. The women were randomly divided into two groups, each of which received either an Aphrodit capsule or a placebo twice a day for four weeks. The two bottles looked exactly the same, so that the investigator and the participants were not aware of the contents of the bottles. Each Aphrodit capsule contained 40 mg of Tribulus terrestris , 12.27 mg of Zingiber officinale , 3 mg of Crocus sativus extract, and 11 mg of Cinnamomum zeylanicum , while the placebo capsules contained 50 mg of starch. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. A statistically significant change was reported in the menopausal symptoms of the intervention group compared with the placebo group. The results of the study demonstrate that the Aphrodit capsule was effective in reducing menopausal symptoms.

Menopause perception and care of menopausal women in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study involved both Quantitative and Qualitative method. For quantitative method the researchers designed a cross-sectional study, using ... after menopause, social support networks for menopausal women, and types of care and ...

Menopause and illness course in bipolar disorder: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Perich, Tania; Ussher, Jane; Meade, Tanya

2017-09-01

Menopause may be a time of increased mood symptoms for some women. This systematic review aimed to examine the severity of symptoms and prevalence of mood changes in women with bipolar disorder during peri-menopause and post-menopause. A systematic review was undertaken in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The two primary outcomes assessed were relapse rates and symptom severity during menopause. Databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL and SCOPUS from January 1980 until December 2016. Nine studies, including a total of 273 participants diagnosed with bipolar disorder and who reported menopause, were included in the narrative synthesis. Menopause was reported to be associated with increased symptoms overall, and with depression in particular (range of 46%-91%). The collection of self-reported retrospective data was the most commonly used method to record menopause status. The impact of menopause on illness course for women with bipolar disorder is largely under-explored. Preliminary evidence suggests that it may be associated with increased bipolar symptoms. Further work is needed to explore how menopause may interact with bipolar disorder over time and the nature of these symptom changes, and if and how menopause may differ from other reproductive stages. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Metabolic disorders in menopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grzegorz Stachowiak

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Metabolic disorders occurring in menopause, including dyslipidemia, disorders of carbohydrate metabolism (impaired glucose tolerance – IGT, type 2 diabetes mellitus – T2DM or components of metabolic syndrome, constitute risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women. A key role could be played here by hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and visceral obesity, all contributing to dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, inflammation, alter coagulation and atherosclerosis observed during the menopausal period. Undiagnosed and untreated, metabolic disorders may adversely affect the length and quality of women’s life. Prevention and treatment preceded by early diagnosis should be the main goal for the physicians involved in menopausal care. This article represents a short review of the current knowledge concerning metabolic disorders (e.g. obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome or thyroid diseases in menopause, including the role of a tailored menopausal hormone therapy (HT. According to current data, HT is not recommend as a preventive strategy for metabolic disorders in menopause. Nevertheless, as part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent chronic diseases after menopause, menopausal hormone therapy, particularly estrogen therapy may be considered (after balancing benefits/risks and excluding women with absolute contraindications to this therapy. Life-style modifications, with moderate physical activity and healthy diet at the forefront, should be still the first choice recommendation for all patients with menopausal metabolic abnormalities.

The efficacy of acupuncture on menopausal symptoms (ACOM study)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Kamma Sundgaard; Brodersen, John; Siersma, Volkert

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Around 75% of menopausal women experience hot flushes (HF) and 10-20% of all postmenopausal women find this very distressing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture on moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms in general and HF in particular. METHODS: An un......-blinded randomised trial (cross-over) with 1:1 allocation to early (intervention) versus late (control) acupuncture. The included women suffer from moderate-to-severe HF and will receive a weekly treatment during five consecutive weeks in the following predefined acupuncture points: CV-3, CV-4, LR-8, SP-6, SP-9. All...... acupuncturists will be medical doctors educated in acupuncture. The primary outcome is change in HF from baseline to week 6 measured by the HF scale from the MenoScores Questionnaire (MSQ). Secondary outcomes are change in other menopausal symptoms, in particular day and night sweats and menopausal...

Menopause and Rheumatic Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Talsania, Mitali; Scofield, Robert Hal

2017-05-01

Menopause occurs naturally in women at about 50 years of age. There is a wealth of data concerning the relationship of menopause to systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis; there are limited data concerning other rheumatic diseases. Age at menopause may affect the risk and course of rheumatic diseases. Osteoporosis, an integral part of inflammatory rheumatic diseases, is made worse by menopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been studied; its effects vary depending on the disease and even different manifestations within the same disease. Cyclophosphamide can induce early menopause, but there is underlying decreased ovarian reserve in rheumatic diseases. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cancer treatment - early menopause

Science.gov (United States)

Premature menopause; Ovarian insufficiency - cancer ... Cancer treatments that can cause early menopause include: Surgery. Having both ovaries removed causes menopause to happen right away. If you are age 50 or younger, your provider may ...

North American Menopause Society

Science.gov (United States)

... Other Meetings Publications Clinical Care Recommendations Chapter 1: Menopause Chapter 2: Midlife Body Changes Chapter 3: Clinical ... Nonprescription Options Chapter 8: Prescription Therapies Professional Publications Menopause Journal Contents Position Statements & Other Reports Menopause Practice ...

Menopause and Heart Disease

Science.gov (United States)

... Peripheral Artery Disease Venous Thromboembolism Aortic Aneurysm More Menopause and Heart Disease Updated:Jun 23,2017 Heart ... can become more evident after the onset of menopause. Menopause does not cause cardiovascular diseases . However, certain ...

Radiation-induced premature menopause: a misconception

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madsen, Berit L.; Giudice, Linda; Donaldson, Sarah S.

1995-01-01

Purpose: To disprove the common view that women who have undergone irradiation to fields excluding the pelvis are at risk for radiation-induced premature menopause, we reviewed menstrual function and fertility among women treated with subtotal lymphoid irradiation for Hodgkin's Disease. Methods and Materials: Treatment and follow-up records of all women less than age 50 at the time of diagnosis of Stage I or II supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin's Disease, treated with subtotal lymphoid irradiation alone and enrolled in radiotherapy trials from 1967 to 1985, were reviewed. In addition, patients were surveyed regarding their menstrual status and fertility history. Results: Thirty-six women, aged 10 to 40 years, with normal menstrual function at the time of Hodgkin's diagnosis, were identified. Mean follow-up was 14 years, with a range of 1.25-22.75 years. The average radiation dose to mantle and paraaortic fields was 40-44 Gy; the calculated scatter radiation dose to the pelvis at the ovaries was 3.2 Gy. There were 38 pregnancies in 18 women; all offspring are normal. One of 36 women (2.7%) experienced premature menopause. The reported rate of premature menopause in women who have not undergone irradiation is 1-3%; not significantly different than the rate in our study. There is a syndrome whereby antibodies to several endocrine organs occur (including the ovary), which is associated with premature ovarian failure. This syndrome may be associated with prior radiation to the thyroid, such as that given by mantle-irradiation for Hodgkin's Disease. We report such a case. Conclusion: There is little risk of premature menopause in women treated with radiation fields that exclude the pelvis. Women with presumed radiation-induced premature menopause warrant an evaluation to exclude other causes of ovarian failure, such as autoimmune disorders

Menopausal symptoms: do life events predict severity of symptoms in peri- and post-menopause?

Science.gov (United States)

Pimenta, Filipa; Leal, Isabel; Maroco, João; Ramos, Catarina

2012-08-01

Hormonal changes during menopausal transition are linked to physical and psychological symptoms' emergence. This study aims to explore if life events predict menopausal symptoms. This cross-sectional research encompasses a community sample of 992 women who answered to socio-demographic, health, menopause-related and lifestyle questionnaires; menopausal symptoms and life events were assessed with validated instruments. Structural equation modeling was used to build a causal model. Menopausal status predicted only three symptoms: skin/facial hair changes (β=.136; p=.020), sexual (β=.157; p=.004) and, marginally, vasomotor symptoms (β=.094; p=.054). Life events predicted depressive mood (β=-.391; p=.002), anxiety (β=-.271; p=.003), perceived cognitive impairment (β=-.295; p=.003), body shape changes (β=-.136; p=.031), aches/pain (β=-.212; p=.007), skin/facial hair changes (β=-.171; p=.021), numbness (β=-.169; p=.015), perceived loss of control (β=-.234; p=.008), mouth, nails and hair changes (β=-.290; p=.004), vasomotor (β=-.113; p=.044) and sexual symptoms (β=-.208; p=.009). Although women in peri- and post-menopausal manifested higher symptoms' severity than their pre-menopausal counterparts, only three of the menopausal symptoms assessed were predicted by menopausal status. Since the vast majority of menopausal symptoms' severity was significantly influenced by the way women perceived their recent life events, it is concluded that the symptomatology exacerbation, in peri- and post-menopausal women, might be due to life conditions and events, rather than hormonal changes (nonetheless, the inverse influence should be investigated in future studies). Therefore, these should be accounted for in menopause-related clinical and research settings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Female Sexual Function During the Menopausal Transition in a Group of Iranian Women

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Tahereh Eftekhar

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the prevalence of sexual problems in Iranian women and association of sexual dysfunction with menopausal symptoms.Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 151 married women with the age of 40-60 yearsold who were referred for treatmentto Department of Gynecology in Vali-e-Asr Hospital (Tehran, Iran from April to July 2012, were recruited. They were evaluated concerning their sexual function in the domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain with the female sexual function index (FSFI questionnaire.Menopause rating scale (MRS was developed for the diagnosis and quantification of climacteric symptoms.Results: Total frequency of sexual dysfunction was 53% with the domains of lubrication, arusal and desire being commonly affected 62%, 70% and 98.5% of cases respectively. There is a relationship between severity of somatic and urogenital symptoms with sexual dysfunction (p = 0.03, p = 0.00 respectively.Conclusion: A considerable percentage of women experienced sexual dysfunctions in this period. Somatic and urogenital symptoms during the menopausal period could be a factor to maintain or intensity of sexual dysfunctions.

Discourses on menopause--Part II: How do women talk about menopause?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvas, Lotte; Gannik, Dorte Effersøe

2008-01-01

The aim of this article is to describe which of the different available discourses women relate to as revealed in the way they talk about menopause. We use a discourse analytic approach, which implies that meaning is ascribed to things according to how we talk about them. Twenty-four menopausal...... women from Denmark were interviewed. They were selected to cover a broad spectrum of Danish women with different menopausal experiences and social background factors. Seven previously identified discourses could be found in the interviews, though to varying degrees from woman to woman. Nearly all women...... the menopause was talked about almost became kaleidoscopic when images speedily changed from the decrepit osteoporotic woman or a woman with lack of vitality and sex-appeal to a healthy and strong woman with control over her body and self. Since many women contact doctors in relation to menopause, and since...

Investigating how menopausal factors and self-compassion shape well-being: An exploratory path analysis.

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Brown, Lydia; Bryant, Christina; Brown, Valerie; Bei, Bei; Judd, Fiona

2015-06-01

A large body of work has investigated the relationship between menopausal factors and negative well-being (e.g. anxiety and depressive symptoms), but less is known about positive well-being and its correlates among midlife women. This study tests two models with both positive and negative well-being indices as outcomes: the first included menopausal factors as predictors; the second model expanded the first by adding self-compassion, a protective trait, as a predictor and moderator. Cross-sectional study based on self-report questionnaires from 206 women aged 40-60, currently experiencing hot flushes. Hot flush interference ratings, emotional balance, satisfaction with life, eudaimonic well-being and depressive symptoms. In model one, menopausal stage and hot flush frequency were independent of well-being outcomes. Beliefs about perceived control over menopause was the strongest predictor of well-being (β range: .22-.32), followed by hot flush interference ratings (β range: .15-.33). In model two, self-compassion was the strongest predictor of well-being indices (β range: .20-.39), followed by beliefs about control (β range: .16-.20) and interference ratings (β range: .17-.26). Psychological aspects of the menopause appear more strongly linked to well-being than physiological aspects such as menopausal stage and hot flush frequency. Specifically, self-compassion, feeling in control of menopause and low interference ratings are three factors that are associated with well-being among midlife women. These aspects could be considered in tandem, as a means to support well-being in the context of menopause. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Tribulus terrestris, ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial

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Taavoni, Simin; Haghani, Hamid

2017-01-01

Menopausal symptoms experienced by women vary widely, and while many women transition through menopause with manageable symptoms, others experience severe symptoms, which may impair their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tribulus terrestris, ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms. A randomised, triple-blind, controlled trial design was used for this study. The participants were 80 postmenopausal women aged 50–60 years. A demographic data form and the Menopause Rating Scale were used to collect data. The women were randomly divided into two groups, each of which received either an Aphrodit capsule or a placebo twice a day for four weeks. The two bottles looked exactly the same, so that the investigator and the participants were not aware of the contents of the bottles. Each Aphrodit capsule contained 40 mg of Tribulus terrestris, 12.27 mg of Zingiber officinale, 3 mg of Crocus sativus extract, and 11 mg of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, while the placebo capsules contained 50 mg of starch. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. A statistically significant change was reported in the menopausal symptoms of the intervention group compared with the placebo group. The results of the study demonstrate that the Aphrodit capsule was effective in reducing menopausal symptoms. PMID:28546803

Effect of Tribulus terrestris , ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial

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Simin Taavoni

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Menopausal symptoms experienced by women vary widely, and while many women transition through menopause with manageable symptoms, others experience severe symptoms, which may impair their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tribulus terrestris , ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms. A randomised, triple-blind, controlled trial design was used for this study. The participants were 80 postmenopausal women aged 50–60 years. A demographic data form and the Menopause Rating Scale were used to collect data. The women were randomly divided into two groups, each of which received either an Aphrodit capsule or a placebo twice a day for four weeks. The two bottles looked exactly the same, so that the investigator and the participants were not aware of the contents of the bottles. Each Aphrodit capsule contained 40 mg of Tribulus terrestris , 12.27 mg of Zingiber officinale, 3 mg of Crocus sativus extract, and 11 mg of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, while the placebo capsules contained 50 mg of starch. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. A statistically significant change was reported in the menopausal symptoms of the intervention group compared with the placebo group. The results of the study demonstrate that the Aphrodit capsule was effective in reducing menopausal symptoms.

Menopause and breast cancer

OpenAIRE

Sayakhot, Padaphet

2017-01-01

Background: Although 27% of women will be premenopausal at diagnosis; treatment for BC may cause menopause/menopausal symptoms in up to 80% of these women. Both short term symptoms and long term health problems such as osteoporosis and heart disease are associated with early menopause (EM). Menopausal symptoms have a major negative impact on quality of life, sexual dysfunction and changes in body image and self-esteem in BC women. Overseas studies indicate that 2/3 of postmenopausal w...

Influence of the menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids in female volunteers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mones, J.; Carrio, I.; Calabuig, R.; Estorch, M.; Sainz, S.; Berna, L.; Vilardell, F.

1993-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the normal menstrual cycle and of menopause on the gastric emptying rate of solids. Gastric emptying was studied in 15 premenopausal and ten postmenopausal women with an isotopic technique after the ingestion of a radiolabelled test meal. Premenopausal women were studied twice: Within 1 week prior to menses and again 1 week after onset of menses. Postmenopausal women were studied only once. The emptying curves of the solid component of the meal fitted a linear model. The half-emptying time was 78±5 min during the follicular phase, 75±7 min during the luteal phase and 76±6 min in postmenopausal women (differences not statistically significant). The mean percentages of the meal retained in the stomach at different time intervals were also similar in the three groups. These results suggest that the menstrual cycle does not influence the gastric emptying rate of solids, which remains unchanged in relation to the follicular phase or after menopause. (orig.)

Changes in Australian women's perception of the menopause and menopausal symptoms before and after the climacteric.

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Abraham, S; Llewellyn-Jones, D; Perz, J

1994-12-01

The symptoms and perceptions of menopause of 60 Australian women were studied, by questionnaire, when they were premenopausal and 10 years later when they were postmenopausal. Menopausal symptoms expected and experienced by the women were compared, fewer women experiencing hot flushes, headache, depression and nervousness and more experiencing insomnia, increase in appetite, abdominal fullness, numbness and muscular problems. The symptoms women thought were due to hormonal changes at menopause were compared. In 1993 more women cited osteoporosis, insomnia, loss of libido, obesity and loss of muscle tone as due to hormone change while fewer cited depression. The premenstrual symptoms and their severity experienced by a woman when she was premenopausal significantly predicts the type and severity of the menopausal symptoms experienced by the woman. The expected menopausal symptoms and their severity cited by a woman also significantly predicts the type of severity of the menopausal symptoms experienced. More premenstrual symptoms predict the menopausal symptoms than those menopausal symptoms the women expected. The expectation menopause will be 'a relief' or 'a nuisance' significantly predicted the overall menopause experience described by the women. Their negative attitudes about doctors' understanding and information available about menopause remained unchanged but they forget menstrual cycle problems over the 10 years. The results suggest a possible physiological basis for premenstrual and menopausal symptoms. Assistance for women with their premenstrual and menstrual cycle symptoms may improve their quality of life at menopause.

Structural validity of a 16-item abridged version of the Cervantes Health-Related Quality of Life scale for menopause: the Cervantes Short-Form Scale.

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Coronado, Pluvio J; Borrego, Rafael Sánchez; Palacios, Santiago; Ruiz, Miguel A; Rejas, Javier

2015-03-01

The Cervantes Scale is a specific health-related quality of life questionnaire that was originally developed in Spanish to be used in Spain for women through and beyond menopause. It contains 31 items and is time-consuming. The aim of this study was to produce an abridged version with the same dimensional structure and with similar psychometric properties. A representative sample of 516 postmenopausal women (mean [SD] age, 57 [4.31] y) seen in outpatient gynecology clinics and extracted from an observational cross-sectional study was used. Item analysis, internal consistency reliability, item-total and item-dimension correlations, and item correlation with the 12-item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey Version 2.0 were studied. Dimensional and full-model confirmatory factor analyses were used to check structure stability. A threefold cross-validation method was used to obtain stable estimates by means of multigroup analysis. The scale was reduced to a 16-item version, the Cervantes Short-Form Scale, containing four main dimensions (Menopause and Health, Psychological, Sexuality, and Couple Relations), with the first dimension composed of three subdimensions (Vasomotor Symptoms, Health, and Aging). Goodness-of-fit statistics were better than those of the extended version (χ(2)/df = 2.493; adjusted goodness-of-fit index, 0.802; parsimony comparative fit index, 0.749; root mean standard error of approximation, 0.054). Internal consistency was good (Cronbach's α = 0.880). Correlations between the extended and the reduced dimensions were high and significant in all cases (P < 0.001; r values ranged from 0.90 for Sexuality to 0.969 for Vasomotor Symptoms). The Cervantes Scale can be reduced to a 16-item abridged version (Cervantes Short-Form Scale) that maintains the original dimensional structure and psychometric properties. At 51% of the original length, this version can be administered faster, making it especially suitable for routine medical practice.

Breast cancer and menopause: perceptions of diagnosis, menopausal therapies and health behaviors.

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Sayakhot, P; Vincent, A; Teede, H

2012-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the perception and experience of menopause diagnosis and therapies, the information provided and health behaviors in younger women with breast cancer. The questionnaire study was completed by 114 women, aged 40-51 years, with non-metastatic breast cancer. Women were recruited from outpatient clinics and the community. Descriptive statistics were completed. Most women were satisfied with the manner in which they were informed of the breast cancer (69%) and the menopause (59%) diagnoses. Although 80% of women were given breast cancer information, only 54% were given menopause information at diagnosis. Women were least satisfied (26%) with information regarding the long-term complications of menopause. Women perceived exercise (68%) and improving lifestyle (61%) as most effective in alleviating symptoms of menopause. The majority of women reported that they did not understand the risks/benefits of 'bioidentical' hormones (79%) and herbal therapies (78%), while 58% perceived hormone replacement therapies as associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Most women reported weight gain (68%) and osteoporosis (67%) as the most common problems/fears regarding menopause. However, regarding health behaviors, only 56% reported having relevant tests including a blood sugar test or a bone density test. While information needs regarding breast cancer appear well met in younger women, unmet information needs regarding menopause after breast cancer persist. Further education and support are required for these women to optimize health screening and prevention behaviors and to ensure informed decision-making regarding menopause treatment options.

Human immunodeficiency virus and menopause.

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Kanapathipillai, Rupa; Hickey, Martha; Giles, Michelle

2013-09-01

This article aims to review currently available evidence for women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and menopause and to propose clinical management algorithms. Key studies addressing HIV and menopause have been reviewed, specifically age of menopause onset in HIV-infected women, frequency of menopausal symptoms, comorbidities associated with HIV and aging (including cardiovascular disease and bone disease), treatment of menopausal symptoms, and prevention of comorbidities in HIV-infected women. Studies suggest an earlier onset of menopause in HIV-infected women, with increased frequency of symptoms. Cardiovascular disease risk may be increased in this population, with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and chronic inflammation associated with HIV, contributing to increased risk. Chronic inflammation and cART have been independently implicated in bone disease. No published data have assessed the safety and efficacy of hormone therapy in relation to symptoms of menopause, cardiovascular risk, and bone disease among HIV-infected women. Few studies on menopause have been conducted in HIV-infected women compared with HIV-uninfected women. Many questions regarding age of menopause onset, frequency of menopausal symptoms and associated complications such as bone disease and cardiovascular disease, and efficacy of treatment among HIV-infected women remain. The incidence and severity of some of these factors may be increased in the setting of HIV and cART.

Premature menopause or early menopause and risk of ischemic stroke

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Rocca, Walter A.; Grossardt, Brandon R.; Miller, Virginia M.; Shuster, Lynne T.; Brown, Robert D.

2011-01-01

Objective The general consensus has been that estrogen is invariably a risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS). We reviewed new observational studies that challenge this simple conclusion. Methods This was a review of observational studies of the association of premature or early menopause with stroke or IS published in English from 2006 through 2010. Results Three cohort studies showed an increased risk of all stroke in women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy compared with women who conserved their ovaries before age 50 years. The increased risk of stroke was reduced by hormonal therapy (HT) in one of the studies, suggesting that estrogen deprivation is involved in the association. Four additional observational studies showed an association of all stroke or IS with the early onset of menopause or with a shorter lifespan of ovarian activity. In three of the seven studies, the association was restricted to IS. Age at menopause was more important than type of menopause (natural vs induced). Conclusions The findings from seven recent observational studies challenge the consensus that estrogen is invariably a risk factor for IS and can be reconciled by a unifying timing hypothesis. We hypothesize that estrogen is protective for IS before age 50 years and may become a risk factor for IS after age 50 years or, possibly, after age 60 years. These findings are relevant to women who experienced premature or early menopause, or to women considering prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy before the onset of natural menopause. PMID:21993082

Influence of Sleep Disturbances on Quality of Life of Iranian Menopausal Women

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Zohreh Yazdi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Subjective sleep disturbances increase during menopause. Some problems commonly encountered during menopause, such as hot flushes and sweating at night, can cause women to have difficulty in sleeping. These complaints can influence quality of life of menopausal women. Methods. This cross-sectional study was performed on menopausal women attending health centers in Qazvin for periodic assessments. We measured excessive daytime sleepiness by Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA by the Berlin questionnaire, and insomnia by the insomnia severity index (ISI. We evaluate quality of life by the Menopause specific quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL. Results. A total of 380 menopausal women entered the study. Mean age of participated women was 57.6 ± 6.02. Mean duration of menopause was 6.3 ± 4.6. The frequency of severe and moderate insomnia was 8.4% (32 and 11.8% (45. Severe daytime sleepiness (ESS ≥ 10 was present in 27.9% (80 of the participants. Multivariate analytic results show that insomnia and daytime sleepiness have independent negative impact on each domain and total score of MENQOL questionnaire. Conclusion. According to our findings, EDS and insomnia are frequent in menopausal women. Both EDS and insomnia have significant quality of life impairment.

Alternative Menopause Treatments

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... menopausal symptoms. These include estrogen—still the most effective treatment for many menopausal symptoms—non-estrogen prescription drugs, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). What is CAM? CAM refers to practices ...

[Retrospectively experiencing the menopause in Germany and in Papua New Guinea: a comparative report].

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Kowalcek, I; Rotte, D; Painn, K; Schmidt-Müller, A; Diedrich, K

2003-11-01

The objective of this study was to examine the experience of menopause in postmenopausal women from Germany and in postmenopausal women from Papua New Guinea. Experience of menopause were assessed by formation of symptom groups (e. g. hot flushes, cardiac or sleeping trouble, depression, touchiness, drop in performance, vaginal dryness, painful joints or muscles), following the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Apart from the translated English version a questionaire in Pidgin English was offered. Questions about positive and negative experience of menopause and the acceptance of hormonal replacement therapy were included. Statistical analysis was performed both descriptively and for the group analyses the Chi-squared-test and the Mann Whitney's U test. 40 postmenopausal German women and 41 postmenopausal women from Papua New Guinea were asked about their experience of menopause. The German women were 58.7 years old (range from 52 to 62) and had two children on average (range from 0 to 4). 87.7 % had experience of symptoms. In Papua New Guinea mean age was 55.2 years (range from 48 to 70), parity six (range from 2 to 12). 76.9 % had experience of symptoms. There were significant intercultural differences between the experience of depressive mood, general drop of performance, sexual experience and the vaginal dryness and we found no significant intercultural differences between the experiences of hot flushes, cardiac trouble, sleeping trouble, nervousness and urological symptoms. 50 % of the German women take hormonal replacement therapy and nobody of Papua New Guinea. The experience of menopause as seen in the developed countries does not exist in the developing countries. The perception about illness and well-being are formed by culturally produced patterns.

Correlation of Menopausal Symptoms and Quality of Life with Physical Performance in Middle-Aged Women.

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Silva, Rívea Trindade da; Câmara, Saionara Maria Aires da; Moreira, Mayle Andrade; Nascimento, Rafaela Andrade do; Vieira, Mariana Carmem Apolinário; Morais, Maria Socorro Medeiros de; Maciel, Álvaro Campos Cavalcanti

2016-06-01

Introduction Some studies have investigated the influence of hormonal deficits and menopausal status in muscle disorders of women. However, it has not been investigated the relationship of both climacteric symptoms and the perception of quality of life with physical performance. Objective To evaluate the correlation of menopausal symptoms and quality of life with physical performance in middle-aged women. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed from April to November 2013 in the municipality of Parnamirim, in the Brazilian state, Rio Grande do Norte. The sample was composed of 497 women aged 40-65 years. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the Utian Quality of Life (UQOL) questionnaire were used to evaluate menopausal symptoms and quality of life respectively. Measures of physical performance included handgrip strength, knee extensor and flexor strengths (using an isometric dynamometer), gait speed, and chair stand test. The correlation between menopausal symptoms and quality of life with physical performance was assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient with significance set at p correlation between handgrip strength and somatic MRS score (p = 0.002) and total MRS score (p = 0.03). There was a significant correlation between knee flexor strength and sit-to-stand time and all menopausal symptom areas (p correlation between physical performance of the knee flexors and quality of life items including occupational (p = 0.001), emotional (p = 0.005), and total UQOL (p = 0.01), but a negative correlation with sit-to-stand time and all quality of life domains (p < 0.05). Conclusion A greater intensity of menopausal symptoms and worse quality of life were related with worse physical performance. Thus, preventive measures should be implemented to avoid adverse effects on physical performance at more advanced ages. Thieme Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Anthropology and the study of menopause: evolutionary, developmental, and comparative perspectives.

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Sievert, Lynnette Leidy

2014-10-01

This work aims to consider how the discipline of anthropology contributes to the study of menopause through evolutionary, developmental, and comparative perspectives. This study was a review of skeletal and ethnographic evidence for menopause and postreproductive life in humans' distant past, hypotheses for the evolution of menopause and long postreproductive life, variation in age at menopause with focus on childhood environments, and the study of variation in symptom experience across populations. Longevity, rather than capacity for menopause, sets humans apart from other primates. Skeletal evidence demonstrates that some Neanderthals and archaic Homo sapiens lived to the age at menopause and that at least one third of women in traditional foraging populations live beyond menopause. The evolutionary reasons for why women experience a long postreproductive life continue to be debated. A developmental perspective suggests that early childhood may be a critical time for the environment to irreversibly influence the number of oocytes or rate of follicular atresia and, ultimately, age at menopause. A comparative perspective examines symptom experience at midlife through participant observation, qualitative interviews, and quantitative instruments to gain a holistic understanding of the meaning, experience, and sociocultural context of menopause. An evolutionary perspective suggests that menopause is not a recent phenomenon among humans. A developmental perspective focuses on the influence of early childhood on ovarian function. A comparative perspective expands clinical norms and provides knowledge about the range of human variations.

Assessment of sleep quality and correlates in a large cohort of Colombian women around menopause.

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Monterrosa-Castro, Alvaro; Marrugo-Flórez, Martha; Romero-Pérez, Ivette; Fernández-Alonso, Ana M; Chedraui, Peter; Pérez-López, Faustino R

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between self-reported sleep quality, menopausal symptom intensity, and correlates (including ethnicity) among middle-aged women. The present cross-sectional study involved 1,078 Colombian women aged 40 to 59 years who completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and a general questionnaire exploring sociodemographic data. The median [interquartile range] age of the whole sample was 49.0 [9.0] years. Among the participants, 45.4% were postmenopausal, 57.2% had increased body mass index values, 13.9% were black, 20.7% had hypertension, 74.1% had a stable partner, and 3.8% used hormone therapy. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 57.1% (PSQI global score ≥5). Significant correlations between PSQI global scores and MRS total and subscale scores were found. Multiple linear regression analysis found that higher PSQI scores (poorer quality of sleep) correlated with higher MRS psychological and somatic subscale scores (more severe symptoms), smoking habit, and hypertension. Menopause status and black ethnicity were excluded from the final regression model. Despite study limitations, poor sleep quality is highly prevalent in this large middle-aged Colombian female sample and is related to menopausal symptom severity, tobacco use, and presence of hypertension.

Menopause: MedlinePlus Health Topic

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... Spanish What is Menopause? (National Institute on Aging) Topic Image MedlinePlus Email Updates Get Menopause updates by ... test Menopause Types of hormone therapy Related Health Topics Hormone Replacement Therapy Menstruation Premature Ovarian Failure National ...

Treating schizophrenia during menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Brzezinski, Amnon; Brzezinski-Sinai, Noa A; Seeman, Mary V

2017-05-01

The aim of this review is to examine three questions: What are the risks and benefits of treating women with schizophrenia with hormone therapy (HT) at menopause? Should the antipsychotic regimen be changed at menopause? Do early- and late-onset women with schizophrenia respond differently to HT at menopause? MEDLINE databases for the years 1990 to 2016 were searched using the following interactive terms: schizophrenia, gender, menopause, estrogen, and hormones. The selected articles (62 out of 800 abstracts) were chosen on the basis of their applicability to the objectives of this targeted narrative review. HT during the perimenopause in women with schizophrenia ameliorates psychotic and cognitive symptoms, and may also help affective symptoms. Vasomotor, genitourinary, and sleep symptoms are also reduced. Depending on the woman's age and personal risk factors and antipsychotic side effects, the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease may be increased. Antipsychotic types and doses may need to be adjusted at menopause, as may be the mode of administration. Both HT and changes in antipsychotic management should be considered for women with schizophrenia at menopause. The question about differences in response between early- and late-onset women cannot yet be answered.

Herbal Treatment in Menopause

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Cigdem Gun

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The digest has been prepared to review available clinical evidence on herbs used in treatment of menopause symptoms. Effectiveness of Humulus lupulus, Vitex agnus-castus, Dioskorea vilosa, Linum usitatissimum, Pinus pinaster, cruciferous vegetables, Cimicifuga racemosa L., Angelica sinensis, Oenothera biennis L., Hypericum perforatum L., Panax ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, Glycine soja, Trifolium pratense and Piper methysticum herbs were assessed for treatment of menopausal symptoms in the studies. Herbs used as alternative supplementary treatment for menopause symptoms have been found to have a limited effect. Thus more studies are warranted to assess effectiveness of herbal treatments for menopausal symptoms. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2015; 24(4.000: 520-530

Prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms and associated factors across menopause status in Korean women.

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Yim, Gyeyoon; Ahn, Younjhin; Chang, Yoosoo; Ryu, Seungho; Lim, Joong-Yeon; Kang, Danbee; Choi, Eun-Kyung; Ahn, Jiin; Choi, Yuni; Cho, Juhee; Park, Hyun-Young

2015-10-01

The present study investigated the prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms experienced by Korean women aged 44 to 56 years and their associated factors. A cross-sectional study was performed on 2,201 women aged 44 to 56 years in health checkup centers between November 2012 and March 2013. The 29-item Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to assess vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual symptoms related to menopause. The guidelines for the classification of reproductive aging stages proposed at the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop were used. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with severity of menopause symptoms. Among participants, 42.6% were premenopausal, 36.7% were perimenopausal, and 20.7% were postmenopausal. Although physical symptoms were the most severe menopause symptoms experienced by premenopausal and perimenopausal women, postmenopausal women reported sexual symptoms as the most bothersome. The mean scores for each domain increased from the premenopausal period through the postmenopausal period (P for trend menopause symptoms (P menopause than inactive women. Postmenopausal women experience the most severe symptoms. Obesity and physical activity are the main modifiable factors associated with symptom severity. Further studies are needed to examine the effects of physical activity promotion and weight control interventions on preventing menopause symptoms in Korean women.

Discourses on menopause--Part I: Menopause described in texts addressed to Danish women 1996-2004

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvas, Lotte; Gannik, Dorte Effersøe

2008-01-01

To understand Danish women's very different ways of interpreting menopausal experiences and the way they construct meaning relating to menopause, it is necessary to include the context in which meaning is constructed as well as the background of cultural attitudes to menopause existing...... in the Danish society. Using documentary material, the aim of this article was to describe different discourses on menopause in Denmark that present themselves to menopausal women, and to discuss how these discourses may affect women's identity and constitute their scope of action. One hundred and thirty......-two pieces of text under the heading or subject of 'menopause' or 'becoming a middle-aged woman', published from 1996 to 2004, were included. All material was addressed to Danish women, and consisted of booklets and informational material, articles from newspapers and magazines and popular science books...

Human ovarian reserve from conception to the menopause.

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W Hamish B Wallace

Full Text Available The human ovary contains a fixed number of non-growing follicles (NGFs established before birth that decline with increasing age culminating in the menopause at 50-51 years. The objective of this study is to model the age-related population of NGFs in the human ovary from conception to menopause. Data were taken from eight separate quantitative histological studies (n = 325 in which NGF populations at known ages from seven weeks post conception to 51 years (median 32 years were calculated. The data set was fitted to 20 peak function models, with the results ranked by obtained r2 correlation coefficient. The highest ranked model was chosen. Our model matches the log-adjusted NGF population from conception to menopause to a five-parameter asymmetric double Gaussian cumulative (ADC curve (r2 = 0.81. When restricted to ages up to 25 years, the ADC curve has r2 = 0.95. We estimate that for 95% of women by the age of 30 years only 12% of their maximum pre-birth NGF population is present and by the age of 40 years only 3% remains. Furthermore, we found that the rate of NGF recruitment towards maturation for most women increases from birth until approximately age 14 years then decreases towards the menopause. To our knowledge, this is the first model of ovarian reserve from conception to menopause. This model allows us to estimate the number of NGFs present in the ovary at any given age, suggests that 81% of the variance in NGF populations is due to age alone, and shows for the first time, to our knowledge, that the rate of NGF recruitment increases from birth to age 14 years then declines with age until menopause. An increased understanding of the dynamics of human ovarian reserve will provide a more scientific basis for fertility counselling for both healthy women and those who have survived gonadotoxic cancer treatments.

Hubungan Pengetahuan dengan Sikap Ibu Tentang Menopause

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Nopi Anggista Putri

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstrak: Menopause merupakan fase dalam kehidupan seorang wanita yang ditandai dengan berhentinya masa subur. Menopause diikuti dengan gejala yang sering timbul pada tiga hingga sepuluh tahun sebelum datangnya menopause dengan berbagai keluhan, baik keluhan fisik maupun psikologis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan pengetahuan dengan sikap ibu tentang menopause di Desa Tambahrejo Kecamatan Gadingrejo Kabupaten Pringsewu. Desain penelitian ini adalah penelitian survey analitik. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh ibu menopause yang ada di Desa Tambahrejo yang berjumlah 148 orang, dengan sampel berjumlah 60 orang. Analisis data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan analisis uji chi-square. Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah Ada hubungan yang bermakna antara pengetahuan dengan sikap ibu tentang menopause. Kata Kunci: pengetahuan, sikap, menopause   CORRELATION BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE WITH THE ATTITUDE OF MOTHER ABOUT MENOPAUSE Abstract: Menopause is a phase in the life a woman that is marked with the stopping the fertile. Menopause is followed by symptoms that often arise on three up to ten years before the arrival of menopause with a variety complaints, either physical or psychological complaints. This research aims to know the relationship of knowledge with the attitude of mothers about menopause in the village of Tambahrejo sub-district og Gadingrejo Regency Pringsewu. Design research is survey analytical research. The population in this research is the mother of menopause in the village Tambahrejo totalled 148 people with a sample 60 people. Data analysis inthis study uses chi-square formula. Conclusion this study is there is a meaningful relationship between maternal attitudes kowledge about menopause. Keyword: knowledge, attitude, menopause

Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in menopausal arab women

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in menopausal arab women: Shedding ... and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21. ... and which had negative effects on the quality of life among Arabian women.

Physical activity, evaluation of menopause, life satisfaction and influence tactics in marriage of perimenopausal women

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Eugenia Mandal

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background Domination of the biomedical approach to menopause may imply creation of negative attitudes to the phenomenon, and at the same time negatively affect women’s life satisfaction and behaviour in the family. It is assumed that physical activity may be a defensive factor, as this type of activity may reduce the intensity of menopause symptoms. The aim of the research was to determine the relation between menopause evaluation, life satisfaction and tactics of influence employed in marriage by women who differ in involvement in physical exercise. Participants and procedure The research was conducted among 90 women, at the age of 45-55: 45 physically active women and 45 women who do not engage in any physical activity. The following research methods were used: the Menopause Evaluation Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS and the Questionnaire of Influence in Close Relations of Women and Men. Results Positive evaluation of menopause was related to involvement in physical exercise as well as to a stronger tendency to use positive strategies of exerting influence on one’s spouse. The research also showed a slight correlation between life satisfaction and involvement in physical exercise. Negative evaluation of menopause was related to avoiding physical activity. Conclusions Physical activity is more frequently related to a positive attitude towards menopause and the use of more positive tactics of exerting influence on one’s spouse, and slightly positively conducive to one’s life satisfaction level.

The influence of selected socio-demographic variables on symptoms occurring during the menopause

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Marta Makara-Studzińska

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: It is considered that the lifestyle conditioned by socio-demographic or socio-economic factors determines the health condition of people to the greatest extent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of selected socio-demographic factors on the kinds of symptoms occurring during menopause. Material and methods : The study group consisted of 210 women aged 45 to 65, not using hormone replacement therapy, staying at healthcare centers for rehabilitation treatment. The study was carried out in 2013-2014 in the Silesian, Podlaskie and Lesser Poland voivodeships. The set of tools consisted of the authors’ own survey questionnaire and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS. Results : The most commonly occurring symptom in the group of studied women was a depressive mood, from the group of psychological symptoms, followed by physical and mental fatigue, and discomfort connected with muscle and joint pain. The greatest intensity of symptoms was observed in the group of women with the lowest level of education, reporting an average or bad material situation, and unemployed women. Conclusions : An alarmingly high number of reported psychological symptoms in the group of menopausal women was observed, and in particular among the group of low socio-economic status. Career seems to be a factor reducing the risk of occurrence of psychological symptoms. There is an urgent need for health promotion and prophylaxis in the group of menopausal women, and in many cases for implementation of specialist psychological assistance.

Efficacy of electroacupuncture for symptoms of menopausal transition: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

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Liu, Zhishun; Wang, Yang; Xu, Huanfang; Wu, Jiani; He, Liyun; Jiang, John Yi; Yan, Shiyan; Du, Ruosang; Liu, Baoyan

2014-06-21

Previous studies have shown that acupuncture can alleviate postmenopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, but few studies have assessed symptoms during the menopausal transition (MT) period. Thus, the effect of acupuncture upon MT symptoms is unclear. We designed a large-scale trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of electroacupuncture for MT symptoms compared with sham electroacupuncture and at observing the safety of electroacupuncture. In this multicenter randomized controlled trial, 360 women will be randomized to either an electroacupuncture group or a sham electroacupuncture group. During the 8-week-long treatment, a menopause rating scale, average 24-hour hot flash score, Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire score, and level of female hormones will be observed. Follow-ups at the 20th and 32nd week will be made. Though there is no completely inert placebo acupuncture and blinding is difficult in acupuncture trials, the placebo effect of EA can still be partially excluded in this study. For the placebo control, we use non-points and a tailor-made sham needle. This needle is different from a retractable needle, which is usually used for sham acupuncture. The needle in this trial is more simply constructed and more acceptable to Chinese people. We expect to evaluate the efficacy of electroacupuncture for MT symptoms and clarify its effect on these symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01849172 (Date of registration: 05/05/2013).

Comparison of myocardial function between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women: evaluation by gated myocardial SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, K. H.; Choa, Won Sick; Yoon, Min Ki

2005-01-01

In addition to inhibiting coronary atherosclerosis, estrogen is expected to have protective effects on cardiac myocytes. We investigated the difference in myocardial functional parameters evaluated by gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal healthy women. This study included 22 healthy post-menopausal women (mean age: 53.0 yr) and 20 pre-menopausal women (mean age: 43.0 yr) who performed Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress. Measured hemodynamic parameters, EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, cardiac output and cardiac index were compared between the two groups. For comparison, similar-aged two male groups with matched numbers were also studied. There was no significant difference in hemodynamic parameters. EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, or cardiac output between the post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women. However, post-menopausal women have a smaller cardiac index (mean: 1.95 L/min/m2 vs 2.20 L/min/m2; p=0.045) and adenosine-induced HR increase (mean : 80.5/min vs 89.7/min ; p=0.03), compared to the pre-menopausal women. On the contrary, the two male groups of the same age range and numbers with the women groups showed no significant difference in any myocardial parameters. These results suggest that menopause may be correlated with reduced increase in cardiac index and HR increase after adenosine-stress

Comparison of myocardial function between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women: evaluation by gated myocardial SPECT

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Hwang, K. H.; Choa, Won Sick; Yoon, Min Ki [Gachon Medical School, Gil Hospital, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

In addition to inhibiting coronary atherosclerosis, estrogen is expected to have protective effects on cardiac myocytes. We investigated the difference in myocardial functional parameters evaluated by gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal healthy women. This study included 22 healthy post-menopausal women (mean age: 53.0 yr) and 20 pre-menopausal women (mean age: 43.0 yr) who performed Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress. Measured hemodynamic parameters, EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, cardiac output and cardiac index were compared between the two groups. For comparison, similar-aged two male groups with matched numbers were also studied. There was no significant difference in hemodynamic parameters. EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, or cardiac output between the post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women. However, post-menopausal women have a smaller cardiac index (mean: 1.95 L/min/m2 vs 2.20 L/min/m2; p=0.045) and adenosine-induced HR increase (mean : 80.5/min vs 89.7/min ; p=0.03), compared to the pre-menopausal women. On the contrary, the two male groups of the same age range and numbers with the women groups showed no significant difference in any myocardial parameters. These results suggest that menopause may be correlated with reduced increase in cardiac index and HR increase after adenosine-stress.

Menopause and big data: Word Adjacency Graph modeling of menopause-related ChaCha data.

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Carpenter, Janet S; Groves, Doyle; Chen, Chen X; Otte, Julie L; Miller, Wendy R

2017-07-01

To detect and visualize salient queries about menopause using Big Data from ChaCha. We used Word Adjacency Graph (WAG) modeling to detect clusters and visualize the range of menopause-related topics and their mutual proximity. The subset of relevant queries was fully modeled. We split each query into token words (ie, meaningful words and phrases) and removed stopwords (ie, not meaningful functional words). The remaining words were considered in sequence to build summary tables of words and two and three-word phrases. Phrases occurring at least 10 times were used to build a network graph model that was iteratively refined by observing and removing clusters of unrelated content. We identified two menopause-related subsets of queries by searching for questions containing menopause and menopause-related terms (eg, climacteric, hot flashes, night sweats, hormone replacement). The first contained 263,363 queries from individuals aged 13 and older and the second contained 5,892 queries from women aged 40 to 62 years. In the first set, we identified 12 topic clusters: 6 relevant to menopause and 6 less relevant. In the second set, we identified 15 topic clusters: 11 relevant to menopause and 4 less relevant. Queries about hormones were pervasive within both WAG models. Many of the queries reflected low literacy levels and/or feelings of embarrassment. We modeled menopause-related queries posed by ChaCha users between 2009 and 2012. ChaCha data may be used on its own or in combination with other Big Data sources to identify patient-driven educational needs and create patient-centered interventions.

Menopause accelerates biological aging

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Levine, Morgan E.; Lu, Ake T.; Chen, Brian H.; Hernandez, Dena G.; Singleton, Andrew B.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Bandinelli, Stefania; Salfati, Elias; Manson, JoAnn E.; Quach, Austin; Kusters, Cynthia D. J.; Kuh, Diana; Wong, Andrew; Teschendorff, Andrew E.; Widschwendter, Martin; Ritz, Beate R.; Absher, Devin; Assimes, Themistocles L.; Horvath, Steve

2016-01-01

Although epigenetic processes have been linked to aging and disease in other systems, it is not yet known whether they relate to reproductive aging. Recently, we developed a highly accurate epigenetic biomarker of age (known as the “epigenetic clock”), which is based on DNA methylation levels. Here we carry out an epigenetic clock analysis of blood, saliva, and buccal epithelium using data from four large studies: the Women's Health Initiative (n = 1,864); Invecchiare nel Chianti (n = 200); Parkinson's disease, Environment, and Genes (n = 256); and the United Kingdom Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (n = 790). We find that increased epigenetic age acceleration in blood is significantly associated with earlier menopause (P = 0.00091), bilateral oophorectomy (P = 0.0018), and a longer time since menopause (P = 0.017). Conversely, epigenetic age acceleration in buccal epithelium and saliva do not relate to age at menopause; however, a higher epigenetic age in saliva is exhibited in women who undergo bilateral oophorectomy (P = 0.0079), while a lower epigenetic age in buccal epithelium was found for women who underwent menopausal hormone therapy (P = 0.00078). Using genetic data, we find evidence of coheritability between age at menopause and epigenetic age acceleration in blood. Using Mendelian randomization analysis, we find that two SNPs that are highly associated with age at menopause exhibit a significant association with epigenetic age acceleration. Overall, our Mendelian randomization approach and other lines of evidence suggest that menopause accelerates epigenetic aging of blood, but mechanistic studies will be needed to dissect cause-and-effect relationships further. PMID:27457926

Hubungan Penggunaan Kontrasepsi Pil dengan Usia Menopause

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Fitriyani Fitriyani

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Menopause merupakan menstruasi yang berhenti secara permanen yang disebabkan kehilangan fungsi folikel sel-sel telur. Wanita yang memasuki menopause mengalami penurunan hormon estrogen yang mengganggu aktivitas sehari-hari, bahkan menurunkan kualitas hidup. Penggunaan kontrasepsi pil berhubungan dengan penundaan usia dan keluhan menopause. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui hubungan antara penggunaan kontrasepsi pil terhadap usia menopause. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain potong lintang. Populasi adalah wanita menopause di Pos Pembinaan Terpadu (Posbindu Kota Depok. Sampel pada penelitian adalah wanita menopause yang berusia 45 - 60 tahun. Teknik pengambilan sampel secara purposive sampling subjek dengan besar sampel 407 orang. Analisis multivariat pada penelitian ini menggunakan cox proportional hazard model. Hasil analisis multivariat menunjukkan tidak ada hubungan antara lama penggunaan kontrasepsi pil terhadap usia menopause baik sebelum maupun sesudah dikontrol variabel kovariat, yaitu tingkat pendidikan. Namun demikian, masih diperlukan penelitian lain dengan menggunakan desain penelitian kohort prospektif untuk dapat melihat hubungan temporal antara lama penggunaan kontrasepsi pil terhadap usia menopause. Menopause is marked with the permanent cessation of menstruation due to the loss of follicles. Earlier menopause will be likely to increase the risk factors relating to declined estrogen level, such as osteoporosis that can lead to early death. Awoman entering menopause period often experiences declined estrogen hormone that causes her to have complaints or disturbances that hinder her daily activities and even reduce her quality of life. However, the use of oral contraceptive poses a correlation with the postponing of menopause age and complaints. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relation of oral contraceptive use and age at menopause. This was an observational study with cross-sectional study design. Population in

Black women in menopausal transition.

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Im, Eun-Ok; Lee, Seung Hee; Chee, Wonshik

2010-01-01

To describe the experience of menopausal symptoms of midlife Black women in the United States. Qualitative online forum using a feminist perspective. Internet communities for midlife women and Blacks. Twenty midlife Black women recruited using a quota sampling method. A 6-month online forum was conducted with seven discussion topics on menopausal symptoms. The discussion topics were posted sequentially on the forum site, and the women posted messages at their convenience over 6 months. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The identified themes were raised to be strong, accepting a natural aging process, silent and without knowledge, and our own experience. The women tried to be strong during their menopausal transitions while dealing with other important family matters. The women did not report their menopausal symptoms and were silent about or downplayed their symptoms, but many emphasized the importance of education about menopausal symptoms and highlighted their own lack of knowledge. These women generally did not talk about their symptoms because they believed that nobody except other Black midlife women could understand their menopausal experience. Health care providers need to develop a mechanism to deliver the necessary knowledge about menopausal symptoms and management strategies to Black midlife women in their health care practices.

Age at menopause and menopause-related symptoms in human immunodeficiency virus-infected Thai women.

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Boonyanurak, Pongrak; Bunupuradah, Torsak; Wilawan, Kittisak; Lueanyod, Aksorn; Thongpaeng, Parawee; Chatvong, Duangjai; Sophonphan, Jiratchaya; Saeloo, Siriporn; Ananworanich, Jintanat; Chaithongwongwatthana, Surasith

2012-07-01

There are limited data for age at menopause (AM) and menopause-related symptoms in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected Asian women. We investigated AM and menopause-related symptoms in HIV-infected Thai women. HIV-infected Thai women 40 years or older who did not receive any hormone therapy in the 8-week period preceding the study were enrolled. Participants completed the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life survey for their symptoms in the past 30 days. Menopause was defined as having the last menstrual period more than 1 year ago. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with menopause. Two hundred sixty-eight HIV-infected women were enrolled; their median age was 44.6 (41.8-48.7) years, and the ratio of their Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical classifications (A:B:C) was 53%:34%:13%; 95% were using highly active antiretroviral therapy. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) CD4 count was 575 (437-758) cells/μL, and 93% had HIV-RNA of less than 1.7log10 copies/mL. Among the 55 women who had reached menopause, the mean (SD) AM was 47.3 (5.1) years. The mean (SD) AM in our study was earlier than the previous report of 49.5 (3.6) years in non-HIV-infected Thai women (difference, -2.2 y; 95% CI, -3.2 to -1.2, P menopause were Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical classification B or C (hazard ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-3.03, P = 0.04), and no sexual act in the past month (hazard ratio, 4.9; 95% CI, 1.5-16.0, P = 0.01). No associations of later age of menarche, parity, marital status, educational level, income, body mass index, CD4 count, and HIV-RNA with menopause were found. AM in HIV-infected Thai women was 47.3 years, which is significantly earlier than the findings of a previous AM report on non-HIV-infected women. Postmenopausal HIV-infected women had more vasomotor and sexual symptoms. More studies are needed to investigate the cause and appropriate interventions for

Sexual Health and Menopause

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... pass through menopause and discover its effects on sexuality. And that’s something we can all be grateful for, since our understanding of how menopause and aging affect sexual health has grown a lot in ...

Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause

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... Patients About ACOG Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause Home For Patients Search FAQs Perimenopausal Bleeding and ... 2011 PDF Format Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause Gynecologic Problems What are menopause and perimenopause? What ...

Severe menopausal symptoms in mid-aged Latin American women can be related to their indigenous ethnic component.

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Ojeda, E; Monterrosa, A; Blümel, J E; Escobar-López, J; Chedraui, P

2011-02-01

Latin American women present more severe menopausal symptoms when compared to those from other regions of the world. Since this population is an ethnic blend of Caucasian and indigenous people, we sought to test the hypothesis that severe menopausal symptoms in Latin American women are associated with an indigenous origin. To assess menopausal symptoms among two specific indigenous Latin American populations. A total of 573 natural postmenopausal indigenous women aged 45-59 years (288 Quechua (Peru) and 285 Zenú (Colombia)) living in isolated communities were surveyed with a general questionnaire and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). The total MRS score was significantly higher among Quechua women as compared to Zenú ones (22.7 ± 5.7 vs. 14.7 ± 2.5, p Quechua women presented more intense somatic and psychological symptoms as compared to Zenú (8.8 ± 2.3 vs. 5.3 ± 1.8; and 7.8 ± 2.4 vs. 3.2 ± 1.7, p Quechua. This was not the case for Zenú women. More than 90% of indigenous women (Quechua and Zenú) at all age intervals presented severe urogenital scores, a percentage that is much higher than that described in the world literature. Severe menopausal symptoms found among Latin American women could be the result of their indigenous ethnic origin; the urogenital domain is the most affected.

Safety of veralipride for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms of menopause.

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Valencia, Marcelino Hernández; Arias, María de Jesús Vega; González, Cuauhtémoc Celis; Marín, Imelda Hernández; González, Juan Humberto Martín; Campos, Enrique Rafael Morcate; Rodríguez, María Antonia Basavilvazo; Álvarez, Ignacio Morales; Vargas, María Antonia Valdés; Flores, José Braulio Everardo Otero; Haro, Samuel Santoyo; Bonilla, Manuel Cortes; Escudero, Roberto Bernardo; Campero, Rosalba Alonso

2014-05-01

Veralipride is a nonhormonal option for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms of menopause. Incidence of adverse events in a Mexican population and drug compliance according to correct use were evaluated. We carried out a longitudinal, prospective, and analytical study in Mexican women who received veralipride to treat symptoms of menopause from 2011 to 2012. There were 386 treatment cycles; 272 were assigned to dosing schedule 1, which included 20 days of treatment with 10 days of suspension, and 114 were assigned to dosing schedule 2, which included 5 days of treatment and 2 days of suspension. A total of 57 adverse events were registered during the 386-month treatment. For the 20 × 10 dosing schedule, the highest incidence was observed for anxiety (2.2%), drowsiness, and weakness (1.5%); for the 5 × 2 dosing schedule, the highest incidence was observed for drowsiness (5.3%) and headache (2.6%). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to assess the presence and severity of depression; improvement was noted. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale was used to assess neurological movement disorders; no adverse neurological events were detected. Based on the assessments of both women and physicians, the highest frequency was observed for "very satisfied" (45.5% and 52.3%, respectively), followed by "satisfied" (23.9% and 27.3%, respectively). Both dosing schedules show acceptable safety profiles for up to 6 months of use when used according to the contraindications in the current prescribing information for standard use (2012) and recent medical literature.

Menopause and Bone Loss

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Fact Sheet & Menopause Bone Loss How are bone loss and menopause related? Throughout life your body keeps a balance between the ... lose bone faster than it can be replaced. Menopause—the time when menstrual periods end, which usually ...

Menopause: developing a rational treatment plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitiello, Danielle; Naftolin, Frederick; Naftoilin, Frederick; Taylor, Hugh S

2007-12-01

In recent years, growing importance has been afforded to assisting women in coping with the menopausal transition. Menopause is a normal stage of development and a woman's attitude toward this transition embodies biological, psychological and social influences. An enlarging body of conflicting data concerning menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) demands reassessment of established paradigms of disease prevention and menopausal health. Currently, a woman's decision to participate in or abstain from menopausal HT is personal. It involves not only consideration of risk stratification of potential harm and benefit, but also involves her expectations and attitudes toward perceived physical and emotional changes associated with this change. Through the use of extensive patient history, quality-of-life questionnaires and powerful biological profiling, we may be able to develop a rational approach to menopausal HT that safely guides our patients through this transition.

Patient Satisfaction with Physician Discussions of Treatment Impact on Fertility, Menopause and Sexual Health among Pre-menopausal Women with Cancer

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Maura Scanlon, Anne Blaes, Melissa Geller, Navneet S Majhail, Bruce Lindgren, Tufia Haddad

2012-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Pre-menopausal women with cancer are at risk of therapy-associated infertility, premature menopause, and sexual dysfunction. However, it is unknown whether oncologists adequately address these risks during treatment planning. We conducted a study to evaluate physician-patient discussions addressing the impact of cancer treatment and actual treatment effects on fertility, menopause status, and general sexual health.METHODS: A questionnaire was administered in four oncology clinics specializing in breast, gynecologic, general hematology-oncology, and blood and marrow transplantation (BMT cancer care at a single institution. Eligible participants were pre-menopausal at the time of diagnosis and either actively receiving or within 24 months from completion of treatment. Participants completed the questionnaire at enrollment and at 1-year follow-up.RESULTS: Of the 104 eligible women, a majority were satisfied with the quality (68% and length (66% of reproductive health discussions, with the highest satisfaction levels in the gynecologic cancer clinic (85% and the lowest levels in the BMT clinic (53%. Fertility preservation was desired by 20% of women, including some >40 years old. Women were more interested in discussing treatment impact on menopause status and sexual health than fertility. Rates of discussions on treatment impact on sexual health were low despite 77% of women reporting severe sexual dysfunction at 1-year follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: One-third of women are dissatisfied with the quality and length of discussions regarding the impact of cancer treatment on reproductive health. There is notably inadequate counseling on the effect of treatment on fertility in women > 40 and on sexual function in all women. Oncologists must offer better resources and improve communication on the effect of treatment on reproductive health to pre-menopausal women with cancer.

Age at menopause and determinants of hysterectomy and menopause in a multi-ethnic community: the Hilo Women's Health Study.

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Sievert, Lynnette Leidy; Murphy, Lorna; Morrison, Lynn A; Reza, Angela M; Brown, Daniel E

2013-12-01

A lifespan approach was used to evaluate age at menopause, and determinants of surgical and natural menopause, in the multi-ethnic community of Hilo, Hawaii. Participants aged 40-60 years (n=898) were drawn from a larger, randomly generated sample recruited by postal questionnaires. Median age at natural menopause was computed by probit analysis. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine determinants of hysterectomy, and Cox regression analysis was used to examine risk factors for an earlier age at menopause. History of hysterectomy, age at menopause. Frequency of hysterectomy was 19.2% at a mean age of 40.5 years. The likelihood of hysterectomy increased with older ages, lower education, mixed ancestry, having been overweight at age 30, and married 20 years prior to survey. Median age at natural menopause was 53.0 years. Smoking and not being married 10 years before survey were associated with an earlier age at menopause. Median age at menopause was later than the national average. Ethnicity and education were determinants of hysterectomy, but not associated with age at natural menopause. Events later in the lifespan (e.g., smoking and not being married 10 years prior to the survey) were more important than earlier events (e.g., childhood residence) in relation to age at menopause. The timing of weight gain and marital status appear to be important in relation to surgical menopause, and the timing of marital status appears to be important in relation to the timing of natural menopause. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of menopause in women with breast cancer.

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Vincent, A J

2015-10-01

Increasing breast cancer incidence and decreasing mortality have highlighted the importance of survivorship issues related to breast cancer. A consideration of the issues related to menopause is therefore of great importance to both women and clinicians. Menopause/menopausal symptoms, with significant negative effects on quality of life and potential long-term health impacts, may in women with breast cancer be associated with: (1) natural menopause occurring concurrently with a breast cancer diagnosis; (2) recurrence of menopausal symptoms following cessation of hormone replacement therapy; (3) treatment-induced menopause (chemotherapy, ovarian ablation/suppression) and adjuvant endocrine therapy. A variety of non-hormonal pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies have been investigated as therapeutic options for menopausal symptoms with mixed results, and ongoing research is required. This review presents a summary of the causes, common problematic symptoms of menopause (vasomotor, genitourinary and sexual dysfunction), and longer-term consequences (cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis) related to menopause. It proposes an evidenced-based multidisciplinary approach to the management of menopause/menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer.

Diabetes and Menopause: A Twin Challenge

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Diabetes and menopause: A twin challenge Diabetes and menopause may team up for varied effects on your body. Here's what to ... to stay in control. By Mayo Clinic Staff Menopause — and the years leading up to it — may ...

Reducing depression during the menopausal transition with health coaching: Results from the healthy menopausal transition randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Osvaldo P; Marsh, Kylie; Murray, Karen; Hickey, Martha; Sim, Moira; Ford, Andrew; Flicker, Leon

2016-10-01

To determine if health coaching (HC) decreases the incidence of depression, reduces the severity of symptoms, and increases quality of life during the menopausal transition (MT). Parallel, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial of 6 sessions of phone-delivered HC compared with usual care. Participants were 351 community-dwelling women free of major depression going through the MT, of whom 180 were assigned the intervention and 171 usual care. The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of clinically significant depressive symptoms over 52 weeks. Other study measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, quality of life (SF-12), the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), diet, body mass index, alcohol use, smoking and physical activity. We considered that women with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores between 5 and 14 (inclusive) had sub-threshold depressive symptoms. Nine women developed clinically significant symptoms of depression during the study-2 had been assigned HC (odds ratio, OR=0.26, 95%CI=0.05, 1.29; p=0.099). Intention-to-treat showed that, compared with usual care, the intervention led to a greater decline in depressive scores, most markedly for participants with sub-threshold depressive symptoms. Similar, but less pronounced, benefits were noticed for anxiety scores and the mental component summary of the SF-12. The intervention led to a decline in MRS scores by week 26 and subtle improvements in body mass, consumption of vegetables and smoking. HC addressing relevant risk factors for depression during the MT improves mental health measures. Our findings indicate that women with sub-threshold depressive symptoms may benefit the most from such interventions, and suggest that HC could play a useful role in minimizing mental health disturbance for women going through the MT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Is it menopause or bipolar?": a qualitative study of the experience of menopause for women with bipolar disorder.

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Perich, Tania; Ussher, Jane; Parton, Chloe

2017-11-16

Menopause can be a time of change for women and may be marked by disturbances in mood. For women living with a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, little is known about how they experience mood changes during menopause. This study aimed to explore how women with bipolar disorder constructed mood changes during menopause and how this impacted on treatment decisions. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with fifteen women who reported they had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Data was analysed using thematic analysis guided by a social constructionist framework. Themes identified included 'Constructions of mood change: menopause or bipolar disorder?',' Life events, bipolar disorder and menopause coming together'; 'Treatment choices for mood change during menopause'. The accounts suggested that women related to the experience of mood changes during menopause through the lens of their existing framework of bipolar disorder, with implications for understanding of self and treatment choices.

Yoga and menopausal transition.

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Vaze, Nirmala; Joshi, Sulabha

2010-07-01

With increased life expectancy, today, women spend one-third of their life after menopause. Thus more attention is needed towards peri- and post-menopausal symptoms. Estrogen replacement therapy is the most effective treatment, however, it has its own limitations. The present need is to explore new options for the management of menopausal symptoms. Yogic life style is a way of living which aims to improve the body, mind and day to day life of individuals. The most commonly performed Yoga practices are postures (asana), controlled breathing (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana). Yoga has been utilized as a therapeutic tool to achieve positive health and control and cure diseases. The exact mechanism as to how Yoga helps in various disease states is not known. There could be neuro-hormonal pathways with a selective effect in each pathological situation. There have been multiple studies that have combined the many aspects of Yoga into a general Yoga session in order to investigate its effects on menopausal symptoms. Integrated approach of Yoga therapy can improve hot flushes and night sweats. There is increasing evidence suggesting that even the short-term practice of Yoga can decrease both psychological and physiological risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies conclude that our age old therapy, Yoga, is fairly effective in managing menopausal symptoms.

Knowledge and attitude of older women towards menopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazhar, S.B.; Gul-e-Erum

2003-01-01

Objective: To determine the knowledge and attitude towards menopause among postmenopausal women seeking gynecological treatment. Results: The mean age of respondents was 54.4 years. Fifty-two (74.3%) women knew about menopause, 39 (55.7%) were aware of symptomatology while only 7(10%) knew sequelae of menopause. Fifty-three (75.5%) women were satisfied with cessation of menstruation and only 17 (24.3%) desired to continue menstruation. Twenty-four (34.3%) respondents were unhappy with their menopausal status. Thirty-two (45.7%) women were content with their present sexual relations, 18 (25.7%) were dissatisfied and 20 (28.6%) had no sexual activity. Fifty-two (74.3%) women felt a need for health education on menopause in educational institutions. Thirty-three (47.1%) considered treatment of menopause necessary. Four (5.7%) were aware of any treatment of menopause and 55 (78.6%) desired to learn more about menopause. Conclusion: Women have different views about menopause, few see it as a medical condition requiring treatment, whereas majority consider it is a natural transition. There was breath of knowledge regarding significance of menopause. (author)

Measuring bothersome menopausal symptoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Kamma Sundgaard; Siersma, Volkert Dirk; Christensen, Karl Bang

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: The experience of menopausal symptoms is common and an adequate patient-reported outcome measure is crucial in studies where women are treated for these symptoms. The aims of this study were to identify a patient-reported outcome measure for bothersome menopausal symptoms and, in the ...

Current smoking at menopause rather than duration determines the onset of natural menopause

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Asselt, Kristel M.; Kok, Helen S.; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.; Grobbee, Diederick E.; te Velde, Egbert R.; Pearson, Peter L.; Peeters, Petra H. M.

2004-01-01

Background: Smoking has frequently been associated with early menopause. However, studies of this association have been inconclusive with regard to duration and intensity of smoking. A major problem in analyzing the effect of smoking duration on menopausal age is that both exposure and outcome are

Menopause-related brain activation patterns during visual sexual arousal in menopausal women: An fMRI pilot study using time-course analysis.

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Kim, Gwang-Won; Jeong, Gwang-Woo

2017-02-20

The aging process and menopausal transition are important factors in sexual dysfunction of menopausal women. No neuroimaging study has assessed the age- and menopause-related changes on brain activation areas associated with sexual arousal in menopausal women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the time course of regional brain activity associated with sexual arousal evoked by visual stimulation in premenopausal and menopausal women, and further to assess the effect of menopause on the brain areas associated with sexual arousal in menopausal women using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirty volunteers consisting of 15 premenopausal and 15 menopausal women underwent the fMRI. For the activation condition, volunteers viewed sexually arousing visual stimulation. The brain areas with significantly higher activation in premenopausal women compared with menopausal women included the thalamus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) using analysis of covariance adjusting for age (psexual arousal. These findings might help elucidate the neural mechanisms associated with sexual dysfunction in menopausal women. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age at menopause and determinants of hysterectomy and menopause in a multi-ethnic community: The Hilo Women’s Health Study

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Sievert, Lynnette Leidy; Murphy, Lorna; Morrison, Lynn; Reza, Angela; Brown, Daniel E.

2013-01-01

Objectives A lifespan approach was used to evaluate age at menopause, and determinants of surgical and natural menopause, in the multi-ethnic community of Hilo, Hawaii. Study design Participants aged 40–60 years (n=898) were drawn from a larger, randomly-generated sample recruited by postal questionnaires. Median age at natural menopause was computed by probit analysis. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine determinants of hysterectomy, and Cox regression analysis was used to examine risk factors for an earlier age at menopause. Main outcome measures History of hysterectomy, Age at menopause Results Frequency of hysterectomy was 19.2% at a mean age of 40.5 years. The likelihood of hysterectomy increased with older ages, lower education, mixed ancestry, having been overweight at age 30, and married 20 years prior to survey. Median age at natural menopause was 53.0 years. Smoking and not being married 10 years before survey were associated with an earlier age at menopause. Conclusions Median age at menopause was later than the national average. Ethnicity and education were determinants of hysterectomy, but not associated with age at natural menopause. Events later in the lifespan (e.g., smoking and not being married 10 years prior to the survey) were more important than earlier events (e.g., childhood residence) in relation to age at menopause. The timing of weight gain and marital status appear to be important in relation to surgical menopause, and the timing of marital status appears to be important in relation to the timing of natural menopause. PMID:24054435

Menopause and menopausal hormone therapy in women: cardiovascular benefits and risks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Svatikova

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The last decade has brought many challenges and uncertainties regarding the use of menopausal hormone therapy in women. Two early key studies, the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS and the Women's Health Initiative (WHI failed to prove beneficial effects of exogenous estrogen, and estrogen combined with progestin, in cardiovascular prevention. More recent studies, however, introduced the concept of a possible “window-of-opportunity” for hormonal therapy, in which menopausal hormone therapy is used early after the onset of menopause, and may lead to more favorable, cardio-protective outcomes. Despite the increasing wealth of clinical data, menopausal hormone therapy is not currently recommended for primary or secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in women. Further research is needed to understand the risk-benefit balance of menopausal hormone therapy. Resumen: La última década ha traído muchos retos e incertidumbres respecto al uso de la terapia hormonal en la menopausia en mujeres. Dos estudios tempranos clave, el Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS [Estudio del Corazón y Reemplazo de Estrógeno/Progestina] y la Womeńs Health Initiative (WHI [Iniciativa de Salud de la Mujer] no pudieron demostrar los efectos benéficos del estrógeno exógeno y el estrógeno combinado con la progestina, en la prevención cardiovascular. Sin embargo, estudios más recientes han introducido el concepto de una posible “ventana de oportunidad” para la terapia hormonal, en donde la terapia hormonal en la menopausia se emplea tempranamente luego del inicio de la menopausia, y que puede llevar a resultados más favorables y cardioprotectores. A pesar de la creciente riqueza en datos clínicos, en la actualidad no se recomienda la terapia hormonal en la menopausia para la prevención primaria o secundaria de la enfermedad coronaria en mujeres. Se requiere m

Age at menopause: imputing age at menopause for women with a hysterectomy with application to risk of postmenopausal breast cancer

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Rosner, Bernard; Colditz, Graham A.

2011-01-01

Purpose Age at menopause, a major marker in the reproductive life, may bias results for evaluation of breast cancer risk after menopause. Methods We follow 38,948 premenopausal women in 1980 and identify 2,586 who reported hysterectomy without bilateral oophorectomy, and 31,626 who reported natural menopause during 22 years of follow-up. We evaluate risk factors for natural menopause, impute age at natural menopause for women reporting hysterectomy without bilateral oophorectomy and estimate the hazard of reaching natural menopause in the next 2 years. We apply this imputed age at menopause to both increase sample size and to evaluate the relation between postmenopausal exposures and risk of breast cancer. Results Age, cigarette smoking, age at menarche, pregnancy history, body mass index, history of benign breast disease, and history of breast cancer were each significantly related to age at natural menopause; duration of oral contraceptive use and family history of breast cancer were not. The imputation increased sample size substantially and although some risk factors after menopause were weaker in the expanded model (height, and alcohol use), use of hormone therapy is less biased. Conclusions Imputing age at menopause increases sample size, broadens generalizability making it applicable to women with hysterectomy, and reduces bias. PMID:21441037

Clinicopathological Spectrum of Endometrial Changes in Peri-menopausal and Post-menopausal Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A 2 Years Study.

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Damle, Rajshri P; Dravid, N V; Suryawanshi, Kishor H; Gadre, Arundhati S; Bagale, Priya S; Ahire, Neelam

2013-12-01

Abnormal uterine bleeding is the Common presenting complaint in Gynaecology Outpatient Department in all age groups. It is due to the anovulatory cycles which are commonly seen in adolescent and peri-menopausal women. Abnormal uterine bleeding is caused by wide variety of organic or non-organic causes. Histopathological examination of endometrial sample remains the gold standard for diagnosis of endometrial pathology. To study the clinicopathological spectrum of endometrium in abnormal uterine bleeding in peri-menopausal and post-menopausal age groups. The study included prospective analysis of 119 cases of endometrial samples in patients of abnormal uterine bleeding above 40 years of age. The specimens were routinely processed and H&E stained slides were studied. Patients were categorized into peri-menopausal (40-49 years) and post-menopausal (> 50 years) age group. A total of 119 specimens of endometrium were analyzed. Maximum number (73.94%) of cases were from peri-menopausal age group. The most common presenting complaint was menorrhagia (48.86%) followed by post-menopausal bleeding (26.05%). In peri-menopausal age group proliferative endometrium (35.22%) was the predominant histopathological pattern followed by endometrial hyperplasia (23.86%). Atrophic endometrium (25.80%) was the most frequent finding followed by endometrial hyperplasia (19.35%) in post-menopausal age group. Three cases of endometrial carcinoma were reported in post-menopausal age group only. A thorough histopathological work up and clinical correlation is mandatory in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding above the age of 40 years to find out organic lesions. Careful screening can detect early cancer of endometrium which has excellent prognosis and it will help in further management.

Aerobic training does not alter blood pressure in menopausal women with metabolic syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Aluísio Henrique Rodrigues de Andrade; Couto, Henrique Eduardo; Cardoso, Glêbia Alexa; Toscano, Lidiane Tavares; Silva, Alexandre Sérgio; Mota, Maria Paula Gonçalves

2012-11-01

Arterial Hypertension (AH) is an aggravating condition for Metabolic Syndrome (MS), as well as being aggravated by it. Menopause can make hypertension treatment more difficult, as it favors the worsening of MS components. Although there is evidence that exercise training reduces blood pressure, whether menopause and SM affect the exercise-induced benefits is yet to be elucidated. To compare the effects of aerobic training on blood pressure in non-menopausal and menopausal women with MS METHODS: A total of 44 women were recruited and divided into four groups: non-menopausal control (NMC: 39.5 ± 3.6 years, n = 11); menopausal control (MC: 54.9 ± 5.9 years, n = 12), non-menopausal aerobics (NMA: 43.1 ± 6.8 years, n = 11) and menopausal aerobics (MA: 52.1 ± 5 years, n = 10). The exercise groups performed aerobic training for three months, five times a week, at an intensity between 60% and 70% of heart rate reserve. The resting blood pressure and blood pressure response after 60 minutes of exercise were measured before and after the training period. The two-way ANOVA test was used, considering a p value 0.05). Three months of aerobic training improved MS components, but did not alter resting blood pressure or the BP response after an acute exercise session in women with MS.

Rate and Time of Ovarian Function Restoration in Menopausal Breast Cancer Patients Who Received Letrozole Following Chemotherapy

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Shapour Omidvari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The present study aimed to investigate the rate and time of ovarian function restoration in breast cancer patients between 40 and 60 years of age who were in menopause (biochemically documented and received letrozole after chemotherapy. We intended to further clarify the management strategy for breast cancer patients with different menopausal status. Methods: We prospectively measured the effects of replacing tamoxifen with letrozole on ovarian function recovery in 90 women from two age groups (40-50 and 51-60 years. All had breast cancer and were treated by chemotherapy. Patients had laboratory documentation of menopause (FSH >40 mIU/ml and estradiol <20 pg/mL. Patients did not have menstruation for at least one year. Study patients received letrozole. At three month intervals, we checked their FSH and estradiol levels. Results:At three months after beginning letrozole, 12 patients in the younger age group had laboratory ovarian function restoration, among which three had vaginal bleeding. In the older group, 8 patients had increased estradiol levels; however, there was no evidence of vaginal bleeding in this group. At 6, 9 and 12 months, no ovarian function restoration was seen in the older group. However in younger patients, 4 had laboratory evidence of ovarian function restoration at 6 months, 2 at 9 months and 1 patient showed laboratory ovarian function restoration at 12 months of follow-up. Totally, there was a significant difference in the occurrence of ovarian function restoration between the two groups (P=0.03. Conclusion: A remarkable portion of women with chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea may develop ovarian function restoration. Therefore, endocrine therapy using aromatase inhibitors in patients with chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea should be followed by a regular hormonal study.

Depressive disorders and the menopause transition.

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Llaneza, Plácido; García-Portilla, María P; Llaneza-Suárez, David; Armott, Begoña; Pérez-López, Faustino R

2012-02-01

Depressive disorders and symptoms are common among middle-aged women. The effects of hormones on depression remain unclear. This review aims to clarify the nature of depressive disorders during the menopause transition as well as their links with climacteric syndrome, sexuality, cardiovascular risk and cognitive function. The recent literature on depressive disorders and menopause is reviewed. Women are more vulnerable than men to depressive disorders. Endocrine influences have been postulated but differences in, for example, coping style and response to stress may also contribute to the gender difference in the prevalence of depressive disorders. Gender differences in socialization may lead to higher rates of depression in women. There are data top suggest that menopause and depression are associated, although there is not a common clear causative factor. Women with climacteric symptoms (hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and dyspareunia) are more likely to report anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. Bothersome vasomotor symptoms could be associated with sleep disturbances, which in turn can increase reports of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Biopsychosocial and partner factors have a significant influence on middle-aged women's sexuality and depressive disorders, and most antidepressants can have a negative effect on sexual response. Lastly, studies have consistently shown that women with high levels of depressive symptoms are at greater cardiovascular risk and have poorer cognitive function than non-depressed women. At present, a direct relationship between psychiatric symptoms and hormonal changes such as estrogen decrease has not been clearly found. Stress, educational level, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors and partner status may influence the prevalence and clinical course of both menopause symptoms and depressive disorders. Since in many cases depression is a lifelong condition, and is associated with severe comorbid conditions, further studies are

Role of the body self and self-esteem in experiencing the intensity of menopausal symptoms.

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Włodarczyk, Małgorzata; Dolińska-Zygmunt, Grażyna

2017-10-29

The aim of the study was to test differences in self-esteem and strength of the body self, body image, comfort with closeness with others and body protection among women reporting high and low intensity of psychological, vasomotor and somatic symptoms of menopause. The sample included 201 women aged 45-55 years. The Menopause Symptom List was used to test the intensity of menopausal symptoms, the Body Self Questionnaire was used to diagnose the body self, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to examine participants'levels of self-esteem. Differences between women experiencing high and low intensity of symptoms were analyzed using Student's t-test for independent samples. Women experiencing high-intensity psychological, vasomotor and somatic symptoms of menopause showed significantly lower self-esteem and poorer body-self functioning in all its dimensions except for body protection. Women experiencing high-intensity psychological, vasomotor and somatic symptoms of menopause demonstrated poorer functioning of the body self and lower self-esteem.

Menopause versus aging: The predictor of obesity and metabolic aberrations among menopausal women of Karnataka, South India

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Shruti Dasgupta

2012-01-01

Conclusions: Menopausal transition brings about anomalies in total body composition characterized by an increased body fat mass and central adiposity. This creates a compatible atmosphere for abnormal metabolism and aggravated cardio metabolic risk factors. Thus, menopausal status and associated obesity is the major predictor of metabolic aberrations over age in menopausal women.

Menopause 101: A Primer for the Perimenopausal

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... Abstracts Media Award Recipients Media Policy Media Requests Menopause 101: A primer for the perimenopausal The information ... about 2 years earlier. Common Body Changes at Menopause Each woman’s experience of menopause is different. Many ...

Menopause and Methodological Doubt

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Spence, Sheila

2005-01-01

Menopause and methodological doubt begins by making a tongue-in-cheek comparison between Descartes' methodological doubt and the self-doubt that can arise around menopause. A hermeneutic approach is taken in which Cartesian dualism and its implications for the way women are viewed in society are examined, both through the experiences of women…

Menopause: Medicines to Help You

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... For Consumers Consumer Information by Audience For Women Menopause--Medicines to Help You Share Tweet Linkedin Pin ... Email Print Print and Share (PDF 375 KB) Menopause (sometimes called “the change of life”) is a ...

Menopause Treatments | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

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... of this page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Menopause: A Woman's Change of Life Menopause Treatments Past Issues / Spring 2013 Table of Contents ... you should use hormones to help relieve some menopause symptoms. It's hard to know what to do, ...

The menopause and urinary incontinence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foldspang, Anders; Mommsen, Søren

1994-01-01

The objective was to study the possible role of the menopause in adult female urinary incontinence (UI) etiology, using a cross-sectional population study comprising a random sample of adult females and self-reported data based on postal questionnaires. The study group comprised 915 women who...... prevalence in 1987 of episodes of stress and urge urinary incontinence; prevalence of menopause and exposure to childbirth, gynecologic surgery, cystitis and obesity as indicated by body mass index more than 29; prevalence relative risks, as indicated by odds ratio of UI conditional on menopause and other...... the year of final menstruation. The findings suggest perimenopausal processes rather than the menopause in general to be responsible for an increased risk of developing UI. The elevation of UI prevalence in the perimenopause may reflect the adjustment of the female continence mechanism to function...

Positive aspects of menopause: a qualitative study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvas, L

2001-01-01

As a part of a larger study, "Menopause described from the woman's perspective", it has been the aim to explore whether women have any positive experiences in relation to menopause, and if so, the nature of these experiences.......As a part of a larger study, "Menopause described from the woman's perspective", it has been the aim to explore whether women have any positive experiences in relation to menopause, and if so, the nature of these experiences....

Anti-Mullerian hormone is a more accurate predictor of individual time to menopause than mother's age at menopause

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dolleman, M.; Depmann, M.; Eijkemans, M.J.; Heimensem, J.; Broer, S.L.; Stroom, E.M. van der; Laven, J.S.E.; Rooij, I.A.L.M. van; Scheffer, G.J.; Peeters, P.H.M.; Schouw, Y.T. van der; Lambalk, C.B.; Broekmans, F.J.

2014-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: In the prediction of time to menopause (TTM), what is the added value of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) when mother's age at natural menopause (ANM) is also known? SUMMARY ANSWER: AMH is a more accurate predictor of individual TTM than mother's age at menopause. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY:

Saliva secretion difference before and after rinsing with baking soda on menopause women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dewi Anggraeni

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Menopause women can experience a decrease in saliva secretion (decrease. To understand the clear picture about saliva secretion, the volume, flow rate, pH and viscosity were then measured. The aim of this research was to obtain a picture about the difference of saliva secretion before and after rinsing with baking soda on menopause women. The type of the research used was a laboratory quasi-experiment with comparative descriptive form. The technique used in this research is the survey method, and samples were taken using the multistage cluster random sampling method, and t-student statistical analysis. This research was conducted with the saliva collected with spitting method on 45 menopause women. The results show that the average volume, flow rate, pH and viscosity before rinsing with baking soda was 1.79 ml, 0.18 ml/minute, 7.40 and 0.81 mm2/second. The average volume, flow rate, pH and viscosity after rinsing with baking soda were 2.66 ml; 0.27 ml/minute; 8.67 and 0.78 mm2/second. Statistical analysis t-student on α = 0.05 shows volume changes, flow rate, pH and saliva viscosity before and after rinsing with baking soda was 0.873; 0.086; 1.273 and 0.037 respectively. The conclusion shows a significant difference between saliva secretion before and after rinsing with baking soda, and saliva secretion after rinsing with baking soda on menopause women.

Effect of Age of Self-Reported, Non-Surgical Menopause on Time to First Fracture and Bone Mineral Density in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study

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Lehman, Amy; Thomas, Fridtjof; Johnson, Karen C.; Jackson, Rebecca; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Ko, Marcia; Chen, Zhao; Curb, J David; Howard, Barbara V.

2015-01-01

Objective Menopause is a risk factor for fracture, thus menopause age may affect bone mass and fracture rates. We compared Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and fracture rates among healthy postmenopausal women with varying ages of self-reported non-surgical menopause. Methods Hazard ratios for fracture and differences in BMD among 21,711 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational cohort without prior hysterectomy, oophorectomy, or hormone therapy, who reported age of menopause of menopausal age groups. After multivariable adjustments for known risk factors for fracture, women undergoing menopause menopause ≥50 years (HR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.44; p=0.03). In a subset with BMD measurements (n=1,351), whole body BMD was lower in women who reported menopause menopause menopause menopause age may be a risk factor contributing to decreased BMD and increased fracture risk in healthy postmenopausal women. Our data suggest that menopause age should be taken into consideration, along with other osteoporotic risk factors, when estimating fracture risk in postmenopausal women. PMID:25803670

Menopause and the vaginal microbiome.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhleisen, Alicia L; Herbst-Kralovetz, Melissa M

2016-09-01

For over a century it has been well documented that bacteria in the vagina maintain vaginal homeostasis, and that an imbalance or dysbiosis may be associated with poor reproductive and gynecologic health outcomes. Vaginal microbiota are of particular significance to postmenopausal women and may have a profound effect on vulvovaginal atrophy, vaginal dryness, sexual health and overall quality of life. As molecular-based techniques have evolved, our understanding of the diversity and complexity of this bacterial community has expanded. The objective of this review is to compare the changes that have been identified in the vaginal microbiota of menopausal women, outline alterations in the microbiome associated with specific menopausal symptoms, and define how hormone replacement therapy impacts the vaginal microbiome and menopausal symptoms; it concludes by considering the potential of probiotics to reinstate vaginal homeostasis following menopause. This review details the studies that support the role of Lactobacillus species in maintaining vaginal homeostasis and how the vaginal microbiome structure in postmenopausal women changes with decreasing levels of circulating estrogen. In addition, the associated transformations in the microanatomical features of the vaginal epithelium that can lead to vaginal symptoms associated with menopause are described. Furthermore, hormone replacement therapy directly influences the dominance of Lactobacillus in the microbiota and can resolve vaginal symptoms. Oral and vaginal probiotics hold great promise and initial studies complement the findings of previous research efforts concerning menopause and the vaginal microbiome; however, additional trials are required to determine the efficacy of bacterial therapeutics to modulate or restore vaginal homeostasis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Osteoporosis and years since menopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ide, Saburo; Hirota, Yoshio; Hotokebuchi, Takao; Takasugi, Shin-ichiro; Sugioka, Yoichi; Hayabuchi, Hitomi

1999-01-01

In Fukuoka Prefecture, in south-western Japan, a regional screening program for osteoporosis was conducted from 1994 to 1995. The screening level in the bone mineral density (BMD) at the distal non-dominant radius was equal to or less than two standard deviations below age-specific mean (≤ -2.0 SD). In 1177 examinees with natural menopause (mean age: 61.4, range: 42-88), 56 of those who were screened were subsequently radiologically confirmed by orthopedic specialists to have osteoporosis (case group). They were then compared with 802 normal BMD (≥ -1.0 SD) women (reference group) with their lifestyle and reproductive characteristics. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a logistic regression model. A significant increase in the ORs for osteoporosis based on the number of years since menopause was observed for 7-13 years since menopause (OR=2.3; 95% CI: 1.0-5.4) compared with <7 years, however, no increasing trend in risk was evident in 14+ years since menopause (OR=1.4; 95% CI: 0.4-5.1). Thus, the elevated risk continued up to around 10 years since menopause. These findings are consistent with previous studies that reported an alternation in the calcium metabolism and bone loss related to the length of time after menopause. Both the childhood and current milk consumption were also associated with a decreased risk: ORs were 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2-0.9) and 0.5 (95% CI: 0.3-1.0), respectively

Age of menopause and determinants of menopause age: A PAN India survey by IMS

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Maninder Ahuja

2016-01-01

Results: Average age of menopause of an Indian woman is 46.2 years much less than their Western counter parts (51 years. A definite rural and urban division was also seen. There was a correlation between the age of menopause and social and economic status, married status, and parity status.

Menopause management: a cardiovascular risk-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Haines, C J; Farrell, E

2010-08-01

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains the gold standard for the management of menopausal symptoms; however, HRT use has declined due to concerns over possible adverse side-effects. Approaches to menopause management are continually being revised and these extend beyond the control of recognized menopausal symptoms to encompass wider aspects of menopausal women's health. Hypertension and associated cardiovascular risk are particularly important unmet needs in postmenopausal women, especially in the Asia-Pacific region which has a rapidly aging population and bears around half of the global burden of cardiovascular disease, two-thirds of which has been attributed to elevated blood pressure. As first point of contact for women with menopausal symptoms, gynecologists play a gatekeeper role in assessing women's health, providing appropriate lifestyle counseling, and, where appropriate, implementing treatment or referral to relevant specialists. This paper, with contributions by gynecologists and cardiologists from Asia Pacific and beyond, summarizes available evidence and provides a treatment algorithm that employs a flexible blood pressure classification strategy to assist physicians in their decision-making for the individualized management of menopausal symptoms in women with low, moderate and high cardiovascular risk, and also for women with diabetes. Individualized HRT according to cardiovascular risk may yield improvements in cardiovascular health, as well as managing menopausal symptoms.

Associations of menopausal symptoms with job-related stress factors in nurses in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Kazuyo; Uemura, Hirokazu; Yasui, Toshiyuki

2014-09-01

The main objective was to ascertain the typical menopausal symptoms and job-related stress factors in Japanese nurses during the menopausal transition, and the associations of menopausal symptoms with job-related stress. A supplementary objective was to determine whether there were any differences in menopausal symptoms and job-related stress factors among nurses in managerial positions. One thousand seven hundred female registered nurses aged 45-60 years who were working in hospitals in Japan were asked to complete a self-administered survey that included Greene's Climacteric Scale and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. The proportions of nurses who reported feelings of tiredness, irritability and difficulty in concentration were higher than the proportions with other menopausal symptoms. The proportions of nurses reporting feeling unhappy or depressed and having crying spells were higher among nurses in managerial positions than among other nurses. Stresses related to 'quantitative overload' on the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire among nurses in managerial positions were significantly greater than among nurses not in managerial positions, while stresses related to 'physical overload', 'job control', 'skill discretion', 'workplace environment' and 'job satisfaction' among nurses not in managerial positions were significantly greater than they were among nurses in managerial positions. Psychological symptoms were significantly correlated with poor job-related interpersonal relationships. Health care practitioners should be aware that menopausal symptoms are associated with job-related stress during the menopausal transition. Information on the differences in these associations between nurses in managerial positions and other nurses is important as it will allow their health care to be managed on a more individual basis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endocrine identification of menopausal status of Sudanese women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid, M. M. M.

2010-12-01

This study was conducted in order to identify the menopausal statues of Sudanese women which is critically important in determining the treatment strategy for infertile patients. In this study samples were collected from two hundred Sudanese women, aged between 35 and 62. They were from different social classes and are not suffering any systemic or endocrine disease. They were not exposed to any surgical intervention by complete hysterectomy or partial removal of ovaries or thyroidectomy. Reproductive hormones were determined for these women. Immunoradiometric Assay (IRMA) was adopted for the measurement of serum prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the determination of estradiol and esterone, whereas, enzyme immunoassay (tube format) was used for the determination of serum testosterone. Average menopausal age for Sudanese women was determined in this study and found to be 43.0±4.2 which is lower than that of the neighboring countries. A new classification system was developed during this study which uses a combination of symptoms together with hormonal profile in order to identify the menopausal status of women. The three key tools of this system are FSH and LH level together with the absence of menstrual cycle during the last three months. The new classification scheme had successfully differentiated the early peri-menopausal women from pre-menopausal ones. The early peri-menopausal women according to the new classification scheme are suffering cycle irregularities and amenorrhea but with normal hormonal levels. The new classification scheme is now, clearly indicating that amenorrhea with normal hormonal levels may be an indication to the beginning of the peri-menopausal life. The big challenge faced during this study had been the sub-classification of the peri-menopausal stage as it is not a single homogeneous stage but a wide heterogenous and transitional stage extending from

Menopause: Salient Issues for Counselors.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Marilyn M.; Lynch, Ann Q.

1988-01-01

Discusses issues surrounding menopause, with the idea that counselors are in an ideal position to help change attitudes toward viewing menopause as a time of positive change rather than a time of psychological distress. Reviews historical, sociological, psychological, and attitudinal factors that account for negative responses associated with…

Menopause. How Exercise Mitigates Symptoms.

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Hargarten, Kathleen M.

1994-01-01

During menopause and the climacteric, women experience many changes that can affect nearly every organ system and cause psychological symptoms. This article reviews the specific changes and explains how exercise can address each symptom; outlines a practical approach physicians can use to help menopausal patients improve their quality of life. (SM)

Menopause: A Life Cycle Transition.

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Evarts, Barbara Kess; Baldwin, Cynthia

1998-01-01

Family therapists need to address the issue of menopause proactively to be of benefit to couples and families during this transitional period in the family life cycle. Physical, psychological, and psychosocial factors affecting the menopausal woman and her family, and ways to address these issues in counseling are discussed. (Author/EMK)

Longitudinal changes in abdominal fat distribution with menopause.

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Franklin, Ruth M; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori; Kanaley, Jill A

2009-03-01

Increases in abdominal fat have been reported with menopause, but the impact of menopause on abdominal fat distribution (visceral vs subcutaneous) is still unclear. The objective of the study was to determine if abdominal fat content (volume) or distribution is altered with menopause. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify total abdominal, subcutaneous, and visceral fat in 8 healthy women, both in the premenopausal state and 8 years later in the postmenopausal state. Physical activity (PA) and blood lipids were also measured. Body weight and waist circumference did not change with menopause (pre- vs postmenopause: body weight, 63.2 +/- 3.1 vs 63.9 +/- 2.5 kg; waist circumference, 92.1 +/- 4.6 vs 93.4 +/- 3.7 cm); however, total abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat all significantly (P fat distribution was not significantly different after menopause (pre- vs postmenopause: subcutaneous, 73% +/- 3% vs 71% +/- 3%; visceral, 26% +/- 3% vs 28% +/- 3%). Lean mass, fat mass, and PA, along with total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, did not change with menopause. High-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein both increased (P abdominal fat content increased with menopause despite no change in PA, body weight, or waist circumference; however, menopause did not affect the relative abdominal fat distribution in these women.

What Are the Symptoms of Menopause?

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... Pinterest Email Print What are the symptoms of menopause? Perimenopause begins with a change in a woman's ... longer than a week. A common symptom of menopause is the appearance of hot flashes (sometimes called ...

Menopause, a Self Care Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Maria Cristina; And Others

Written for women from the three main cultural groups in New Mexico (Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo), this pamphlet discusses the causes and symptoms, some remedies for the symptoms of menopause, and presents ideas for organizing support groups to help middle-aged women and their families deal with menopausal problems. Explanations of the…

Quality of life among post-menopausal women due to oxidative stress boosted by dysthymia and anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Rodríguez, Martha A; Castrejón-Delgado, Lizett; Zacarías-Flores, Mariano; Arronte-Rosales, Alicia; Mendoza-Núñez, Víctor Manuel

2017-01-03

Menopause is the onset of aging in women. During this process, some women experience physical changes that may impact upon their psychological and social status, also affecting their quality of life. Furthermore, several psychological changes following menopause have been shown to act as pro-oxidant, but the association between the psychological status that modify the quality of life and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determinate the relationship between oxidative stress with psychological disturbances, low self-esteem, depressive mood and anxiety, and quality of life in the postmenopausal women. We carried out a cross-sectional study with101 premenopausal and 101 postmenopausal women from Mexico City. As markers of oxidative stress we measured plasma lipoperoxide levels, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, and total antioxidant status. We calculate a stress score as global oxidative stress status, with cut-off values for each parameter; this score range from 0 to 6, representing the severity of markers modifications. All the women were rated using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scales, and the WHO Quality of Life-brief. The postmenopausal women with low quality of life in the WHO Quality of Life-brief and their subscales had higher stress score compared with premenopausal women with high quality of life (p Life-brief scores (r = -0.266, p Life-brief, after adjusted for pro-oxidant factors. Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scales scores also contribute to increase lipoperoxides levels, but not significant. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress is increased in postmenopausal women with psychological disturbances and low quality of life.

An International Menopause Society study of vasomotor symptoms in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand.

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Sriprasert, I; Pantasri, T; Piyamongkol, W; Suwan, A; Chaikittisilpa, S; Sturdee, D; Gupta, P; Hunter, M S

2017-04-01

To examine relationships between location, demographics, lifestyle, beliefs, and experience of hot flushes and night sweats (HFNS) amongst women living in two cities in Thailand. Cross-sectional study of peri- and postmenopausal women, aged 45-55 years, from Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Participants completed questionnaires (demographics, health, HFNS (prevalence, frequency and problem-rating) and beliefs about menopause). A sub-sample of women from each location was interviewed. A total of 632 women (320 Bangkok and 312 Chiang Mai) aged 50.88 (standard deviation 3.06) years, took part. The prevalence of HFNS was 65%, average HFNS frequency 8.7 (10.8) per week and problem rating 4.3/10. Women from Chiang Mai had significantly more problematic HFNS, but prevalence and frequency were similar in both sites. Poor general health predicted HFNS prevalence and frequency, while Chiang Mai location, HFNS frequency, age, diet and beliefs about menopause were associated with problematic HFNS. Location remained significant after controlling for education, occupation and age; location was partially explained by beliefs. Qualitative interview responses illustrated the differences in beliefs about menopause between locations. HFNS reports are prevalent with moderate frequency and problem-ratings in these urban centers in Thailand. The results will be included in the broader International Menopause Society study of Climate, Altitude and Temperature (IMS-CAT) of the impact of climate on HFNS.

Menopausal Status, Depression, and Life-Satisfaction among some ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study examined menopausal status, timing of menopause and their influence on experience of depression and life satisfaction among 188 working women. The participants were drawn from organizations in Lagos and Ibadan. Results of the study revealed that (I) currently menopausal women experienced a ...

Beliefs about menopause of general practitioners and mid-aged women.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, K; Hunter, M S; White, P

1994-12-01

Recent general population studies suggest that experience of the normal menopause transition is relatively unremarkable for the majority of women, but negative stereotyped beliefs about menopause remain pervasive. This study explored GPs' beliefs and opinions about menopause in general, and compared the GPs' beliefs with those of their mid-aged female patients. All GPs at five general practices (n = 24) and 101 45-year-old women registered at the same practices took part. Large proportions of both groups believed that most women experience somatic and psychological difficulties during menopause. GPs expressed more negative beliefs than patients but were also more likely to express positive/neutral beliefs. Some causal attributions of menopausal problems were shared by the two groups, but they differed on others. When both GPs and patients hold negative social stereotypes about menopause, problems of mid-aged women may be misattributed to menopause. Health information on menopause may be biased towards negative images of menopause and of aging women.

Effective Factors on Urinary Incontinence in Natural Menopausal Women

OpenAIRE

Shohani; V Carson; Sayehmiri; Shohani

2015-01-01

Background Urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence are common urogenital problems affecting 7 - 10% of menopausal women. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to quantify effective factors on urinary incontinence in a cohort of menopausal women. Patients and Methods A sample of 150 menopausal women (natural menopause for at least 12 months) were recruited fro...

Empowerment and coping strategies in menopause women: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdkhasti, Mansoureh; Simbar, Masoumeh; Abdi, Fatemeh

2015-03-01

Menopause is described as a period of psychological difficulties that changes the lifestyle of women in multiple ways. Menopausal women require more information about their physical and psychosocial needs. Empowerment during the menopause can contribute to improving the perception of this stage and the importance of self-care. It is essential to increase women's awareness and adaptation to menopause, using empowerment programs. The aim of this study was to review the empowerment and coping strategies in menopause women. In this review, PubMed, EMBASE, ISI, and Iranian databases were scanned for relevant literature. A comprehensive search was performed, using the combinations of the keywords "empowerment, menopause, coping with" to review relevant literature and higher education journals. Most interventions for menopause women have focused on educational intervention, physical activity/exercise, healthy diet, stress management, healthy behaviors, preventing certain diseases and osteoporosis. Health education intervention strategy is one of the alternative strategies for improving women's attitudes and coping with menopause symptoms, identified as severalof the subcategories of health promotion programs. Empowerment of menopausal women will guarantee their health during the last third of their life. It will also help them benefit from their final years of reproductive life. The results of the present study can pave the way for future research about women's health promotion and empowerment.

The effect of soy intake on menopausal symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Pérez-Rovira

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The menopause is characterized by a reduction in ovarian function and estrogen production. Altogether, these changes together lead to a series of disorders that may affect the woman’s life style. Currently, medicine, influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, is prone to act aggressively against any symptoms, resulting in. polymedicated population. Doctors usually prescribe treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT, to help them manage menopause symptoms. However, recently, several studies have reported adverse effects associated with this treatment. The influence of diet on several chronic diseases in western societies is currently well known. Therefore, dietary therapies, including dietary soy and isoflavone supplements, have been proposed for the reduction of menopause symptoms. Several published studies have suggested isoflavones, which have a great estrogenic power, as an HRT alternative for the relief of menopause symptoms. However, our current understanding on the effects of isoflavone supplements on the menopause symptoms is limited, and scientific publications show heterogenous results. Due to those arguments, the objective of this review is to address some of the mechanisms of isoflavones and their role in the menopausal period, postulating that, as food supplements, they could be used as a complementary therapy for menopause symptoms.

Post-menopausal breast abscess.

OpenAIRE

Raju, G. C.; Naraynsingh, V.; Jankey, N.

1986-01-01

Thirty post-menopausal women with breast abscess were treated at Port of Spain General Hospital, Trinidad, between 1976 and 1980. In this age group, breast abscess can be confused with cancer due to a lack of inflammatory features. History and physical examination are often not helpful in differentiating an abscess from carcinoma. Although the usual treatment of an abscess is incision and drainage, in post-menopausal women, excision of the lesion is helpful for accurate histological diagnosis.

Post-menopausal breast abscess.

Science.gov (United States)

Raju, G. C.; Naraynsingh, V.; Jankey, N.

1986-01-01

Thirty post-menopausal women with breast abscess were treated at Port of Spain General Hospital, Trinidad, between 1976 and 1980. In this age group, breast abscess can be confused with cancer due to a lack of inflammatory features. History and physical examination are often not helpful in differentiating an abscess from carcinoma. Although the usual treatment of an abscess is incision and drainage, in post-menopausal women, excision of the lesion is helpful for accurate histological diagnosis. PMID:3628144

Metabolic syndrome and menopause

OpenAIRE

Jouyandeh, Zahra; Nayebzadeh, Farnaz; Qorbani, Mostafa; Asadi, Mojgan

2013-01-01

Abstract Background The metabolic syndrome is defined as an assemblage of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and menopause is associated with an increase in metabolic syndrome prevalence. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among postmenopausal women in Tehran, Iran. Methods In this cross-sectional study in menopause clinic in Tehran, 118 postmenopausal women were investigated. We used the adult treatment panel 3 (ATP3) criteria t...

Effect of acupuncture on hot flush and menopause symptoms in breast cancer- A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsai-Ju Chien

Full Text Available Many breast cancer patients suffer from hot flush and medical menopause as side effects of treatment. Some patients undergo acupuncture, rather than hormone therapy, to relieve these symptoms, but the efficacy of acupuncture is uncertain. This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture on hot flush and menopause symptoms in women with breast cancer.A literature search was performed, following the PRISMA Statement and without language restrictions, of 7 databases from inception through March 2017. All selected studies were randomized clinical trials (RCTs that examined the effect of needle acupuncture on hot flush and menopause symptoms in patients with breast cancer. The methodological quality of these trials was assessed using Cochrane criteria, and meta-analysis software (RevMan 5.2 was used to analyze the data.We examined 844 breast cancer patients (average age: 58 years-old from 13 RCTs. The trials had medium-to-high quality, based on the modified Jadad scale. The meta-analysis showed that acupuncture had no significant effect on the frequency and the severity of hot flush (p = 0.34; p = 0.33, but significantly ameliorated menopause symptoms (p = 0.009. None of the studies reported severe adverse events.Acupuncture significantly alleviated menopause symptoms, but had no effect on hot flush. Breast cancer patients concerned about the adverse effects of hormone therapy should consider acupuncture. Further large-scale studies that also measure biomarkers or cytokines may help to elucidate the mechanism by which acupuncture alleviates menopause symptoms in patients with breast cancer.

Age of Menopause and Fracture Risk in Post-Menopausal Women Randomized to Calcium + Vitamin D, Hormone Therapy, or the combination: Results from the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trials

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Shannon D.; Lehman, Amy; Nathan, Nisha K.; Thomson, Cynthia A.; Howard, Barbara V.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE We previously reported that in the absence of hormone therapy (HT) or calcium/vitamin D (Ca/D) supplementation, earlier menopause age was associated with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk in healthy post-menopausal women. Treatment with HT and Ca/D are protective against fractures after menopause. In this analysis, we asked if age of menopause onset alters fracture risk in healthy post-menopausal women receiving HT, Ca/Vit D, or the combination. METHODS Hazard ratios (HR) for any fracture among 21,711 healthy post-menopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trial (WHI-CT), who were treated with HT, Ca/Vit D, or HT + Ca/D, and who reported age of non-surgical menopause of menopause menopause 40-49 or ≥50, regardless of treatment intervention [HR (95% CI): menopause menopause menopause age (menopause ages. The effect of menopause age on fracture risk was not altered by any of the treatment interventions (HT, Ca/D, HT+Ca/D), suggesting that early age of menopause is an independent contributor to postmenopausal fracture risk. PMID:27801706

Metabolic syndrome and menopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jouyandeh Zahra

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The metabolic syndrome is defined as an assemblage of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and menopause is associated with an increase in metabolic syndrome prevalence. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among postmenopausal women in Tehran, Iran. Methods In this cross-sectional study in menopause clinic in Tehran, 118 postmenopausal women were investigated. We used the adult treatment panel 3 (ATP3 criteria to classify subjects as having metabolic syndrome. Results Total prevalence of metabolic syndrome among our subjects was 30.1%. Waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, diastolic blood pressure ,Systolic blood pressure, and triglyceride were significantly higher among women with metabolic syndrome (P-value Conclusions Our study shows that postmenopausal status is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Therefore, to prevent cardiovascular disease there is a need to evaluate metabolic syndrome and its components from the time of the menopause.

Women's perspectives toward menopause: A phenomenological study in Iran.

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Hakimi, Sevil; Simbar, Masoumeh; Ramezani Tehrani, Fahimeh; Zaiery, Farid; Khatami, Shiva

2016-01-01

This study explores the attitude and feelings toward menopause among Azeri menopausal women using hermeneutic phenomenology based on Van Manen's approach. A total of 18 menopausal women who were attended in urban health centers of Tabriz, Iran, were recruited using a purposive sampling method. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and analyzed simultaneously. Data analysis led to the emergence of five main themes: positive attitude, neutral attitude, negative attitude, positive feelings, and negative feelings. Participants had different feelings and attitude. Acceptance of menopause as a natural process helps women to have a neutral attitude toward menopause.

What Are the Treatments for Other Symptoms of Menopause?

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... What are the treatments for other symptoms of menopause? Menopause is a normal part of aging and ... Treatment for Osteoporosis and Bone Loss Related to Menopause Because bone loss increases in the first two ...

The Menopausal Transition: Guidelines for Researchers.

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Mansfield, Phyllis Kernoff; And Others

1989-01-01

Research guidelines are presented to encourage sound research on the menopausal transition. Included is a review of current literature covering three aspects of menopausal transition: age span, changes in menstrual bleeding during the transition, and other psychological and somatic changes during premenopausal stages. (IAH)

Women's experience of being well during peri-menopause: a phenomenological study.

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Mackey, Sandra

2007-01-01

A research study was conducted to investigate women's experience of being well during the peri-menopause because much of the research investigating the experience of menopause has concentrated on its problematic and pathological aspects. For the majority of western women the reproductive transition of menopause is not problematic, however, the nature of the unproblematic or healthy menopause has not been investigated. The aim in conducting this research was to enhance understanding of the experience of being healthy or well during menopause. In so doing, recognition of the diversity of menopausal experiences may be strengthened. The research was approached from the disciplinary perspective of nursing, and was grounded in the methodology of Heideggerian interpretive phenomenology. Data was collected via unstructured, in-depth interviews and analysis was conducted utilising the repetitive and circular process developed by van Manen. The phenomenon of being healthy or well during menopause was expressed in the form of three major themes. These were the continuity of menstrual experience, the embodiment of menopausal symptoms, and the containment of menopause and menopausal symptoms. The experience of health and well being during menopause can accommodate the experience of symptoms when the experience of symptoms does not disrupt embodied existence and the continuity of menstrual patterns. Menopause is widely studied, yet only partly understood. While much is now known about the nature and influence of ovarian hormones, the physiology of menopausal changes, and the treatment of menopausal symptoms, little is known and understood about the experience of menopause. Research that has investigated the experience of menopause has largely focused on the problematic experiences. It is now known that the majority of women, regardless of cultural background, do not experience menopause in a problematic way (Utian 1977; Porter et al. 1996). However, the nature of such experience

Hypericum perforatum with Vitex agnus-castus in menopausal symptoms: a randomized, controlled trial.

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van Die, M Diana; Burger, Henry G; Bone, Kerry M; Cohen, Marc M; Teede, Helena J

2009-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a phytotherapeutic intervention comprising a combination of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) and Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste tree/berry) in the management of menopausal symptoms. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel trial was performed over 16 weeks in 100 eligible late-perimenopausal or postmenopausal women experiencing hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms. Herbal combination therapy or placebo tablets were administered twice daily. The primary endpoint was hot flush episodes. Secondary endpoints included Greene Climacteric Scale scores, Hamilton Depression Inventory scores, and Utian Quality of Life Scale scores. Ninety-three women completed the study. Data analysis on an intent-to-treat basis found no significant differences between the two groups for any of the endpoints. Analyses performed at interim data time points revealed no significant differences at week 4, 8, or 12 for daily weighted flushes or scores on the Greene Climacteric Scale or Hamilton Depression Inventory. However, significant improvements across the treatment phase were observed in both the placebo and active treatment groups for these endpoints. No significant change was found for either group on quality of life. The herbal combination of H. perforatum and V. agnus-castus was not found to be superior to placebo for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. The herbal combination was well tolerated with no significant adverse events noted in the short term. Robust findings from quality studies such as this are important for informing the community, healthcare providers, and regulatory authorities.

Self-reported menopausal symptoms, coronary artery calcification, and carotid intima-media thickness in recently menopausal women screened for the Kronos early estrogen prevention study (KEEPS).

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Erin Foran; He, Yunxiao; Black, Dennis M; Brinton, Eliot A; Budoff, Mathew J; Cedars, Marcelle I; Hodis, Howard N; Lobo, Rogerio A; Manson, Joann E; Merriam, George R; Miller, Virginia M; Naftolin, Fredrick; Pal, Lubna; Santoro, Nanette; Zhang, Heping; Harman, S Mitchell; Taylor, Hugh S

2013-04-01

To determine whether self-reported menopausal symptoms are associated with measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. Cross-sectional analysis. Multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Recently menopausal women (n = 868) screened for the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS). None. Baseline menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, dyspareunia, vaginal dryness, night sweats, palpitations, mood swings, depression, insomnia, irritability), serum E2 levels, and measures of atherosclerosis were assessed. Atherosclerosis was quantified using coronary artery calcium (CAC) Agatston scores (n = 771) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Logistic regression model of menopausal symptoms and E2 was used to predict CAC. Linear regression model of menopausal symptoms and E2 was used to predict CIMT. Correlation between length of time in menopause with menopausal symptoms, E2, CAC, and CIMT were assessed. In early menopausal women screened for KEEPS, neither E2 nor climacteric symptoms predicted the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis. Palpitations and depression approached significance as predictors of CAC. Other symptoms of insomnia, irritability, dyspareunia, hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, and vaginal dryness were not associated with CAC. Women with significantly elevated CAC scores were excluded from further participation in KEEPS; in women meeting inclusion criteria, neither baseline menopausal symptoms nor E2 predicted CIMT. Years since menopause onset correlated with CIMT, dyspareunia, vaginal dryness, and E2. Self-reported symptoms in recently menopausal women are not strong predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis. Continued follow-up of this population will be performed to determine whether baseline or persistent symptoms in the early menopause are associated with progression of cardiovascular disease. NCT00154180. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A Comparative study on sexual dysfunctions before and after menopause

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Beigi, Marjan; Fahami, Fariba

2012-01-01

Background: Sexual instinct which is the cause of numerous changes in an individual’s life could be influenced by different factors such as menopause and ageing. This study was designed to compare sexual dysfunction before and after menopause. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants were 174 menopausal women who referred to medical health centers of Isfahan, Iran. Data were collected through self constructed sexual dysfunctions questionnaire in relation to their sexual activities before and after menopause. The reliability and validity of this questionnaire was determined by content validity and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Findings: Findings showed that the relative frequency of sexual dysfunctions was 38% in the productive period and 72.4% in the menopause period. There was a significant association between sexual dysfunctions before and after the menopause period (p vaginismus, respectively. Conclusions: A considerable percentage of women experienced sexual dysfunctions in productive and menopause periods, and menopause could be a factor to maintain or intensify sexual dysfunctions. PMID:23833604

Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with having high blood pressure in postmenopausal women: observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Christine L; Lujic, Sanja; Thornton, Charlene; O'Loughlin, Aiden; Makris, Angela; Hennessy, Annemarie; Lind, Joanne M

2012-01-01

The relationship between menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and cardiovascular risk remains controversial, with a number of studies advocating the use of MHT in reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases, while others have shown it to increase risk. The aim of this study was to determine the association between menopausal hormone therapy and high blood pressure. A total of 43,405 postmenopausal women were included in the study. Baseline data for these women were sourced from the 45 and Up Study, Australia, a large scale study of healthy ageing. These women reported being postmenopausal, having an intact uterus, and had not been diagnosed with high blood pressure prior to menopause. Odds ratios for the association between MHT use and having high blood pressure were estimated using logistic regression, stratified by age (high blood pressure: past menopausal hormone therapy use: high blood pressure, with the effect of hormone therapy use diminishing with increasing age. Menopausal hormone therapy use is associated with significantly higher odds of having high blood pressure, and the odds increase with increased duration of use. High blood pressure should be conveyed as a health risk for people considering MHT use.

Migraine in the post-menopausal period is associated with higher levels of mood disorders, disability, and more menopausal symptoms

OpenAIRE

Carturan, Paula; Scorcine, Claudio; Fragoso, Yara Dadalti

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the prevalence of headache in post-menopausal women. Methods Women attending gynecology outpatient services in the coastal region of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil were invited to participate in this study. Only those with non-surgical menopause and no hormone replacement therapy were included. Prevalence and characterization of headaches were assessed, as well as the burden of migraine, traits of anxiety and depression, and menopausal symptomatology. Results...

Manufacturing Menopause: An Analysis of the Portrayal of Menopause and Information Content on Pharmaceutical Web Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Charbonneau, Deborah Hile

2010-01-01

Consumer-targeted prescription drug advertising serves as an interesting lens through which we can examine the portrayal of menopause in online drug advertisements. The aim of this study was to explore the portrayal of menopause on web sites sponsored by pharmaceutical companies for hormone therapies (HT). To unravel this question, a qualitative…

An overview of menopause associated Vaso Motor Symptoms and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BACKGROUND: Vasomotor Symptoms are the most common and distressing menopausal complaint, for which women seek advice from their physician. OBJECTIVE: To review menopausal associated vasomotor symptoms and options available in its management. METHODS: Pertinent literature on menopause associated ...

Menopausal women's positive experience of growing older

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvas, Lotte

2006-01-01

This paper aims to describe menopausal women's positive experience of growing older and becoming middle-aged.......This paper aims to describe menopausal women's positive experience of growing older and becoming middle-aged....

Self-Reported Menopausal Symptoms, Coronary Artery Calcification and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Recently Menopausal Women Screened for the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Erin Foran; He, Yunxiao; Black, Dennis M.; Brinton, Eliot A.; Budoff, Mathew J.; Cedars, Marcelle I.; Hodis, Howard N.; Lobo, Rogerio A.; Manson, JoAnn E.; Merriam, George R.; Miller, Virginia M.; Naftolin, Fredrick; Pal, Lubna; Santoro, Nanette; Zhang, Heping; Harman, S. Mitchell; Taylor, Hugh S.

2012-01-01

Objective To determine whether self-reported menopausal symptoms are associated with measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. Setting Multi-center, randomized controlled trial. Patients Recently menopausal women (n=868) screened for the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS). Design Cross sectional analysis. Interventions None Main Outcome Measures Baseline menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, dyspareunia, vaginal dryness, night sweats, palpitations, mood swings, depression, insomnia, irritability), serum estradiol (E2) levels and measures of atherosclerosis were assessed. Atherosclerosis was quantified using Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Agatston scores (n=771) and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT). Logistic regression model of menopausal symptoms and E2 was used to predict CAC. Linear regression model of menopausal symptoms and E2 was used to predict CIMT. Correlation between length of time in menopause with menopausal symptoms, estradiol (E2), CAC, and CIMT were assessed. Results In early menopausal women screened for KEEPS, neither E2 nor climacteric symptoms predicted the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis. Palpitations (p=0.09) and depression (p=0.07) approached significance as predictors of CAC. Other symptoms of insomnia, irritability, dyspareunia, hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, and vaginal dryness were not associated with CAC. Women with significantly elevated CAC scores were excluded from further participation in KEEPS; in women meeting inclusion criteria, neither baseline menopausal symptoms nor E2 predicted CIMT. Years since menopause onset correlated with CIMT, dyspareunia, vaginal dryness and E2. Conclusions Self-reported symptoms in recently menopausal women are not strong predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis. Continued follow-up of this population will be performed to determine if baseline or persistent symptoms in the early menopause are associated with progression of cardiovascular disease. PMID:23312232

Menopause, postmenopausal hormone use and risk of incident gout

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.E. Hak (Liesbeth); G.C. Curhan (Gary); F. Grodstein (Francine); H.K. Choi (Hyon)

2010-01-01

textabstractObjective: To prospectively study the relation between menopause, postmenopausal hormone use and risk of gout, since female sex hormones have been postulated to decrease gout risk among women. Methods: In the Nurses' Health Study, the association between menopause, age at menopause,

The emergence of the menopause in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, A

2003-06-01

A total of 130 million Indian women are expected to live beyond the menopause into old age by 2015. The menopause is emerging as an issue owing to rapid globalization, urbanization, awareness and increased longevity in urban middle-aged Indian women, who are evolving as a homogeneous group. Improved economic conditions and education may cause the attitude of rural working women to be more positive towards the menopause. However, most remain oblivious of the short- and long-term implications of the morbid conditions associated with middle and old age, simply because of lack of awareness, and the unavailability or ever-increasing cost of the medical and social support systems. Evidence-based medicine is accessible to still only a few Indian women. Most menopausal women go untreated or use unproven alternative therapies.

Efficacy of a non-hormonal treatment, BRN-01, on menopausal hot flashes: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Colau, Jean-Claude; Vincent, Stéphane; Marijnen, Philippe; Allaert, François-André

2012-09-01

Homeopathic medicines have a place among the non-hormonal therapies for the treatment of hot flashes during the menopause. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the non-hormonal treatment BRN-01 in reducing hot flashes in menopausal women. This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study carried out between June 2010 and July 2011. The study was conducted in 35 active centers in France (gynecologists in private practice). One hundred and eight menopausal women, ≥ 50 years of age, were enrolled in the study. The eligibility criteria included menopause for professional and/or personal life. Treatment was either BRN-01 tablets, a registered homeopathic medicine containing Actaea racemosa (4 centesimal dilutions [4CH]), Arnica montana (4CH), Glonoinum (4CH), Lachesis mutus (5CH), and Sanguinaria canadensis (4CH), or identical placebo tablets, prepared by Laboratoires Boiron according to European Pharmacopoeia standards. Oral treatment (2 to 4 tablets per day) was started on day 3 after study enrollment and was continued for 12 weeks. The main outcome measure was the hot flash score (HFS) compared before, during, and after treatment. Secondary outcome criteria were the quality of life (QoL) [measured using the Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS)], severity of symptoms (measured using the Menopause Rating Scale), evolution of the mean dosage, and compliance. All adverse events (AEs) were recorded. One hundred and one women were included in the final analysis (intent-to-treat population: BRN-01, n = 50; placebo, n = 51). The global HFS over the 12 weeks, assessed as the area under the curve (AUC) adjusted for baseline values, was significantly lower in the BRN-01 group than in the placebo group (mean ± SD 88.2 ± 6.5 versus 107.2 ± 6.4; p = 0.0411). BRN-01 was well tolerated; the frequency of AEs was similar in the two treatment groups, and no serious AEs were attributable to BRN

Menopause affects pain depending on pain type and characteristics.

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Meriggiola, Maria Cristina; Nanni, Michela; Bachiocco, Valeria; Vodo, Stellina; Aloisi, Anna M

2012-05-01

Women are more affected than men by many chronic pain conditions, suggesting the effect of sex-related mechanisms in their occurrence. The role of gonadal hormones has been studied but with contrasting results depending on the pain syndrome, reproductive status, and hormone considered. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pain changes related to the menopausal transition period. In this observational study, postmenopausal women were asked to evaluate the presence of pain in their life during the premenopausal and postmenopausal periods and its modification with menopause. One hundred one women were enrolled and completed questionnaires on their sociodemographic status, pain characteristics, and evolution. The most common pain syndromes were headache (38%), osteoarticular pain (31%), and cervical/lumbar pain (21%). Pain was present before menopause in 66 women, ceased with menopause in 17, and started after menopause in 18. Data were used for cluster analysis, which allowed the division of participants into four groups. In the first, all women experienced headaches that disappeared or improved with menopause. The second group included osteoarticular pain; the pain improved in half of these women and remained stable in the other half. The third group had cervical/lumbar pain, which disappeared or improved with menopause in all. The fourth group presented different kinds of moderate pain, which worsened in all. The present study provides preliminary data suggesting that menopause can affect pain depending on the painful condition experienced by the woman. This underlines the different interactions of menopause-related events with body structures involved in pain.

The influence of unilateral oophorectomy on the age of menopause

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosendahl, M; Simonsen, M K; Kjer, J J

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the age of menopause after premenopausal unilateral oophorectomy (UO) and to establish whether UO at a young age leads to menopause at a younger age than if UO occurs at an older age. METHODS: A cohort of 28 731 women, of whom 17 781 (62%) were menopausal, was investigated....... Information on menopause was obtained from self-reported questionnaires. Surgical data were obtained from the National Patient Register to avoid recollection bias. Age of menopause after UO/not UO was determined using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox regression was used to identify factors of importance for early...... menopause. RESULTS: UO was performed in 1148 women. Women with UO after the age of 45 years, premenopausal hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy and cancer were excluded, leaving 236 in the analysis. Menopause occurred 1.8 years earlier after UO compared to women with two intact ovaries (mean 49.5 vs. 51...

Women's experience of menopause: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

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Hoga, Luiza; Rodolpho, Juliana; Gonçalves, Bruna; Quirino, Bruna

2015-09-16

Evidence shows than an estimated one billion women have experienced menopause worldwide. The experience of menopause is influenced by beliefs and values prevalent in the sociocultural setting, the background of the women, and the ways in which the women approach changes in this phase of life. Independently of the circumstances involved, women experiencing menopause need to have their care needs and corresponding support identified based on their personal and contextual perspectives. Although it is essential to provide appropriate support to women experiencing menopause, no systematic reviews have so far been conducted that focus on menopause experienced by women worldwide. The objective of this review is to identify the best available evidence related to how women experience menopause worldwide. This review considered studies that included menopausal women aged between 40 and 65 years, who have lived the transition from reproductive years through menopause and beyond. This review included only studies whose participants have lived the experience of natural menopause. Women who have had induced menopause, or with premature menopause were excluded from this review. TYPES OF INTERVENTION(S)/PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: This review considered studies that investigate women's experiences of natural menopause under the scope of different social and cultural settings. TYPES OF STUDIES: This review considered studies that have a descriptive and interpretive approach, conducted using qualitative methodology. Qualitative studies that focus on program evaluation were excluded from this review. Qualitative data including, but not limited to, study designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research were considered for inclusion in this review. TYPES OF OUTCOMES: This review considered studies that include the following outcome measures: all aspects related both directly and indirectly to the experience of menopause, as concretely lived

Risk Assessment: Factors Contributing to Discomfort for Menopausal Women in Workplace.

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Jafari, Mehdi; Seifi, Bahar; Heidari, Mohammad

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study was to review the Factors contributing to discomfort for menopausal women in workplace and the perceived effects of working conditions on menopausal symptoms, and to produce recommendations for managers and women. This study was a review article. We searched PubMed and Science Direct for articles related to menopause and workplace. Keywords included: menopause AND workplace OR occupational health or menopausal women AND managers. Because we aimed to update the literature following the 2011 review of menopause and workplace, only English-language articles published between 2011 and 2017 were included. This review showed that how managers could be help and awareness and what should be done for menopausal women in workplace by risk assessment. Many risk factors are contributing to discomfort for menopausal women in workplace and managers should be assessed them. Managers should be aware that menopausal transition causes difficulty for some women at work, then occupational health and safety and health promotion policies will be increasingly important. It may help inform the development of tailored occupational health policies and programs that cater for the needs of women as they transition through menopause in the workplace.

Premedication in Supravaginal Uterine Amputation in Menopausal Women

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D. V Sadchikov

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to study the efficiency of using small-dose estrogens as a component of remedial premedication. Subjects and materials. A hundred and ninety menopausal women were examined. All the patients were divided into a study group and a control one. Group 1 included patients with uterine myoma and menopausal syndrome, which was further divided into two subgroups: Subgroup A comprised patients who as a remedial premedication, along with the standard therapy, received hormonal therapy with oral estradiol in a dose of 2 mg once daily for 7 days. There were no contraindications to the use of these drugs in all the women from this subgroup. Postoperative estrogen therapy was continued in the above doses for a year (as recommended by the International Menopause Committee. Subgroup B consisted of 40 women with menopausal syndrome who received the standard conventional premedication and postoperative therapy. Group 2 included 70 patients with physiological menopause and uterine myoma. Studies were made when remedial premedication was given just before surgery and on discharge from hospital on days 7—8. Results. In the patients with the menopausal syndrome, the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH was ascertained to be higher than that in women with normal menopause, the level of estradiol was accordingly lower. The differences found in the levels of hormones in the patients depending on the clinical course of a menopausal period allowed the use of hormonal replacement therapy with estradiol in the remedial premedication regimen as both etiologically and pathogenetically founded. On admission, the first stage of psychoemotional testing before remedial premedication revealed impairments of memory, attention, and thinking, as well as high anxiety in all the patients with myoma and menopausal syndrome. There was a significant reduction in long-term memory and memorization. Seven days after preoperative preparation using estradiol, 2 mg/day, there

Sleep disturbance associated factors in menopausal women

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Hamid Haghani

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Sleep is necessary in life and approximately 1/3 of human life is devoted to sleep. One of the most common problems in menopausal women is sleep disturbance. The aim of this study was to determine frequency of sleep disorders and its related factors in 50 – 60 years old women Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on 200 eligible women who referred to selected health centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS. Demographic form, ten-point slide to review sexual satisfaction and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index Questioner (PSQI were used for data collection. Data was analyzed using ANOVA, t-test, and Pearson correlation tests.Results: The mean age of women was 53.6±3.6 year, menopause age 47.8±4, number of children 4.76±2 and partner age was 57.99±6.6. 34.5% of women were satisfied from their sexual relationship and their score was 8-10. Rate of sleep disturbances in this group was about 70%. The results showed that between four variables: economical status, occupation, partner occupation and educational status were significantly associated with sleep disturbance (P=0.002. There was not significant difference between other demographic information and sleep disturbance.Conclusion: The results show high prevalence of sleep disturbance symptoms among menopausal women. According to the relationship between some personal characters and sleep disturbance, health care providers need to consider these variables.

Menopause: highlighting the effects of resistance training.

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Leite, R D; Prestes, J; Pereira, G B; Shiguemoto, G E; Perez, S E A

2010-11-01

The increase in lifespan and in the proportion of elderly women has increased the focus on menopause induced physiological alterations. These modifications are associated with the elevated risk of several pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, non-alcoholic fat liver disease, among others. Because of estrogen levels decline, many tissue and organs (muscular, bone, adipose tissue and liver) are affected. Additionally, body composition suffers important modifications. In this sense, there is a growing body of concern in understanding the physiological mechanisms involved and establishing strategies to prevent and reverse the effects of menopause. The hormone reposition therapy, diet and physical exercise have been recommended. Among the diverse exercise modalities, resistance training is not commonly used as a therapeutic intervention in the treatment of menopause. Thus, the aim of this review was to analyze the physiological alterations on several organs and systems induced by menopause and ovariectomy (experimental model to reproduce menopause), as well as, to study the effects of resistance training in preventing and reverting these modifications. In conclusion, resistance training promotes beneficial effects on several organs and systems, mainly, on muscular, bone and adipose tissue, allowing for a better quality of life in this population.

Family medicine physicians' advice about use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management.

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Grant, Kathryn; Burg, Mary Ann; Fraser, Kathryn; Gui, Serena; Kosch, Shae Graham; Nierenberg, Barry; Oyama, Oliver; Pomm, Heidi; Sibille, Kimberly; Spruill, Timothy; Swartz, Virginia

2007-05-01

This study explores the beliefs and practices of family medicine physicians regarding the use of nonconventional modalities for menopausal symptom management. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to faculty and residents from eight participating family medicine residency programs around Florida, with an overall response rate of 66% (212 respondents). The survey explored what physicians report about patterns of patient inquiries and their responses to patients' inquiries about nonconventional modalities for specific menopausal symptoms and what physicians' report on their advice to patients about using specific herbs and supplements for menopausal symptom relief. Behavioral approaches were encouraged more than herbal therapies, acupuncture, and body therapies for the treatment of most of the menopausal symptoms. However, the most frequent response category was No advice. Resident physicians were significantly more likely than faculty to encourage acupuncture. Faculty physicians were more likely than residents to recommend particular herbal remedies. The majority of the respondents believed there was not sufficient evidence for recommending any of the herbs and supplements listed. These data reveal some important trends about how family medicine physicians respond to nontraditional approaches for menopausal symptom management. Because family medicine physicians typically receive some training in behavioral and psychotherapeutic approaches and there is some evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral strategies in menopausal symptom management, it is not surprising that they are more likely to endorse these approaches. Most family medicine physicians, however, have little or no training in the other nonconventional modalities, and our data show that these modalities received lower levels of endorsement, suggesting that physicians are not clear on their advantages or disadvantages.

Attitudes toward menopause in HIV-infected and at-risk women

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Diana Hartel

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Diana Hartel1, Yungtai Lo1, Carolyn Bauer2, Nancy Budner1, Andrea A Howard1, Michelle Floris-Moore1, Julia H Arnsten1,2, Nanette Santoro3, Ellie E Schoenbaum1,2,31Departments of Epidemiology and Population Health, 2Medicine, and 3Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USAObjective: To study attitudes toward menopause in women with or at risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV aged 35 to 60 in New York City, NY, USA.Design: Data were obtained at the baseline interview in a cohort study of menopause. Of 502 participating women, 92 were postmenopausal and 162 were perimenopausal.Results: Overall, 37.5% of women had a relatively favorable attitude toward menopause. African Americans had a 72% greater odds of a positive attitude (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.16–2.57 than all other groups after adjusting for covariates. Hispanic women had the least favorable view of menopause. Experience of >3 menopausal symptoms and negative life events—being a witness to a murder, and the death of a child—were significantly associated with negative attitudes towards menopause (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.42–0.93 and OR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.43–0.93, respectively. Depressive symptoms, street drug use, and having a domestic partner, which is significant in single variable analyses, did not remain independent predictors in multivariate results. HIV status, menopause status, and age at interview were not associated with menopause attitudes.Conclusions: HIV-infected, drug-using, low-income women showed generally unfavorable attitudes towards menopause. High stress life events coupled with a high prevalence of depressive symptoms indicate this population has special needs marked by the menopause transition into older age.Keywords: menopause, attitudes, HIV, street drug users

The menopausal experience among indigenous women of Sarawak, Malaysia.

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Syed Alwi, S A R; Lee, P Y; Awi, I; Mallik, P S; Md Haizal, M N

2009-12-01

To document the common menopausal symptoms and quality of life in indigenous women of Sarawak in Malaysia. A face-to-face interview using the Menopause-specific Quality of Life questionnaire was conducted with 276 indigenous Sarawakian women aged 40-65 years to determine the mean age of menopause and common symptoms (divided into vasomotor, psychosocial, physical and sexual domains) associated with menopause. The mean age at menopause of postmenopausal women was 50.78 +/- 2.47 years (range 47.3-58.2 years). The most common symptoms reported were aching in muscles and joints (82.6%), lack of energy (77.5%) and low backache (77.2%). The typical menopausal symptoms of hot flushes, night sweats, sweating and vaginal dryness were experienced by 42.4%, 34.8%, 29.7% and 49.3%, respectively of the women studied. Perimenopausal women (n = 114) experienced the most physical and psychosocial symptoms, while postmenopausal women (n = 102) experienced most sexual symptoms. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women were reported to suffer more than premenopausal women (p < 0.001) within the four domains of symptoms (vasomotor, psychosocial, physical and sexual). The menopausal symptoms in this study correspond to those in other studies on Asian women but the prevalence of typical and classical menopausal symptoms was lower compared to studies on Caucasian women. The perimenopausal women had the most significant decrease in quality of life, followed by postmenopausal women and premenopausal women. Vasomotor symptoms had a predominant influence on the quality of life.

Effects of self-reported age at nonsurgical menopause on time to first fracture and bone mineral density in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study.

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Sullivan, Shannon D; Lehman, Amy; Thomas, Fridtjof; Johnson, Karen C; Jackson, Rebecca; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Ko, Marcia; Chen, Zhao; Curb, J David; Howard, Barbara V

2015-10-01

Menopause is a risk factor for fracture; thus, menopause age may affect bone mass and fracture rates. We compared bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture rates among healthy postmenopausal women with varying ages at self-reported nonsurgical menopause. We compared hazard ratios for fractures and differences in BMD among 21,711 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study cohort who had no prior hysterectomy, oophorectomy, or hormone therapy and had varying self-reported ages at menopause (menopause age groups. After multivariable adjustments for known risk factors for fracture, women who underwent menopause before age 40 years had a higher fracture risk at any site compared with women who underwent menopause at age 50 years or older (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.44; P = 0.03). In a subset with BMD measurements (n = 1,351), whole-body BMD was lower in women who reported menopause before age 40 years than in women who reported menopause at ages 40 to 49 years (estimated difference, -0.034 g/cm; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.004; P = 0.03) and women who reported menopause at age 50 years or older (estimated difference, -0.05 g/cm; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.02; P menopause before age 40 years than in women who underwent menopause at age 50 years or older (estimated difference, -0.05 g/cm; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.01; P = 0.01), and total spine BMD was lower in women who underwent menopause before age 40 years than in women who underwent menopause at age 50 years or older (estimated difference, -0.11 g/cm; 95% CI, -0.16 to -0.06; P menopause at ages 40 to 49 years (estimated difference, -0.09 g/cm; 95% CI, -0.15 to -0.04; P menopause may be a risk factor contributing to decreased BMD and increased fracture risk in healthy postmenopausal women. Our data suggest that menopause age should be taken into consideration, along with other osteoporotic risk factors, when estimating fracture risk in postmenopausal women.

Distress During the Menopause Transition

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Marcianna Nosek

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In 2010, nearly 400 million women worldwide were of menopause age (45-54. Although many women transition through menopause with ease, some experience distress and a subsequent decrease in quality of life. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of distress in women during the menopause transition. A narrative analysis methodology was used maintaining participants’ complete narratives when possible. In-person interviews of 15 midlife women were digitally audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Women shared narratives of distress related to menstrual changes, emotional instability, vaginal dryness, and decreased libido affected by their relationships with self, partners, work, and family. Some experiences were presented against a backdrop of the past and influenced by concerns for the future. Detailed stories illuminated the effect that distressful symptoms had on quality of life and captured how intricately woven symptoms were with the women’s interpersonal and social lives.

Risk Assessment: Factors Contributing to Discomfort for Menopausal Women in Workplace

OpenAIRE

Jafari, Mehdi; Seifi, Bahar; Heidari, Mohammad

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to review the Factors contributing to discomfort for menopausal women in workplace and the perceived effects of working conditions on menopausal symptoms, and to produce recommendations for managers and women. This study was a review article. We searched PubMed and Science Direct for articles related to menopause and workplace. Keywords included: menopause AND workplace OR occupational health or menopausal women AND managers. Because we aimed to update the litera...

Does menopause influence nocturnal awakening with headache?

Science.gov (United States)

Lucchesi, L M; Hachul, H; Yagihara, F; Santos-Silva, R; Tufik, S; Bittencourt, L

2013-06-01

The aim of the present study was to assess whether menopausal status influences the occurrence of nocturnal awakening with headache (NAH) in the female population of Sao Paulo, Brazil. We also examined the relationship of this complaint to sociodemographic determinants, hot flushes, sleep quality and parameters, anxiety and depressive symptoms, somnolence and fatigue according to menopausal status. The female population of the Sao Paulo Epidemiologic Sleep Study (EPISONO) (n = 576) was divided according to menopausal status (pre-, peri-, early and late menopause) based on questionnaires and hormonal blood measures. The complaint of waking up because of a headache at least once a week was assessed by the UNIFESP Sleep questionnaire. Additionally, hot flushes, sleep complaints, anxiety and depressive symptoms, somnolence and fatigue were assessed by specific questionnaires. A full-night polysomnography assessed sleep parameters. The prevalence of NAH in women in the Sao Paulo population was 13.3%. Perimenopause was associated with a higher risk of having NAH (odds ratio 13.9; 95% confidence interval 4.3-45.2). More complaints of NAH were observed in obese women. All the groups with NAH showed more hot flushes, worse subjective sleep quality, more complaints of insomnia, anxiety symptoms and fatigue. We observed a constellation of symptoms in women according to menopausal status and NAH that included hot flushes, sleep complaints, more anxiety symptoms and fatigue. Moreover, some of these symptoms were more frequent in perimenopausal women with NAH. Therefore, we concluded that menopausal status influences NAH and the women in perimenopause presented a high risk of having this complaint.

Voices from the Hilo Women's Health Study: talking story about menopause.

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Morrison, Lynn A; Brown, Daniel E; Sievert, Lynnette L; Reza, Angela; Rahberg, Nichole; Mills, Phoebe; Goodloe, Amber

2014-05-01

Our purpose in conducting this qualitative study was to examine how a multiethnic sample of women living in Hilo, Hawai'i, describe menopause. Interviews were conducted with 185 pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women aged 45 to 55. We found that pre-menopausal women felt anxious compared with peri- and post-menopausal women's more affirmative attitudes of increasing confidence and freedom in this new cycle of life. A dominant theme was the construction of a post-menstrual identity. Peri-and post-menopausal women's attitudes were not biomedically oriented. Local culture and the island lifestyle may provide a positive atmosphere for women going through menopause.

A review of effective herbal medicines in controlling menopausal symptoms

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Kargozar, Rahele; Azizi, Hoda; Salari, Roshanak

2017-01-01

Background Acute menopausal syndrome especially hot flashes, is one of the most common gynecological problems during menopause. Due to the side effects of hormone therapy, herbal and complementary medicines are always of immense interest to people in the treatment and management of the symptoms and complications of menopause. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms and effects of medicinal plants employed in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Methods This review article was carried out by examining clinical trial studies between the period of 1994 and 2016. The keywords, which include menopause, climacteric, hot flushes, flashes, herb and phytoestrogens were used to search for herbal medicines used in clinical trials for the treatment of menopausal symptoms using databases such as PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Google scholar, SID and Magiran. Results The results of the study showed that the medicinal plants, which include Sage herb (Salvia officinalis), Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), Valerina officinalis, Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), Black cumin (Nigella sativa), Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), Ginkgo biloba, Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Hypericum perforatum, Panax ginseng, Pimpinella anisum, Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Passiflora incarnata, Red clover (Trifolium pratense), and Glycine soja were effective in the treatment of acute menopausal syndrome with different mechanisms. Conclusion Medicinal plants can play an imperative role in the treatment of acute menopausal syndrome; however, further studies are required to buttress their efficacy in the treatment of acute menopausal syndrome. PMID:29403626

Vaginal microbiota in menopause

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Martinus Tarina

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The human vagina together with its resident, microbiota, comprise a dynamic ecosystem. Normal microbiota is dominated by Lactobacillus species, and pathogen microbiota such as Gardnerella species and Bacteroides species can occur due to decrease in Lactobacillus domination. Lactobacillus plays an essential role in keeping normal vaginal microbiota in balance. Vaginal microbiota adapts to pH change and hormonal value. Changes in the vaginal microbiota over a woman’s lifespan will influence the colonization of pathogenic microbes. They include changes in child, puberty, reproductive state, menopause, and postmenopause. Estrogen levels change will affect the colonization of pathogenic microbium, leading to genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Vulvovaginal atrophy is often found in postmenopausal women, and dominated by L. iners, Anaerococcus sp, Peptoniphilus sp, Prevotella sp, and Streptococcus sp. The normal vaginal microbiota’s imbalance in menopause will cause diseases such as bacterial vaginosis, and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis due to hormonal therapies. Changes in the vaginal microbiota due to bacterial vaginosis are characterized by decrease in H2O2-producing Lactobacillus. They are also caused by the increase in numbers and concentration of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, and other anaerob species such as Peptostreptococci, Prevotella spp, and Mobiluncus spp.

Randomised controlled trial of reflexology for menopausal symptoms.

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Williamson, Jan; White, Adrian; Hart, Anna; Ernst, Edzard

2002-09-01

Clinical experience suggests that reflexology may have beneficial effects on the symptoms occurring in menopausal women, particularly psychological symptoms. This study aims to examine that effect rigorously. Randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms. School of Complementary Health in Exeter, Devon, UK. Seventy-six women, aged between 45 and 60 years, reporting menopausal symptoms. Women were randomised to receive nine sessions of either reflexology or nonspecific foot massage (control) by four qualified reflexologists given over a period of 19 weeks. The Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ), the primary measures being the subscores for anxiety and depression. Severity (visual analogue scale, VAS) and frequency of flushes and night sweats. Mean (SD) scores for anxiety fell from 0.43 (0.29) to 0.22 (0.25) in the reflexology group and from 0.37 (0.27) to 0.27 (0.29) in the control group over the course of treatment. Mean (SD) scores for depression fell from 0.37 (0.25) to 0.20 (0.24) in the reflexology group and from 0.36 (0.23) to 0.20 (0.21) in the control (foot massage) group over the same period. For both scores there was strong evidence of a time effect (P 0.2). Similar changes were found for severity of hot flushes and night sweats. In the control group, 14/37 believed they had not received true reflexology. Foot reflexology was not shown to be more effective than non-specific foot massage in the treatment of psychological symptoms occurring during the menopause.

Parity and age at menopause in a Danish sample

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeune, B

1986-01-01

A random sample of 151 Danish women who had undergone natural menopause reported the age at which this occurred and answered a questionnaire. A significant association was found between parity and age at menopause after correction for the effects of age at the first and last births, weight, smoking...... and occupation. However, there is no evidence that the age at menopause has fallen in recent decades, even though the average parity in developed populations has dropped dramatically over this period. It is therefore possible that potential fertility is a confounding variable in the relationship between parity...... and age at menopause....

[Menopause: Hypertension and vascular disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Zilberman, J M

Hypertension is the main cardiovascular risk factor affecting 25% of women. Hormone changes and hypertension after menopause may lead to higher target organ damage and cardiovascular disease such as increased arterial stiffness, coronary diseases, chronic heart failure and stroke. The physiopathological mechanisms involved in the development of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in menopausal women are controversial. There are pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences in both sexes, the women have more coughing when using the converting-enzyme inhibitors, more cramps when using thiazide diuretics and more oedema in the inferior limbs when using calcium antagonists. The aim of this review is to analyse possible physiopathological mechanisms involved in hypertension after menopause and to gain a better understanding of the biological effects mediated by vascular ageing in women when the level of oestrogen protective effect decreases over the vascular system. Copyright © 2017 SEH-LELHA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A national probability survey of American Medical Association gynecologists and primary care physicians concerning menopause.

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Singh, Betsy; Liu, Xiao-Dong; Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Hardy, Mary; Singh, Vijay; Shepard, Neil; Gandhi, Sonal; Khorsan, Raheleh

2005-09-01

This survey intended to clarify physicians' understanding of the issues surrounding women, menopause, alternative medicine, and drug therapy for the treatment of menopause. This study was designed as a national probability sample survey of primary care physicians and gynecologists nationwide. Its focus was to identify major concerns and issues identified by patients about menopause and perceived communication with effectiveness how to communicate with their patients. Physicians were also asked to rate their comfort level in recommending the use of herbal remedies and which herbal remedy they felt comfortable recommending to interested patients. Data indicated that a patient's complaint about menopausal symptoms was the most common factor leading to discussion of menopausal issues with physicians (91%) and that the primary concern to the patient was management of menopausal symptoms. Other factors were controversies about hormone replacement therapy, long-term health implications of menopause, and hormone replacement therapy. Eighty percent of the physician found confusing messages with regard to menopause to be the most challenging aspect in patient communication. The second most challenging issue is "inconclusive data about hormone replacement therapy" (56%). Seventy-six percent of the physicians found "showing sympathy" to be the most important factor for the physicians to communicate effectively with patients, whereas "being honest and open" was the most important patient attitude cited for the same purpose. When it comes to herbal therapy for menopause symptom control, only 4% of the physicians indicated that none of their patients take any remedies. Only 18% were not very comfortable in discussing or recommending herbal therapies, whereas the rest ranged from fairly comfortable to completely comfortable. This study has provided data with regard to physician understanding of menopause treatment options and their primary interaction with patients on this issue

The 2017 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-01

The 2017 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) updates the 2012 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society and identifies future research needs. An Advisory Panel of clinicians and researchers expert in the field of women's health and menopause was recruited by NAMS to review the 2012 Position Statement, evaluate new literature, assess the evidence, and reach consensus on recommendations, using the level of evidence to identify the strength of recommendations and the quality of the evidence. The Panel's recommendations were reviewed and approved by the NAMS Board of Trustees.Hormone therapy (HT) remains the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and has been shown to prevent bone loss and fracture. The risks of HT differ depending on type, dose, duration of use, route of administration, timing of initiation, and whether a progestogen is used. Treatment should be individualized to identify the most appropriate HT type, dose, formulation, route of administration, and duration of use, using the best available evidence to maximize benefits and minimize risks, with periodic reevaluation of the benefits and risks of continuing or discontinuing HT.For women aged younger than 60 years or who are within 10 years of menopause onset and have no contraindications, the benefit-risk ratio is most favorable for treatment of bothersome VMS and for those at elevated risk for bone loss or fracture. For women who initiate HT more than 10 or 20 years from menopause onset or are aged 60 years or older, the benefit-risk ratio appears less favorable because of the greater absolute risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and dementia. Longer durations of therapy should be for documented indications such as persistent VMS or bone loss, with shared decision making and periodic reevaluation. For bothersome GSM symptoms not

Psychosocial Adjustment Needs of Menopausal Women | Dimkpa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychosocial adjustment needs of menopausal women. The population of the study consisted of 623 menopausal women who were out-patients in Federal Medical Centre and a private hospital in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State of. Nigeria. The sample ...

Psychometric attributes of the Cervantes short-form questionnaire for measuring health-related quality of life in menopausal women.

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Coronado, Pluvio J; Sánchez-Borrego, Rafael; Ruiz, Miguel A; Baquedano, Laura; Sánchez, Sonia; Argudo, Cristina; Fernández-Abellán, Mariela; González, Silvia; Iglesias, Eva; Calleja, Jackie; Presa, Jesus; Duque, Alfonso; Ruiz, Fernando; Otero, Borja; Rejas, Javier

2016-02-01

To analyse the psychometric properties of the Cervantes scale short-form (SF) in the peri- and post-menopausal periods. Outpatients women 45-65 years with menstrual problems associated with the climacteric syndrome were analysed. Original and SF versions of the Cervantes scale were administered along with the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (WPAI) scales. Conceptual model, burden of administration, feasibility, reliability, criteria validity and construct validity were assessed. 317 women [55.7±5.3 years (mean±standard deviation)] were recruited: 75.4% were post- and 22.3% were peri-menopausal. The Cervantes-SF was completed in 2.5±1.6min, and 86% answered all items. Cronbach's α was 0.820, and ranged from 0.510 (Aging) to 0.918 (Vasomotor Symptoms) for individual dimensions. The scale structure matched the structure of the original version, χ(2)/(degrees of freedom)=3.6, Comparative Fit Index=0.848, Tucker-Lewis Index=0.850, and root mean square error of approximation=0.099, although differences were found between sexual activity statuses. Criteria validity was good (r=0.890), concurrent validity was congruent with a priori hypothesis using either the EQ-5D or the WPAI scales. The scale discriminated significantly the severity of both vasomotor and genital climacteric associated symptoms. The Cervantes-SF has shown good psychometric properties for measuring Health related quality of life in peri- and post-menopausal women who regularly attended gynaecology clinics in Spain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age at menopause and incident heart failure: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

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Ebong, Imo A; Watson, Karol E; Goff, David C; Bluemke, David A; Srikanthan, Preethi; Horwich, Tamara; Bertoni, Alain G

2014-06-01

This study aims to evaluate the associations of early menopause (menopause occurring before age 45 years) and age at menopause with incident heart failure (HF) in postmenopausal women. We also explored the associations of early menopause and age at menopause with left ventricular (LV) measures of structure and function in postmenopausal women. We included 2,947 postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 84 years without known cardiovascular disease (2000-2002), from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations of early menopause and age at menopause with incident HF. In 2,123 postmenopausal women in whom cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was obtained at baseline, we explored the associations of early menopause and age at menopause with LV measures using multivariable linear regression. Across a median follow-up of 8.5 years, we observed 71 HF events. There were no significant interactions with ethnicity for incident HF (Pinteraction > 0.05). In adjusted analysis, early menopause was associated with an increased risk of incident HF (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.01-2.73), whereas every 1-year increase in age at menopause was associated with a decreased risk of incident HF (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99). We observed significant interactions between early menopause and ethnicity for LV mass-to-volume ratio (LVMVR; Pinteraction = 0.02). In Chinese-American women, early menopause was associated with a higher LVMVR (+0.11; P = 0.0002), whereas every 1-year increase in age at menopause was associated with a lower LVMVR (-0.004; P = 0.04) at baseline. Older age at menopause is independently associated with a decreased risk of incident HF. Concentric LV remodeling, indicated by a higher LVMVR, is present in Chinese-American women who experienced early menopause at baseline.

Familial concordance for age at natural menopause: results from the Breakthrough Generations Study.

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Morris, Danielle H; Jones, Michael E; Schoemaker, Minouk J; Ashworth, Alan; Swerdlow, Anthony J

2011-09-01

Existing estimates of the heritability of menopause age have a wide range. Furthermore, few studies have analyzed to what extent familial similarities might reflect shared environment, rather than shared genes. We therefore analyzed familial concordance for age at natural menopause and the effects of shared genetic and environmental factors on this concordance. Participants were 2,060 individuals comprising first-degree relatives, aged 31 to 90 years, and participating in the UK Breakthrough Generations Study. Menopause data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using logistic regression and variance-components models. Women were at an increased risk of early menopause (≤45 y) if their mother (odds ratio, 6.2; P menopause. Likewise, women had an increased risk of late menopause (≥54 y) if their relative had had a late menopause (mother: odds ratio, 6.1; P menopause age attributed to environmental factors shared by sisters. We confirm that early menopause aggregates within families and show, for the first time, that there is also strong familial concordance for late menopause. Both genes and shared environment were the source of variation in menopause age. Past heritability estimates have not accounted for shared environment, and thus, the effect of genetic variants on menopause age may previously have been overestimated.

Relationship between arsenic skin lesions and the age of natural menopause.

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Yunus, Fakir Md; Rahman, Musarrat Jabeen; Alam, Md Zahidul; Hore, Samar Kumar; Rahman, Mahfuzar

2014-05-02

Chronic exposure to arsenic is associated with neoplastic, cardiovascular, endocrine, neuro-developmental disorders and can have an adverse effect on women's reproductive health outcomes. This study examined the relationship between arsenic skin lesions (a hallmark sign of chronic arsenic poisoning) and age of natural menopause (final menopausal period) in populations with high levels of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh. We compared menopausal age in two groups of women--with and without arsenic skin lesions; and presence of arsenic skin lesions was used as an indicator for chronic arsenic exposure. In a cross-sectional study, a total of 210 participants were randomly identified from two ongoing studies--participants with arsenic skin lesions were identified from an ongoing clinical trial and participants with no arsenic skin lesions were identified from an ongoing cohort study. Mean age of menopause between these two groups were calculated and compared. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between the status of the arsenic skin lesions and age of natural menopause in women. Women with arsenic skin lesions were 1.5 years younger (p <0.001) at the time of menopause compared to those without arsenic skin lesions. After adjusting with contraceptive use, body mass index, urinary arsenic level and family history of premature menopause, the difference between the groups' age at menopause was 2.1 years earlier (p <0.001) for respondents with arsenic skin lesions. The study showed a statistically significant association between chronic exposure to arsenic and age at menopause. Heavily exposed women experienced menopause two years earlier than those with lower or no exposure.

Breast cancer and menopause: partners' perceptions and personal experiences--a pilot study.

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Sayakhot, Padaphet; Vincent, Amanda; Teede, Helena

2012-08-01

The aim of this study was to describe the partners' perceptions, understanding, and personal experiences of early menopause and menopausal therapy in women with breast cancer. A questionnaire study was completed by 50 partners of women with diagnoses of breast cancer, recruited via outpatient clinics and the community. Descriptive statistics and χ tests were applied. Most (68%) of the partners perceived hot flushes as the meaning of menopause. Most (60%) partners perceived that loss of sexuality was the key problem/fears about being menopausal. Partners perceived that exercise (72%) and reducing stress (64%) were most effective in alleviating symptoms of menopause. Most partners reported that they did not understand the risks/benefits of hormone therapy (50%), bioidentical hormones (90%), and herbal therapies (84%). The general practitioner was considered the best source of information on menopause (68%). Partners expected menopause to affect a women's everyday life and relationships with family and partner and, particularly, to cause intermittent stress on the relationship (66%) and to decrease libido or sexual interest (64%). Forty-four percent of partners reported that there was some difficulty in communication/discussion about menopause with family and partners. This pilot study highlights (1) the lack of understanding of menopause and menopausal therapies that partners of women with breast cancer have, (2) the personal experience of having a female partner with breast cancer, and (3) the partners' attitudes and responses toward menopause in women with breast cancer.

Perspectives on menopause and women with HIV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andany N

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nisha Andany,1 V Logan Kennedy,2 Muna Aden,2 Mona Loutfy1,2 1Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada Abstract: Since the implementation of effective combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection has been transformed from a life-threatening condition into a chronic disease. As people with HIV are living longer, aging and its associated manifestations have become key priorities as part of HIV care. For women with HIV, menopause is an important part of aging to consider. Women currently represent more than one half of HIV-positive individuals worldwide. Given the vast proportion of women living with HIV who are, and will be, transitioning through age-related life events, the interaction between HIV infection and menopause must be addressed by clinicians and researchers. Menopause is a major clinical event that is universally experienced by women, but affects each individual woman uniquely. This transitional time in women’s lives has various clinical implications including physical and psychological symptoms, and accelerated development and progression of other age-related comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive dysfunction, and bone mineral disease; all of which are potentially heightened by HIV or its treatment. Furthermore, within the context of HIV, there are the additional considerations of HIV acquisition and transmission risk, progression of infection, changes in antiretroviral pharmacokinetics, response, and toxicities. These menopausal manifestations and complications must be managed concurrently with HIV, while keeping in mind the potential influence of menopause on the prognosis of HIV infection itself. This results in additional complexity for clinicians caring for women living with HIV, and highlights the shifting paradigm in HIV care that must accompany this aging and evolving population

[Hypertension in women (contraception and menopause].

Science.gov (United States)

Beaufils, M

2000-11-01

There are three circumstances where hypertension develops specifically in women: oral contraception, pregnancy, and menopause. Oral contraception usually shifts the blood pressure moderately upwards, but hypertension appears in less than 5% of women. Still it may (rarely) be very severe. Hypertension is poorly related to the dosage of the estrogenic compound, but rather to the nature and dosage of the progestive part. This hypertension does not significantly increase the cardiovascular risk of these women. The role of menopause itself in the trigging of hypertension remains uncertain. It seems however that confounding factors such as age, body weight, sodium balance and so on explain the increased incidence of hypertension after menopause. The latter is also associated with an increase of cardiovascular risk, which requires adequate treatment. Hormone replacement therapy is not contra-indicated, even in hypertensive patients.

HISTOPATHOLOGY OF MARGINAL SUPERFICIAL PERIODONTIUM AT MENOPAUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Georgescu

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Premises: Sexual hormones may affect the general health condition of women, as early as puberty, continuing during pregnancy and also after menopause. Variations of the hormonal levels may cause different – either local or general – pathological modifications. Sexual hormones may also affect periodontal status, favourizing gingival inflammations and reducing periodontal resistance to the action of the bacterial plaque. Scope: Establishment of the correlations between the debut or the manifestation of menopause and the modifications produced in the superficial periodontium. Materials and method: Clinical and paraclinical investigations were performed on female patients with ages between 45 and 66 years, involving macroscopic, microscopic and radiological recording of the aspect of the superificial periodontium (gingiva. Results: Analysis of the histological sections evidenced atrophic and involutive modifications in the marginal superficial periodontium of female patients at menopause. Conclusions: Sexual hormones intervene in the histological equilibrium of the marginal superficial periodontium, influencing the periodontal health status, which explains the correlation between the subjective symptomatology specific to menopause and the histopatological aspect at epithelial level.

Vitamin D and calcium intake and risk of early menopause.

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Purdue-Smithe, Alexandra C; Whitcomb, Brian W; Szegda, Kathleen L; Boutot, Maegan E; Manson, JoAnn E; Hankinson, Susan E; Rosner, Bernard A; Troy, Lisa M; Michels, Karin B; Bertone-Johnson, Elizabeth R

2017-06-01

Background: Early menopause, defined as the cessation of ovarian function before the age of 45 y, affects ∼10% of women and is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and other conditions. Few modifiable risk factors for early menopause have been identified, but emerging data suggest that high vitamin D intake may reduce risk. Objective: We evaluated how intakes of vitamin D and calcium are associated with the incidence of early menopause in the prospective Nurses' Health Study II (NHS2). Design: Intakes of vitamin D and calcium from foods and supplements were measured every 4 y with the use of a food-frequency questionnaire. Cases of incident early menopause were identified from all participants who were premenopausal at baseline in 1991; over 1.13 million person-years, 2041 women reported having natural menopause before the age of 45 y. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to evaluate relations between intakes of vitamin D and calcium and incident early menopause while accounting for potential confounding factors. Results: After adjustment for age, smoking, and other factors, women with the highest intake of dietary vitamin D (quintile median: 528 IU/d) had a significant 17% lower risk of early menopause than women with the lowest intake [quintile median: 148 IU/d; HR: 0.83 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.95); P -trend = 0.03]. Dietary calcium intake in the highest quintile (median: 1246 mg/d) compared with the lowest (median: 556 mg/d) was associated with a borderline significantly lower risk of early menopause (HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.00; P -trend = 0.03). Associations were stronger for vitamin D and calcium from dairy sources than from nondairy dietary sources, whereas high supplement use was not associated with lower risk. Conclusions: Findings suggest that high intakes of dietary vitamin D and calcium may be modestly associated with a lower risk of early menopause. Further studies evaluating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, other

Outcome Rating Scale and Session Rating Scale in Psychological Practice: Clinical Utility of Ultra-Brief Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Alistair; Hemsley, Samantha

2009-01-01

The validity and reliability of the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) and the Session Rating Scale (SRS) were evaluated against existing longer measures, including the Outcome Questionnaire-45, Working Alliance Inventory, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Quality of Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and General Self-efficacy Scale. The measures…

Aging, not menopause, is associated with higher prevalence of hyperuricemia among older women.

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Krishnan, Eswar; Bennett, Mihoko; Chen, Linjun

2014-11-01

This work aims to study the associations, if any, of hyperuricemia, gout, and menopause status in the US population. Using multiyear data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we performed unmatched comparisons and one to three age-matched comparisons of women aged 20 to 70 years with and without hyperuricemia (serum urate ≥6 mg/dL). Analyses were performed using survey-weighted multiple logistic regression and conditional logistic regression, respectively. Overall, there were 1,477 women with hyperuricemia. Age and serum urate were significantly correlated. In unmatched analyses (n = 9,573 controls), postmenopausal women were older, were heavier, and had higher prevalence of renal impairment, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. In multivariable regression, after accounting for age, body mass index, glomerular filtration rate, and diuretic use, menopause was associated with hyperuricemia (odds ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.05-1.76; P = 0.002). In corresponding multivariable regression using age-matched data (n = 4,431 controls), the odds ratio for menopause was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.83-1.06). Current use of hormone therapy was not associated with prevalent hyperuricemia in both unmatched and matched analyses. Age is a better statistical explanation for the higher prevalence of hyperuricemia among older women than menopause status.

Predicting age at menopause from serum antimüllerian hormone concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani; Shakeri, Nezhat; Solaymani-Dodaran, Masoud; Azizi, Fereidoun

2011-07-01

We aimed to estimate age at menopause using serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) concentration. We randomly selected 266 study participants from a pool of 1,265 eligible women in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study cohort. We measured AMH levels three times at about 3-year intervals. There were 63 occurrences of menopause in our participants over an average of 6-year follow-up. We built an accelerated failure time model using serum AMH level at the start of follow-up to estimate age at menopause. The goodness of fit for the model was tested using Cox-Snell residuals and the Bland-Altman plot. We estimated ages at menopause for different levels of serum AMH concentration among women aged 20 to 49 years. For those who reached menopause, serum AMH concentrations about 6 years before the event provided fairly accurate estimates of the age at menopause. The Bland-Altman plot showed an acceptable agreement between predicted and observed values. Serum AMH concentrations can reasonably forecast the age at menopause for individual women.

Mammography dose in relation to body mass index, race, and menopausal status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schubauer-Berigan, M.K.; Frey, G.D.; Baron, L.; Hoel, D.G

2002-07-01

Mammography dose increases with compressed breast thickness (CBT), but few studies have examined other correlates of dose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between factors such as race, age, body mass index (BMI), CBT, and menopausal status and mammography screening dose, measured for 509 women in a US population. A multiple linear regression model was developed for dose, based on consideration of these factors as well as examination characteristics. BMI and number of films during examination were positively related to dose. After adjusting for these factors, high CBT also leads to higher dose. Whites receive lower doses than black women, but differences are slight after controlling for the effects of CBT and BMI, which were significantly higher among black women. Pre-menopausal women receive higher doses, after adjusting for all other factors, than post-menopausal women. Jointly, these factors account for approximately 75% to 80% of the variability in dose among this study population. Because rates of overweight are increasing in the US, average doses from mammography may be increasing as well. (author)

Mammography dose in relation to body mass index, race, and menopausal status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schubauer-Berigan, M.K.; Frey, G.D.; Baron, L.; Hoel, D.G.

2002-01-01

Mammography dose increases with compressed breast thickness (CBT), but few studies have examined other correlates of dose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between factors such as race, age, body mass index (BMI), CBT, and menopausal status and mammography screening dose, measured for 509 women in a US population. A multiple linear regression model was developed for dose, based on consideration of these factors as well as examination characteristics. BMI and number of films during examination were positively related to dose. After adjusting for these factors, high CBT also leads to higher dose. Whites receive lower doses than black women, but differences are slight after controlling for the effects of CBT and BMI, which were significantly higher among black women. Pre-menopausal women receive higher doses, after adjusting for all other factors, than post-menopausal women. Jointly, these factors account for approximately 75% to 80% of the variability in dose among this study population. Because rates of overweight are increasing in the US, average doses from mammography may be increasing as well. (author)

Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms in Menopausal Arab Women: Shedding More Light on a Complex Relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Bener, A; Saleh, N M; Bakir, A; Bhugra, D

2016-01-01

The association between depression, anxiety, and stress among Arab menopause and postmenopausal women have been explored in detailed. The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between depression, anxiety, and stress in menopausal and postmenopausal women and shedding more light on a complex relationship. A cross-sectional descriptive study was used to generate menopause symptoms experienced by Arabian women at the primary health care centers in Qatar. A representative sample of 1468 women aged 45-65 years were approached during July 2012 and May 2014 and 1101 women agreed to participate (75.0%) and responded to the study. Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21. Data on body mass index (BMI), clinical and other parameters were used. Univariate, multivariate, and matrix correlation analysis were performed for statistical analysis. A total of 1101 women agreed to participate after informed consent was obtained. The mean age and standard deviation (SD) of the menopausal age were 49.55 (3.12), the mean and SD of postmenopausal age was 58.08 (3.26) ( P stress among menopause and postmenopause. The multivariate regression analyses revealed that age in years, diastolic BP, consanguinity, regular exercise were a predictor for depression. Meanwhile, diastolic BP, occupation, and physical activity considered the main risk factors for anxiety. Furthermore, age in years, occupation, and sheesha smoking habits were considered as the main risk factors associated with stress. A large number of factors were associated with experiencing menopausal and psycho-social problems and which had negative effects on the quality of life among Arabian women. Depression, anxiety, and stress should be considered as important risk factors for osteoporosis.

Should symptomatic menopausal women be offered hormone therapy?

Science.gov (United States)

Lobo, Rogerio A; Bélisle, Serge; Creasman, William T; Frankel, Nancy R; Goodman, Neil E; Hall, Janet E; Ivey, Susan Lee; Kingsberg, Sheryl; Langer, Robert; Lehman, Rebecca; McArthur, Donna Behler; Montgomery-Rice, Valerie; Notelovitz, Morris; Packin, Gary S; Rebar, Robert W; Rousseau, MaryEllen; Schenken, Robert S; Schneider, Diane L; Sherif, Katherine; Wysocki, Susan

2006-01-01

Many physicians remain uncertain about prescribing hormone therapy for symptomatic women at the onset of menopause. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) convened a multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers to discuss the efficacy and risks of hormone therapy for symptomatic women, and to determine whether it would be appropriate to treat women at the onset of menopause who were complaining of menopausal symptoms. Numerous controlled clinical trials consistently demonstrate that hormone therapy, administered via oral, transdermal, or vaginal routes, is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms. Topical vaginal formulations of hormone therapy should be preferred when prescribing solely for the treatment of symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy. Data from the Women's Health Initiative indicate that the overall attributable risk of invasive breast cancer in women receiving estrogen plus progestin was 8 more cases per 10,000 women-years. No increased risk for invasive breast cancer was detected for women who never used hormone therapy in the past or for those receiving estrogen only. Hormone therapy is not effective for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and that the risk of cardiovascular disease with hormone therapy is principally in older women who are considerably postmenopause. Healthy symptomatic women should be offered the option of hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms. Symptom relief with hormone therapy for many younger women (at the onset of menopause) with menopausal symptoms outweighs the risks and may provide an overall improvement in quality of life. Hormone therapy should be individualized for symptomatic women. This involves tailoring the regimen and dose to individual needs.

[Hypertension in women after menopause].

Science.gov (United States)

Beaufils, Michel

2006-06-01

Menopause coincides with an increase in the incidence of hypertension in women. A direct role of estrogen deprivation in this increased blood pressure remains a topic of debate. Menopause probably accelerates the arterial changes related to aging. Hormone replacement therapy does not influence blood pressure significantly and is not contraindicated in hypertensive women. The effect of hormone replacement treatment on cardiovascular risk was recently the object of controversy. It does not increase risk except in cases of late treatment in older women who already have atherosclerosis. Hypertension management in women is otherwise similar to management in men.

Managing menopause: a critical feminist engagement.

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Guillemin, M N

1999-12-01

Feminist critiques of menopause have been beneficial in opening up important public health debates around menopause. One of the most contentious public health issues concerns the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the prevention of osteoporosis, heart disease and, more recently, Alzheimer's disease, in postmenopausal women. For preventive purposes, it is recommended that women should take HRT for 10-15 years and preferably remain on the therapy for the remainder of their lives. This is despite reported increased cancer risks associated with HRT, side effects and considerable cost of the therapy. Various studies have shown that up to 50% of women stop taking HRT after 9-12 months. These figures are used in the medical literature as an indication of women's non-compliance. Extending earlier feminist critiques around menopause and HRT, this paper discusses a critical feminist engagement around issues of women's perceived non-compliance with HRT.

CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF SELF-REPORTED AGE AT MENOPAUSE AMONG COMMUNITY DWELLING WOMEN

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Heather F.; Northington, Gina M.; Kaye, Elise M.; Bogner, Hillary R.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between chronic medical conditions and reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause among community-dwelling women. METHOD Age at menopause was assessed in a population-based longitudinal survey of 240 women twice, in 1993 and 2004. Women who recalled age at menopause in 2004 within one year or less of the age at menopause recalled in 1993 (concordant) were compared with women who did not recall of age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year of age at menopause recalled in 1993 (discordant). Type of menopause (surgical or natural) and chronic medical conditions were assessed by self-report. RESULTS One hundred and forty three women (59.6%) reported surgical menopause and 97 (40.4%) reported natural menopause. In all, 130 (54.2%) of women recalled age at menopause in 2004 within one year or less of recalled age at menopause in 1994 while 110 (45.8%) women did not recall age at menopause in 2004 within one year or less of recalled age at menopause in 1994. Among women with surgical menopause, women with three or more medical conditions were less likely to have concordant recall of age at menopause than women with less than three chronic medical conditions (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.15, 0.91]) in multivariate models controlling for potentially influential characteristics including cognition and years from menopause. CONCLUSIONS Among women who underwent surgical menopause, the presence of three or more medical conditions is associated with decreased reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause. PMID:21971208

Chronic medical conditions and reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause among community-dwelling women.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Heather F; Northington, Gina M; Kaye, Elise M; Bogner, Hillary R

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine the association between chronic medical conditions and reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause among community-dwelling women. Age at menopause was assessed in a population-based longitudinal survey of 240 women twice, in 1993 and 2004. Women who recalled age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year or less of age at menopause recalled in 1993 (concordant) were compared with women who did not recall age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year of age at menopause recalled in 1993 (discordant). Type of menopause (surgical or natural) and chronic medical conditions were assessed by self-report. One hundred forty-three women (59.6%) reported surgical menopause, and 97 (40.4%) reported natural menopause. In all, 130 (54.2%) women recalled age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year or less of recalled age at menopause in 1994, whereas 110 (45.8%) women did not recall age at menopause in 2004 within 1 year or less of recalled age at menopause in 1994. Among the women with surgical menopause, the women with three or more medical conditions were less likely to have concordant recall of age at menopause than the women with less than three chronic medical conditions (adjusted odds ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.15-0.91) in multivariate models controlling for potentially influential characteristics including cognition and years since menopause. Among women who underwent surgical menopause, the presence of three or more medical conditions is associated with decreased reproducibility of self-reported age at menopause.

Heritability of menopausal age in mothers and daughters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Asselt, Kristel M.; Kok, Helen S.; Pearson, Peter L.; Dubas, Judith S.; Peeters, Petra H. M.; te Velde, Egbert R.; van Noord, Paulus A. H.

2004-01-01

Objective: To determine the heritability of age at natural menopause from mother-daughter pairs. Design: Two-generation families were selected to study heritability of menopausal age. Setting: Subjects were drawn from a population-based study. Patient(s): One hundred sixty-four mother-daughter pairs

Exploring Australian Aboriginal Women’s experiences of menopause: a descriptive study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Despite extensive literature demonstrating differing experiences in menopause around the world, documentation of the experience of menopause in Australian Aboriginal women is scarce, and thus their menopausal experience is relatively unknown. This study aimed to understand Australian Aboriginal women’s understanding and experience of menopause and its impact on their lives. Methods The study was an exploratory qualitative study. Twenty-five Aboriginal women were recruited from a regional centre in the Mid-West region of Western Australia using opportunistic and snowballing sampling. Interviews and focus group discussions were undertaken from February 2011 to February 2012 using open-ended questioning with a yarning technique. Thematic analysis was undertaken of the transcribed interviews. Results A number of themes were revealed. These related to the language used, meanings and attitudes to menopause, symptoms experienced, the role of men, a lack of understanding, coping mechanisms and the attribution of menopausal changes to something else. The term “change of life” was more widely recognised and signified the process of ageing, and an associated gain of respect in the local community. A fear of menopausal symptoms or uncertainty about their origin was also common. Overall, many women reported insufficient understanding and a lack of available information to assist them and their family to understand the transition. Conclusion There are similarities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal experiences of menopause, including similar symptom profiles. The current language used within mainstream health settings may not be appropriate to this population if it fails to recognise the importance of language and reflect the attributed meaning of menopause. The fear of symptoms and uncertainty of their relationship to menopause demonstrated a need for more information which has not adequately been supplied to Australian Aboriginal women through current

Oxidative stress of crystalline lens in rat menopausal model

OpenAIRE

Acer, Semra; Pekel, Gökhan; Küçükatay, Vural; Karabulut, Aysun; Yağcı, Ramazan; Çetin, Ebru Nevin; Akyer, Şahika Pınar; Şahin, Barbaros

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate lenticular oxidative stress in rat menopausal models. Methods: Forty Wistar female albino rats were included in this study. A total of thirty rats underwent oophorectomy to generate a menopausal model. Ten rats that did not undergo oophorectomy formed the control group (Group 1). From the rats that underwent oophorectomy, 10 formed the menopause control group (Group 2), 10 were administered a daily injection of methylprednisolone until the end of the study (Gro...

Menopause and postmenopausal hormone therapy and risk of hearing loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Curhan, Sharon G; Eliassen, A Heather; Eavey, Roland D; Wang, Molin; Lin, Brian M; Curhan, Gary C

2017-09-01

Menopause may be a risk factor for hearing loss, and postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) has been proposed to slow hearing decline; however, there are no large prospective studies. We prospectively examined the independent relations between menopause and postmenopausal HT and risk of self-reported hearing loss. Prospective cohort study among 80,972 women in the Nurses' Health Study II, baseline age 27 to 44 years, followed from 1991 to 2013. Baseline and updated information was obtained from detailed validated biennial questionnaires. Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to examine independent associations between menopausal status and postmenopausal HT and risk of hearing loss. After 1,410,928 person-years of follow-up, 18,558 cases of hearing loss were reported. There was no significant overall association between menopausal status, natural or surgical, and risk of hearing loss. Older age at natural menopause was associated with higher risk. The multivariable-adjusted relative risk of hearing loss among women who underwent natural menopause at age 50+ years compared with those aged less than 50 years was 1.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03, 1.17). Among postmenopausal women, oral HT (estrogen therapy or estrogen plus progestogen therapy) was associated with higher risk of hearing loss, and longer duration of use was associated with higher risk (P trend menopause and longer duration of postmenopausal HT are associated with higher risk of hearing loss.

The menopause transition experiences of Chinese Singaporean women: an exploratory qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Hui-Koon; Mackey, Sandra

2012-06-01

Menopause, a developmental occurrence that takes place in midlife, marks the end of a woman's fertile phase. Cultural norms, social influences, and personal perceptions related to menopause may influence its meaning and how each woman experiences this transition. Little is known about the menopausal experiences of Asian women. This study explores the menopause transition experiences of ethnic Chinese women in Singapore. Using a qualitative design, the researchers conducted audio-taped interviews in 2010 with 14 menopausal and postmenopausal Chinese Singaporean women aged 40-60 years. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interviews. Two main themes were identified: (a) experiencing symptoms and (b) managing symptoms during menopause transition. The most commonly reported symptoms were abnormal bleeding, hot flushes, and emotional changes. Most participants described their transition to be uneventful and ordinary and reported two significant symptoms at most. The strategies women used to manage their transition included using Western and traditional Chinese medical interventions and seeking support from family and friends. This study provides new insights into how ethnic Chinese women in Singapore experience menopause transition. Findings can assist nurses and healthcare workers in the local context to better understand menopausal women's needs and guide nurses to implement suitable health promotional strategies for women under their care in both hospital and community settings. Although ethnicity is not necessarily a determinant of symptom experience during menopause transition, health education for menopausal women should be based on knowledge of culture-specific practices. Nurses caring for menopausal women in hospital and community settings in Singapore should evaluate the use of medications prescribed by Western and Chinese herbal medical professionals as well as those that are self-prescribed.

Self-Reported Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment Compared with Cognitive Complaints following Menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, Jennifer N; Dumas, Julie; Newhouse, Paul

2018-06-15

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is commonly reported following the administration of cancer treatment. Current longitudinal studies, primarily in women with breast cancer, suggest that up to 35%-60% of patients exhibit persistent CRCI (pCRCI) following completion of chemotherapy. Complaints of subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are also commonly reported by women during and following the menopause transition in non-cancer patients. Although the majority of evidence for cognitive difficulties in cancer patients and survivors is attributed to chemotherapy, there is growing evidence to suggest that menopausal status can also influence cognitive function in cancer patients. Given that menopausal status may be contributing to pCRCI, we compared a group of primarily post-menopausal women with pCRCI to two groups of post-menopausal women: women who endorse menopause-associated SCD (maSCD+) and women who do not (maSCD-) to explore the similarities/differences between maSCD and pCRCI and the potential role of menopause in pCRCI. pCRCI participants report more severe SCD symptoms than women after natural menopause, despite being on average 2.5-years post-chemotherapy, supporting previous findings that CRCI can persist for months to years after completing treatment. pCRCI participants not only endorsed greater SCD, but also exhibited objective performance differences. In addition, pCRCI participants endorsed significantly greater menopausal symptoms compared to either maSCD group. Results were not related to menopausal status prior to chemotherapy or current endocrine therapy use. These results suggest that while menopausal symptoms may contribute to SCD experienced by cancer patients after chemotherapy, they do not fully account for pCRCI. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Sexual function among married menopausal women in Amol (Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shabnam Omidvar

2011-01-01

Conclusion: Findings revealed high percentage of sexual desire disorder and sexual arousal disorder in menopausal women. Therefore, we should have emphasis on counseling and education about sexual activities during the menopause period.

Exploring Black-White Differences in the Relationship Between Inflammation and Timing of Menopause.

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Nowakowski, Alexandra C H; Graves, Katelyn Y

2017-06-01

Understanding the biosocial context of menopausal timing offers insight into social and health inequalities. Prior research on inflammatory chronic conditions suggests that inflammation may predict how early women experience menopause. We explore the ability of black race to moderate the overall relationship between chronic inflammation and timing of menopause. We use data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project on inflammation, age of last menstruation, and race as well as relevant social and medical covariates. We conduct event history modeling to predict age at menopause by inflammatory biomarker levels. Using interaction analysis, we investigate whether being black may shape the overall relationship between inflammation status and menopause timing. Our analyses find no significant statistical interactions between black race and inflammation in predicting menopausal onset. However, we do identify independent correlational relationships between inflammation and black race (r = 0.136) and between menopausal timing and black race (r = -0.129) as well as inflammation (r = -0.138) that emerge as significant in corresponding regression models. We conclude that race probably does not moderate associations between inflammation and menopause. Yet, we also note that the original parameter estimate for black race's impact on menopausal onset (HR = 1.29, p menopause relationship and recommend future research using mediation modeling.

Fatty Acid Oxidation and Cardiovascular Risk during Menopause: A Mitochondrial Connection?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo J. Oliveira

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Menopause is a consequence of the normal aging process in women. This fact implies that the physiological and biochemical alterations resulting from menopause often blur with those from the aging process. It is thought that menopause in women presents a higher risk for cardiovascular disease although the precise mechanism is still under discussion. The postmenopause lipid profile is clearly altered, which can present a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Due to the role of mitochondria in fatty acid oxidation, alterations of the lipid profile in the menopausal women will also influence mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation fluxes in several organs. In this paper, we propose that alterations of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the heart, consequence from normal aging and/or from the menopausal process, result in decreased fatty acid oxidation and accumulation of fatty acid intermediates in the cardiomyocyte cytosol, resulting in lipotoxicity and increasing the cardiovascular risk in the menopausal women.

Perception and experience of menopause among primary school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the perception and experience of menopause among a group of educated Nigerian career women, and how menopausal symptoms affect their family relationship and work performance. Method: This was a cross sectional study.Two hundred and twenty five post ...

Bioidentical Hormones and Menopause

Science.gov (United States)

... Endocrinologist Search Featured Resource Menopause Map™ View Bioidentical Hormones January 2012 Download PDFs English Espanol Editors Howard ... take HT for symptom relief. What are bioidentical hormones? Bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones that ...

Relationship between age at natural menopause and risk of heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Iffat; Åkesson, Agneta; Wolk, Alicja

2015-01-01

We investigated whether younger age at natural menopause confers a risk of heart failure. We also examined a possible modifying effect of tobacco smoking. This study used the population-based Swedish Mammography Cohort; 22,256 postmenopausal women with information on age at natural menopause were followed from 1997 through 2011. First event of heart failure was ascertained through the Swedish National Patient Register and the Cause of Death Register. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. During a mean follow-up of 13 years, we ascertained 2,532 first events of heart failure hospitalizations and deaths. The mean age at menopause was 51 years. Early natural menopause (40-45 y), compared with menopause at ages 50 to 54 years, was significantly associated with heart failure (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.64). In analyses stratified by smoking status, similar HRs were observed for this age group among never smokers (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.66) and ever smokers (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.78). Among ever smokers, increased incidence (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.47) of heart failure could be detected even among those who entered menopause at ages 46 to 49 years. We found a significant interaction between age at natural menopause and smoking (P = 0.019). This study indicates that women who experience early natural menopause are at increased risk for developing heart failure and that smoking can modify the association by increasing the risk even among women who enter menopause around ages 46 to 49 years.

Novel use of the ovarian follicular pool to postpone menopause and delay osteoporosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Claus Yding; Kristensen, Stine Gry

2015-01-01

Life expectancy has increased by more than 30 years during the last century and continues to increase. Many women already live decades in menopause deprived of naturally produced oestradiol and progesterone, leading to an increasing incidence of menopause-related disorders such as osteoporosis......, cardiovascular diseases and lack of general well-being. Exogenous oestradiol has traditionally been used to alleviate menopause-related effects. This commentary discusses a radical new method to postpone menopause. Part of the enormous surplus of ovarian follicles can now be cryostored in youth for use after...... menopause. Excision of ovarian tissue will advance menopause marginally and will not reduce natural fertility. Grafted tissue restores ovarian function with circulating concentrations of sex steroids for years in post-menopausal cancer survivors. Future developments may further utilize the enormous store...

Web-based interventions for menopause: A systematic integrated literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Eun-Ok; Lee, Yaelim; Chee, Eunice; Chee, Wonshik

2017-01-01

Advances in computer and Internet technologies have allowed health care providers to develop, use, and test various types of Web-based interventions for their practice and research. Indeed, an increasing number of Web-based interventions have recently been developed and tested in health care fields. Despite the great potential for Web-based interventions to improve practice and research, little is known about the current status of Web-based interventions, especially those related to menopause. To identify the current status of Web-based interventions used in the field of menopause, a literature review was conducted using multiple databases, with the keywords "online," "Internet," "Web," "intervention," and "menopause." Using these keywords, a total of 18 eligible articles were analyzed to identify the current status of Web-based interventions for menopause. Six themes reflecting the current status of Web-based interventions for menopause were identified: (a) there existed few Web-based intervention studies on menopause; (b) Web-based decision support systems were mainly used; (c) there was a lack of detail on the interventions; (d) there was a lack of guidance on the use of Web-based interventions; (e) counselling was frequently combined with Web-based interventions; and (f) the pros and cons were similar to those of Web-based methods in general. Based on these findings, directions for future Web-based interventions for menopause are provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cigarettes, genetic background, and menopausal timing: the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 genes is associated with increased risk of natural menopause in European-American smokers.

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Butts, Samantha F; Sammel, Mary D; Greer, Christine; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Boorman, David W; Freeman, Ellen W

2014-07-01

This study aims to evaluate associations between variations in genes involved in the metabolism of environmental chemicals and steroid hormones and risk of menopause in smokers. Survival analysis was performed on 410 eligible participants from the Penn Ovarian Aging study (ongoing for 14 years), a cohort study of late-reproductive-age women. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at the following loci were studied: COMT Val158Met, CYP1B1*4 Asn452Ser, CYP1B1*3 Leu432Val, and CYP3A4*1B. Significant interactions between smoking and single nucleotide polymorphisms were observed in European-American carriers of CYP3A4*1B and CYP1B1*3, supporting a greater risk of menopause entry compared with those not carrying these alleles. Among CYP1B1*3 carriers, smokers had a greater risk of menopause entry than nonsmokers (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.26; 95% CI, 1.4-3.67; median time to menopause, 10.42 and 11.07 y, respectively). No association between smoking and menopause was identified in CYP1B1 wild types. Among CYP3A4*1B carriers, smokers were at greater risk for menopause entry than nonsmokers (adjusted HR, 15.1; 95% CI, 3.31-69.2; median time to menopause, 11.36 and 13.91 y, respectively). Risk of menopause entry in CYP3A4 wild types who smoked was far lower (adjusted HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.03-2.44). Heavily smoking CYP1B1*3 carriers (adjusted HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.54-5.84; median time to menopause, 10.41 y) and heavily smoking CYP3A4*1B carriers (adjusted HR, 17.79; 95% CI, 3.21-98.65; median time to menopause, 5.09 y) had the greatest risk of menopause entry. Our finding that the risk of menopause entry in European-American smokers varies depending on genetic background represents a novel gene-environment interaction in reproductive aging.

Inhibin A and B as markers of menopause

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overlie, Inger; Mørkrid, Lars; Andersson, Anna-Maria

2005-01-01

A more direct and precise hormonal marker of the menopause has been required for some time. The aim of this study was to identify the most accurate marker of the menopause, based on analyses of inhibin A and B, FSH, LH and estradiol (E(2)), among 59 healthy women without hormonal treatment during...

Vitamin D and calcium intake and risk of early menopause12

Science.gov (United States)

Purdue-Smithe, Alexandra C; Whitcomb, Brian W; Szegda, Kathleen L; Boutot, Maegan E; Manson, JoAnn E; Hankinson, Susan E; Rosner, Bernard A; Troy, Lisa M; Michels, Karin B; Bertone-Johnson, Elizabeth R

2017-01-01

Background: Early menopause, defined as the cessation of ovarian function before the age of 45 y, affects ∼10% of women and is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and other conditions. Few modifiable risk factors for early menopause have been identified, but emerging data suggest that high vitamin D intake may reduce risk. Objective: We evaluated how intakes of vitamin D and calcium are associated with the incidence of early menopause in the prospective Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS2). Design: Intakes of vitamin D and calcium from foods and supplements were measured every 4 y with the use of a food-frequency questionnaire. Cases of incident early menopause were identified from all participants who were premenopausal at baseline in 1991; over 1.13 million person-years, 2041 women reported having natural menopause before the age of 45 y. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to evaluate relations between intakes of vitamin D and calcium and incident early menopause while accounting for potential confounding factors. Results: After adjustment for age, smoking, and other factors, women with the highest intake of dietary vitamin D (quintile median: 528 IU/d) had a significant 17% lower risk of early menopause than women with the lowest intake [quintile median: 148 IU/d; HR: 0.83 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.95); P-trend = 0.03]. Dietary calcium intake in the highest quintile (median: 1246 mg/d) compared with the lowest (median: 556 mg/d) was associated with a borderline significantly lower risk of early menopause (HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.00; P-trend = 0.03). Associations were stronger for vitamin D and calcium from dairy sources than from nondairy dietary sources, whereas high supplement use was not associated with lower risk. Conclusions: Findings suggest that high intakes of dietary vitamin D and calcium may be modestly associated with a lower risk of early menopause. Further studies evaluating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, other

Differences in age at death according to smoking and age at menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellavia, Andrea; Wolk, Alicja; Orsini, Nicola

2016-01-01

Younger age at menopause is associated with overall mortality, and cigarette smoking is the only lifestyle factor influencing this association. However, the combined effects of age at menopause and smoking have never been quantified in terms of survival time. Our aim was to evaluate, in a large cohort of Swedish women, differences in age at death according to age at menopause and smoking status. Age at menopause and smoking were assessed, using a self-administered questionnaire, in a population-based cohort of 25,474 women aged 48 to 83 years. Laplace regression was used to calculate differences in median age at death (50th percentile difference [PD]) according to smoking and age at menopause. Across 16 years of follow-up, 5,942 participants died. The difference in median age at death between women with menopause at 40 years and women with menopause at 60 years was 1.3 years (50th PD, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.3-2.2). Compared with current smokers, former smokers and never smokers had older median age at death-2.5 years (50th PD, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.9-3.1) and 3.6 years (50th PD, 3.6; 95% CI, 3.1-4.1), respectively. When analysis was restricted to current smokers, the difference in age at death between women with menopause at 40 years and women with menopause at 60 years increased to 2.6 years (50th PD, 2.6; 95% CI, 0.8-4.5). No association among never smokers was observed. Younger age at menopause is linearly associated with shorter survival. This association tends to be stronger among current smokers.

Effectiveness of a 2-year menopause medicine curriculum for obstetrics and gynecology residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Christianson, Mindy S; Washington, Chantel I; Stewart, Katherine I; Shen, Wen

2016-03-01

Previous work has shown American obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residents are lacking in menopause training. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of a 2-year menopause medicine curriculum in improving OB/GYN residents' knowledge and self-assessed competency in menopause topics. We developed a menopause medicine-teaching curriculum for OB/GYN residents at our academic hospital-based residency program. The 2-year curriculum was composed of year 1: four 1-hour lectures and one 2-hour lab with cases presentations, and year 2: three 1-hour lectures and one 2-hour lab. Core topics included menopause physiology, hormone therapy, breast health, bone health, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disease. Pre- and posttests assessed resident knowledge and comfort in core topics, and a pre- and postcurriculum survey assessed utility and learning satisfaction. From July 2011 to June 2013, 34 OB/GYN residents completed the menopause curriculum annually with an average attendance at each module of 23 residents. Pre-/posttest scores improved from a mean pretest score of 57.3% to a mean posttest score of 78.7% (P menopause patients with 75.8% reporting feeling "barely comfortable" and 8.4% feeling "not at all comfortable." After the 2-year curriculum, 85.7% reported feeling "comfortable/very comfortable" taking care of menopause patients. The majority of residents (95.2%) reported the menopause curriculum was "extremely useful." A 2-year menopause medicine curriculum for OB/GYN residents utilizing lectures and a lab with case studies is an effective modality to improve resident knowledge required to manage menopause patients.

Age at menopause and measuring symptoms at midlife in a community in Babol, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Delavar, Mouloud Agajani; Hajiahmadi, Mahmoud

2011-11-01

The aim of the present study was to determine age at menopause and the prevalence of menopausal symptoms among women in a community in Babol, Iran, and then identify the factors associated with these symptoms and age. A retrospective, descriptive, epidemiological study was conducted on the characteristics of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. A total of 1,397 individuals aged 45 to 63 years were selected using a standard cluster sampling technique. The questionnaire used included menopausal symptoms, menopause status, causes of menopause, use of hormones, reproductive history, and sociodemographic factors. A standard questionnaire named Symptom ScoreCard was used to assess the frequency and severity of menopausal symptoms. The data were analyzed by χ2 analysis, t test, analysis of variance, and adjusted odds ratios with their 95% CIs. Recalled mean ± SD age at natural menopause was 47.7 ± 4.9 years. No significant difference by age at menopause was observed in sociodemographic data, smoking status, reproductive history, and oral contraceptive use. The most prevalent symptoms were irritability (72.1%), joint pain (70.6%), and depression (59.7%) during the previous 2 weeks. An increase in the percentage of occurrence and severity of some symptoms with transition to menopause was observed. The total score for menopausal symptoms was 13.0 ± 7.7. High economic situation (odds ratio, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.37-2.58) was a factor significantly associated with a total menopausal score of higher than 15. This study shows a high prevalence of menopausal symptoms and an earlier mean age at menopause (47.7 y) for women in a community in Babol, Iran. It would be beneficial to establish a menopausal clinic in primary healthcare centers for the clinical staff to monitor postmenopausal women.

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards menopause among highly educated Asian women in their midlife.

Science.gov (United States)

Memon, Fouzia R; Jonker, Leon; Qazi, Roshan A

2014-12-01

To determine knowledge levels, and attitudes and perceptions towards, menopause among highly educated Asian women in their midlife. A cross-sectional survey. Five teaching institutions in Hyderabad, Pakistan. In total, 200 out of 225 (89% response rate) teachers, lecturers and professors, aged 40-59 years, were surveyed in 2013 using a self-administered questionnaire. The mean age of responders was 48 years. Premenopausal and perimenopausal women attributed for 58%, whereas 42% were postmenopausal. All women had a masters degree; 15% had a PhD degree. Forty-six percent of responders thought they had sufficient knowledge about the menopause and 87% had positive perceptions about it, with 76% feeling life was easier and calmer as a result of it. Reported negative perceptions included 30% of women experiencing feelings of grumpiness, irritability, altered work capability and loss of femininity. Health professionals were an information resource. of 60% of cases, only 5% of participants knew about hormone replacement therapy and none knew about available alternative therapies. Despite the fact that the majority of women felt well informed and exhibited a positive attitude towards menopause, a strong urge for more knowledge was expressed. Public health care systems should mobilize resources and take measures to improve women's awareness and knowledge about menopause-related changes through a variety of educational tools and media, including the Internet. A recommendation would be for physicians to provide more information about menopausal symptoms and also therapies to alleviate these symptoms, regardless of the patient's socioeconomic background. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Influence Of Feminine Hormones On Some Biochemical Parameters In Early And Late Menopausal Status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KAMAL, A.M.

2009-01-01

Forty two healthy Egyptian women were participated in this study to evaluate the effect of early and late menopause on some biochemical and hormonal parameters. The women were divided into three equal groups. The first was the pre-menopausal group with regular menstrual cycle, the second was the late menopausal group comprised the menopausal female less than 5 years and the third group consisted of women that became menopause since 5-9 years. The second and third groups had almost the same age and body weight. After clinical examination, fasting blood samples were collected from all volunteers. Regarding the pre-menopausal women, blood was withdrawn between the 3 rd and the 5 th day post-menstruation (follicular phase). Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), leutinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, prolactin (PRL), testosterone, leptin and thyroxine (T4) in addition to hemoglobin (Hb), blood glucose, calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg) and uric acid were determined. Both menopausal groups showed significant increase in FSH and LH and significant decrease in PRL and late menopausal group experienced also multiple significant correlations between FSH, LH and other tested parameters. Prolongation of menopause exhibited decrease in leptin being significant as compared to pre-menopausal women than that experienced menopause at younger age. Due to the relation between leptin hormone and osteoporosis, the results of this investigation denoted that early cessation of annulations (menopause) in Egyptian women may lead to disturbance in bone metabolism causing inhibiting osteoblastogenesis and decreasing bone mass.

Is early natural menopause a biologic marker of health and aging?

Science.gov (United States)

Snowdon, D A; Kane, R L; Beeson, W L; Burke, G L; Sprafka, J M; Potter, J; Iso, H; Jacobs, D R; Phillips, R L

1989-01-01

The relation between age at natural menopause and all-cause mortality was investigated in a sample of 5,287 White women, ages 55 to 100 years, naturally-postmenopausal, Seventh-day Adventists who had completed mailed questionnaires in 1976. The age-adjusted odds ratio of death during 1976-82 in women with natural menopause before age 40 was 1.95 (95% confidence interval = 1.24, 3.07), compared to the reference group of women reporting natural menopause at ages 50 to 54. Corresponding odds ratios of death were 1.39 (95% CI = 1.06, 1.81) for natural menopause at ages 40 to 44, and 1.03 (95% CI = 0.84, 1.25) for natural menopause at ages 45 to 49. Among 3,166 White, 55- to 100-year-old, surgically-postmenopausal, Adventist women, there was no relation between age at surgical menopause and mortality. Logistic regression analyses indicated that findings from this study were apparently not due to confounding by smoking, over- or underweight, reproductive history, or replacement estrogen use. PMID:2729468

Early menarche, nulliparity and the risk for premature and early natural menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Gita D; Pandeya, Nirmala; Dobson, Annette J; Chung, Hsin-Fang; Anderson, Debra; Kuh, Diana; Sandin, Sven; Giles, Graham G; Bruinsma, Fiona; Hayashi, Kunihiko; Lee, Jung Su; Mizunuma, Hideki; Cade, Janet E; Burley, Victoria; Greenwood, Darren C; Goodman, Alissa; Simonsen, Mette Kildevæld; Adami, Hans-Olov; Demakakos, Panayotes; Weiderpass, Elisabete

2017-03-01

Are parity and the timing of menarche associated with premature and early natural menopause? Early menarche (≤11 years) is a risk factor for both premature menopause (final menstrual period, FMP menopause (FMP 40-44 years), a risk that is amplified for nulliparous women. Women with either premature or early menopause face an increased risk of chronic conditions in later life and of early death. Findings from some studies suggest that early menarche and nulliparity are associated with early menopause, however overall the evidence is mixed. Much of the evidence for a direct relationship is hampered by a lack of comparability across studies, failure to adjust for confounding factors and inadequate statistical power. This pooled study comprises 51 450 postmenopausal women from nine observational studies in the UK, Scandinavia, Australia and Japan that contribute to the International collaboration for a Life course Approach to reproductive health and Chronic disease Events (InterLACE). Age at menarche (categorized as ≤11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 or more years) and parity (categorized as no children, one child and two or more children) were exposures of interest. Age at FMP was confirmed by at least 12 months of cessation of menses where this was not the result of an intervention (such as surgical menopause due to bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy) and categorized as premature menopause (FMP before age 40), early menopause (FMP 40-44 years), 45-49 years, 50-51 years, 52-53 years and 54 or more years. We used multivariate multinomial logistic regression models to estimate relative risk ratio (RRR) and 95% CI for associations between menarche, parity and age at FMP adjusting for within-study correlation. The median age at FMP was 50 years (interquartile range 48-53 years), with 2% of the women experiencing premature menopause and 7.6% early menopause. Women with early menarche (≤11 years, compared with 12-13 years) were at higher risk of premature menopause (RRR 1

[Phytoestrogens in the treatment of menopause].

Science.gov (United States)

Remport, Júlia; Blázovics, Anna

2017-08-01

In previous centuries many women did not even live until their menopause years due to poor economic conditions, deficiencies of medicine, epidemics and wars. Nowadays in the developed countries, people live until they are 75-80 years old, and with the expansion of average age, the number of people affected by menopause and the years spent in that state increase. Nowadays women spend one third of their lives in the menopausal stage. The only effective way to treat unpleasant symptoms for centuries was with the use of herbs, and the knowledge about them spread through oral tradition. In the 20th century, this therapeutic form was pushed into the background by the development of synthetic drug production and the introduction of hormone replacement therapy. Thanks to the influence of media in the 20th century, women began to have the social need for preserving their beauty and youth for as long as they could. Hormone replacement therapy enjoyed great popularity because women were temporarily relieved of their life quality-impairing menopausal symptoms, but years later it turned out that hormone replacement therapy could pose serious risks. A distinct advantage of herbal therapy is the more advantageous side-effect-profile opposite the used synthetics in hormone replacement therapy. Women are therefore happy to turn to valuable and well-tried natural therapies, which have been used for thousands of years. There is growing interest in herbal remedies. Studying the effects of phytoestrogens has now become an active area for research. However, the results of studies in animals and humans are controversial, some sources suggest that phytoestrogens are effective and safe, other authors claim that they are ineffective in menopause or they have particularly dangerous properties, and cannot be recommended to everyone. It is important to address this issue for the sake of health, mental health and safety of women, and so it is necessary to assess the benefits and the risks

[Menopause and metabolic syndrome].

Science.gov (United States)

Meirelles, Ricardo M R

2014-03-01

The incidence of cardiovascular disease increases considerably after the menopause. One reason for the increased cardiovascular risk seems to be determined by metabolic syndrome, in which all components (visceral obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and glucose metabolism disorder) are associated with higher incidence of coronary artery disease. After menopause, metabolic syndrome is more prevalent than in premenopausal women, and may plays an important role in the occurrence of myocardial infarction and other atherosclerotic and cardiovascular morbidities. Obesity, an essential component of the metabolic syndrome, is also associated with increased incidence of breast, endometrial, bowel, esophagus, and kidney cancer. The treatment of metabolic syndrome is based on the change in lifestyle and, when necessary, the use of medication directed to its components. In the presence of symptoms of the climacteric syndrome, hormonal therapy, when indicated, will also contribute to the improvement of the metabolic syndrome.

HUBUNGAN DUKUNGAN SOSIAL SUAMI DENGAN EFIKASI DIRI ISTRI DALAM MENJALANI MASA MENOPAUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fayakun Nur Rohmah

2017-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background :Yogyakarta has an olderly population structure (pre-elderly and elderly women among most other provinces in Indonesia that means the majority number of women is in menopause . Every woman has different response and complaints that occurred before and after menopause. Good self-efficacy will help women to face the complaints toward menopause. Objectives : This research aimed to analyze the correlation between husband’s support and woman’s selfefficacy towards menopause from a female perspective. Methods : This research was a correlational study with cross sectional approach. The sample technique of this study was accidental sampling technique, with the number of 32 women in menopause as the samples. Data were analyzed with Chi-square. Result :As the result, p-value was 0.378 (p>0.05. Conclusion : There were no correlation between husband’s support and women’s self efficacy towards menopause.

Age at menopause, reproductive history and venous thromboembolism risk among postmenopausal women

Science.gov (United States)

Canonico, Marianne; Plu-Bureau, Geneviève; O’Sullivan, Mary Jo; Stefanick, Marcia L.; Cochrane, Barbara; Scarabin, Pierre-Yves; Manson, JoAnn E.

2013-01-01

Objectives To investigate VTE risk in relation to age at menopause, age at menarche, parity, bilateral oophorectomy and time since menopause, as well as any interaction with randomized HT assignment among postmenopausal women. Methods Using pooled data from the Women’s Health Initiative HT clinical trials including 27,035 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 years with no history of VTE, we assessed the risk of VTE in relation to age at menopause, age at menarche, parity, bilateral oophorectomy and time since menopause by Cox proportional hazard models. Linear trends, quadratic relationships and interactions of reproductive life characteristics with HT on VTE risk were systematically tested. Results During the follow-up, 426 women reported a first VTE, including 294 nonprocedure-related events. No apparent interaction of reproductive life characteristics with HT assignment on VTE risk was detected and there was any significant association of VTE with age at menarche, age at menopause, parity, oophorectomy or time since menopause. However, analyses restricted to nonprocedure-related VTE showed a U-shaped relationship between age at menopause and thrombotic risk that persisted after multivariable analysis (pmenopause, those with early menopause (agemenopause (age>55 years) had a significant increased VTE risk (HR=1.8;95%CI:1.2–2.7 and HR=1.5;95%CI:1.0–2.4, respectively). Conclusion Reproductive life characteristics have little association with VTE and do not seem to influence the effect of HT on thrombotic risk among postmenopausal women. Nevertheless, early and late onset of menopause might be newly identified risk factors for nonprocedure-related VTE. PMID:23760439

The perceptions of African women regarding natural menopause in Mamelodi, Tshwane district

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Gloria N. Makuwa

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: The majority of South African aging population are women, who spend late adulthood experiencing natural menopause. Despite the government spending billions of rand on different services for ageing women, menopausal challenges to African women still receive little attention. Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of African women regarding natural menopause, in order to propose recommendations for health and social support systems for women in Mamelodi, Tshwane district. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was used to conduct the study. The population of the study consisted of menopausal women, between the ages 45 and 60 years or more, visiting the clinics for collection of chronic medication and othe rhealth assessment. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted, using a semi-structured interview guide to collect data. Tesch’s method of qualitative data analysis was used in the study. Results: The main theme that emerged from the study was ‘attitude toward menopause’, which was supported by cultural beliefs and experience. The African menopausal women expressed the importance of health support systems that will meet their needs within their context. Conclusion: Women’s health programs and educational health information at facilities should include menopausal education to promote and improve health of all African menopausal women during their adulthood. There is a need to establish a women’s health support group network within communities to share menopausal experiences with peers. The training and education curriculum of healthcare providers should include detailed menopause in order to provide comprehensive, congruent care.

Association between physical activity and menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women.

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Kim, Min-Ju; Cho, Juhee; Ahn, Younjhin; Yim, Gyeyoon; Park, Hyun-Young

2014-10-03

Physical activity may be an effective way of preventing or attenuating menopause-related symptoms, and it has been shown to improve quality of life in menopausal women. However, there have been some inconsistencies regarding between exercise and menopausal symptoms, and study investigating this association has been scarce in Korea. In this study, the association between physical activity and menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women in Korea was assessed. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted between November 2012 and March 2013. In total, 2,204 healthy women aged 44-56 years were recruited from a healthcare center at the Kangbuk Samsung hospitals for investigating women's attitudes towards menopause. To investigate the influence of physical activity on perimenopause-associated symptoms, 631 perimenopausal women were selected for this study. Their physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form. The Menopause-specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire was used to assess menopause-related symptoms. The study participants were, on average, 48.5 ± 2.7 years old and had a mean body mass index of 22.8 ± 3.1 kg/m2. The total MENQOL score and the psychosocial and physical subscores exhibited U-shaped trends in relation to the level of physical activity. Multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for confounding variables showed that perimenopausal women who performed moderate physical activity reported significantly lower psychosocial (β = -0.413, P = 0.012) and physical symptoms (β = -0.445, P = 0.002) than women who performed low physical activity. By contrast, a high level of physical activity did not influence the MENQOL total score and subscores relative to the low activity group. In addition, no associations were observed between physical activity and the vasomotor and sexual symptoms in any group. Moderate level of physical activity was associated

A Theory for the Origin of Human Menopause.

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Takahashi, Mike; Singh, Rama S; Stone, John

2016-01-01

A complete and compelling evolutionary explanation for the origin of human menopause is wanting. Menopause onset is defined clinically as the final menses, confirmed after 1 year without menstruation. The theory proposed herein explains at multiple levels - ultimately genetic but involving (1) behavioral, (2) life history, and (3) social changes - the origin and evolution of menopause in women. Individuals in Lower Paleolithic human populations were characterized by short lifespans with diminished late-age survival and fertility, similar to contemporary chimpanzees, and thence were subject to three changes. (1) A mating behavior change was established in which only young women reproduced, thereby rendering as effectively neutral female-specific late-onset fertility-diminishing mutations, which accumulated subsequently. (2) A lifespan increase was manifested adaptively, revealing the reproductive senescence phenotype encoded in late-onset fertility-diminishing mutation genotypes, which, heretofore, had been unexpressed in the shorter lifespan. (3) A social interaction change emerged exaptively, when older non-reproductive women exclusively started assisting in rearing grandchildren rather than giving birth to and caring for their own children, ultimately leading to menstrual cycle cessation. The changes associate in a one-to-one manner with existing, non-mutually exclusive hypotheses for the origin of human menopause. Evidence for each hypothesis and its associated change having occurred are reviewed, and the hypotheses are combined in a synthetic theory for the origin of human menopause. The new theory simultaneously addresses the main theoretical problem with each hypothesis and yields predictions for future testing.

Comparison of piascledine (avocado and soybean oil) and hormone replacement therapy in menopausal-induced hot flashing.

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Panahi, Yunes; Beiraghdar, Fatemeh; Kashani, Nafise; Baharie Javan, Nika; Dadjo, Yahya

2011-01-01

Different symptoms in Climacteric period, includes hot flash. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is common therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms but has possible contraindications and side effects. Recently Piascledine (combination of Avocado oil with Soybean oil) showed effects in reducing hot flash severity. Present study designed to compare the effects of HRT with Piascledine in treatment of hot flash. The cases of this study were sixty-six women at the age range of 40 to 70 years and complaints of menopause-induced hot flashing, whose last menstruation dated at least 6 months prior to the beginning of the study. The patients in this open label clinical trial, randomized to receive Piascledine capsule 1 mg or HRT (0.625 mg oral daily Conjugated Estrogen tablets, plus 2.5 mg continuous oral daily Medroxyprogesterone Acetate tablets) for 2 month. Hot flash property and severity was assessed via a daily check list and Visual analog scale. Climacteric symptom was measured before and after intervention using Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) and Blatt-kupperman Menopausal Index (BKMI). Thirty-three eligible patients were allocated in each group. From the Piascledine group, one patient and from the HRT group, 16 patients weren›t willing to attend the study; therefore, 32 and 17 woman received treatment in Piascledine and HRT groups. 4 patients were withdrawn for vaginal bleeding and one for breast tenderness from HTR group. Hot flash severity in both groups decreased during the time similarly. With regard to GCS (p = 0.571) and BMKI (p = 0.891), the outcome was similar among the two groups. Due to low HRT compliance and its possible risks in long period of time and considering the same activity of soybean supplement and HRT in relieving the hot flash as menopausal symptoms in women, it seems that soybean supplements can be an alternative therapy to hormone.

Menopause in the workplace: What employers should be doing.

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Jack, Gavin; Riach, Kathleen; Bariola, Emily; Pitts, Marian; Schapper, Jan; Sarrel, Philip

2016-03-01

Large numbers of women transition through menopause whilst in paid employment. Symptoms associated with menopause may cause difficulties for working women, especially if untreated, yet employers are practically silent on this potentially costly issue. This review summarises existing research on the underexplored topic of menopause in the workplace, and synthesises recommendations for employers. Longstanding scholarly interest in the relationship between employment status and symptom reporting typically (but not consistently) shows that women in paid employment (and in specific occupations) report fewer and less severe symptoms than those who are unemployed. Recent studies more systematically focused on the effects of menopausal symptoms on work are typically cross-sectional self-report surveys, with a small number of qualitative studies. Though several papers established that vasomotor (and associated) symptoms have a negative impact on women's productivity, capacity to work and work experience, this is not a uniform finding. Psychological and other somatic symptoms associated with menopause can have a relatively greater negative influence. Physical (e.g., workplace temperature and design) and psychosocial (e.g., work stress, perceptions of control/autonomy) workplace factors have been found to influence the relationship between symptoms and work. Principal recommendations for employers to best support menopausal women as part of a holistic approach to employee health and well-being include risk assessments to make suitable adjustments to the physical and psychosocial work environment, provision of information and support, and training for line managers. Limitations of prior studies, and directions for future research are presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does menopause start earlier in smokers? Evidence from the Pro-Saude Study

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Paula de Holanda Mendes

2013-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: cigarette smoking has been the modifiable risk factor most consistently associated with earlier menopause. This preliminary study based on cross-sectional data aimed to analyze the association between smoking status and age of onset of menopause in a Brazilian population. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,222 female employees of Rio de Janeiro university campuses aged over 35 years who were at risk of natural menopause. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate the association between smoking status and age at the onset of menopause, adjusting for education, parity and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: current smokers showed a 56% increase in the risk of menopause, being 1.8 years younger at menopause onset compared with women who had never smoked. However, no differences were observed between former smokers and women who had never smoked. The adjusted median age at menopause was 49.5 years for current smokers and 51.3 years for women who had never smoked (p<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: the results suggest a deleterious but potentially reversible effect of smoking on the age of onset of menopause, which should receive greater attention in tobacco control efforts. Longitudinal analyses of this association will be carried out in the future in a follow-up study of this population.

EMAS recommendations for conditions in the workplace for menopausal women

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Griffiths, Amanda; Ceausu, Iuliana; Depypere, Herman; Lambrinoudaki, Irene; Mueck, Alfred; Pérez-López, Faustino R.; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.; Senturk, Levent M.; Simoncini, Tommaso; Stevenson, John C.; Stute, Petra; Rees, Margaret

2016-01-01

Women form a large part of many workforces throughout Europe. Many will be working throughout their menopausal years. Whilst the menopause may cause no significant problems for some, for others it is known to present considerable difficulties in both their personal and working lives. During the menopausal transition women report that fatigue and difficulties with memory and concentration can have a negative impact on their working lives. Furthermore, hot flushes can be a source of embarrassme...

Can we predict age at natural menopause using ovarian reserve tests or mother's age at menopause? A systematic literature review.

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Depmann, Martine; Broer, Simone L; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Tehrani, Fahimeh R; Eijkemans, Marinus J; Mol, Ben W; Broekmans, Frank J

2016-02-01

This review aimed to appraise data on prediction of age at natural menopause (ANM) based on antimüllerian hormone (AMH), antral follicle count (AFC), and mother's ANM to evaluate clinical usefulness and to identify directions for further research. We conducted three systematic reviews of the literature to identify studies of menopause prediction based on AMH, AFC, or mother's ANM, corrected for baseline age. Six studies selected in the search for AMH all consistently demonstrated AMH as being capable of predicting ANM (hazard ratio, 5.6-9.2). The sole study reporting on mother's ANM indicated that AMH was capable of predicting ANM (hazard ratio, 9.1-9.3). Two studies provided analyses of AFC and yielded conflicting results, making this marker less strong. AMH is currently the most promising marker for ANM prediction. The predictive capacity of mother's ANM demonstrated in a single study makes this marker a promising contributor to AMH for menopause prediction. Models, however, do not predict the extremes of menopause age very well and have wide prediction interval. These markers clearly need improvement before they can be used for individual prediction of menopause in the clinical setting. Moreover, potential limitations for such use include variations in AMH assays used and a lack of correction for factors or diseases affecting AMH levels or ANM. Future studies should include women of a broad age range (irrespective of cycle regularity) and should base predictions on repeated AMH measurements. Furthermore, currently unknown candidate predictors need to be identified.

Carotid artery distensibility and hormone therapy and menopause: the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study.

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Shufelt, Chrisandra; Elboudwarej, Omeed; Johnson, B Delia; Mehta, Puja; Bittner, Vera; Braunstein, Glenn; Berga, Sarah; Stanczyk, Frank; Dwyer, Kathleen; Merz, C Noel Bairey

2016-02-01

Observational studies have suggested that arterial distensibility decreases during menopause; however, its relationship with hormone therapy use remains controversial. We prospectively studied distensibility and hormone therapy use at different menopause stages. One hundred sixty-one women (aged between 42 and 61 y) without cardiovascular disease underwent carotid artery measurements by ultrasound to calculate distensibility index at baseline and 3 years later. Menopause stage was classified at each visit as premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal. Across 3 years of prospective observation, women were classified as remaining premenopausal, remaining postmenopausal, or transitioning (defined as change from premenopausal to perimenopausal, from premenopausal to postmenopausal, from perimenopausal to perimenopausal, or from perimenopausal to postmenopausal). Distensibility declined across time at all menopause stages (P menopausal transition is associated with reduced vascular compliance. Hormone therapy is associated with better arterial distensibility only during the menopausal transition. Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine whether hormone therapy use beyond the menopausal transition is related to distensibility.

Starting Hormone Therapy at Menopause Increases Breast Cancer Risk

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According to a January 28, 2011 article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, women who start taking menopausal hormone therapy around the time of menopause have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who begin taking hormones a few years later.

Prevalence and Determinants of Premature Menopause among Indian Women: Issues and Challenges Ahead.

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Jungari, Suresh Banayya; Chauhan, Bal Govind

2017-05-01

Premature menopause refers to the occurrence of menopause in women less than 40 years of age. This heterogeneous disorder affects 1 percent and 0.1 percent of women less than 40 and 30 years of age, respectively. The study reported in this article attempts to understand the prevalence and determinants of premature menopause among Indian women by studying the effects of various socioeconomic indicators, such as age, education, wealth index, rural-urban settlement, work status, religion, and caste, on women. The study analyzed the National Family Health Survey-3, which is equivalent to the Demographic Health Survey in India. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to tease out the determinants of premature menopause. Results indicate that the percentage of premature menopause is very high (5.5 percent) among Indian women. Among Indian states, Andhra Pradesh women have the highest percentage of premature menopause (14.6 percent). Smoking and the nutritional status of women are strongly associated with early menopause. Furthermore, women living in rural areas and using tobacco are at a greater risk of premature menopause. © 2017 National Association of Social Workers.

The impact of menopausal symptoms on quality of life, productivity, and economic outcomes.

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Whiteley, Jennifer; DiBonaventura, Marco daCosta; Wagner, Jan-Samuel; Alvir, Jose; Shah, Sonali

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of menopausal symptoms and menopausal symptom severity on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work impairment, healthcare utilization, and costs. Data from the 2005 United States National Health and Wellness Survey were used, with only women 40-64 years without a history of cancer included in the analyses (N=8,811). Women who reported experiencing menopausal symptoms (n=4,116) were compared with women not experiencing menopausal symptoms (n=4,695) on HRQoL, work impairment, and healthcare utilization using regression modeling (and controlling for demographics and health characteristic differences). Additionally, individual menopausal symptoms were used as predictors of outcomes in a separate set of regression models. The mean age of women in the analysis was 49.8 years (standard deviation,±5.9). Women experiencing menopausal symptoms reported significantly lower levels of HRQoL and significantly higher work impairment, and healthcare utilization than women without menopausal symptoms. Depression, anxiety, and joint stiffness were symptoms with the strongest associations with health outcomes. Menopausal symptoms can be a significant humanistic and economic burden on women in middle age.

Menstrual change during the menopause transition: do women find it problematic?

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Mackey, Sandra

2009-10-20

To describe changes in the characteristics of women's menstrual cycles during the menopause transition and to identify whether such changes are perceived by women as being problematic. A cross-sectional descriptive study using a community-based convenience sample of 119 women aged 37-70 years. Participants completed a questionnaire to obtain data on demographic characteristics, menopausal status and changes to menstrual flow, duration, frequency and regularity. There was a common pattern of menstrual change which was of heavier, less frequent, irregular menstruation. Forty one percent of post-menopausal and 40% of women still in the menopause transition stated that, in terms of overall perception, the changes to menstruation experienced during the menopause transition were not problematic or disruptive. When specific change characteristics were examined, significant differences were found in duration of menses (p=0.014) and cycle irregularity (p=0.005) but no significant differences were found on the amount of flow (p=0.125) or frequency of cycles (p=0.142). Increased duration and increased irregularity of occurrence of each period are problematic for women going through the menopause transition, however, increased amount of menstrual flow at each period and increased frequency of cycles are not problematic changes.

The evolutionary origin and significance of Menopause

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Pollycove, Ricki; Naftolin, Frederick; Simon, James A.

2010-01-01

Contemporary human females have long life expectancy (81y US), especially relative to age at menopause (51y US). Menopause is a consequence of reproductive aging and follicular depletion (ovarian failure), yielding very low circulating estrogen* serum concentrations and biologically disadvantageous metabolic alterations. Stated in terms of antagonistic pleiotropy, the ongoing hypoestrogenic endocrine environment, beneficial during lactation, results in acceleration of several age-related health conditions following menopause (i.e. late postmenopausal osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline). In contrast, the complex hypoestrogenic hormonal milieu present during postpartum lactation provides biologic advantages to both mother and newborn. The lactational hormonal milieu causes symptoms similar to those of the late perimenopause and early postmenopause, prompting theories for their biologic selective advantage. The precepts of evolutionary medicine encourage a reassessment of hormone therapy. Based on data presented, the authors propose additional opportunities for disease prevention and morbidity reduction in postmenopausal women. PMID:21252729

Study on the serum prolactin (PRL) level in post-menopausal women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Wenqi; Li Xin; Zhou Jiwen; Zhou Zhengli

2004-01-01

Objective: To explore the clinical value of determination of serum PRL levels inpost-menopausal women. Methods: Serum PRL levels were determined with RIA in 596 post-menopausal women (age 45-59, mean 55). Results: The normal range of serum PRL level in this laboratory was 0-30 ng/ml. Among the 596 women tested, 77(13%) had their PRL levels above 30 ng/ml. Further investigation with CT and/or MRI revealed presence of micro-pituitary-adenoma in 31 of the Symptoms of menopausal syndrome and osteoporosis were much more severe in women with hyperprolactinemia then in those without. Conclusion: As hyperprolactinemia might be a high risk factor for development of breast cancer, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women with hyperprolactinemia should be applied very cautiously, even withheld at all. Determination of serum prolactin levels in post-menopausal women is of practical clinical value. (authors)

[Urinary tract infection in pregnancy and menopause].

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Broseta Rico, Enrique; Jiménez Cruz, Juan Fernando

2002-11-01

To review the topic of urinary tract infections (UTI) during pregnancy and menopause. UTI during pregnancy and menopause have great relevance in the field of urologic infections; during pregnancy because of the particularities involved in its diagnosis and treatment and potential consequences to the fetus and mother; menopausal UTI because this group of women is numerous and represents a growing section of the general population pyramid, due to the aging of population in developed countries associated with longer life expectancies and grater demand for quality of life. We performed a bibliographic review combined with our personal experience. During pregnancy there are several functional and anatomical changes that condition not only a higher risk of UTI, but also an additional treatment difficulty due to antimicrobial pharmacokinetics alterations and potential damage to the fetus. Despite efforts to find an easy, fast and reliable test for bacteriuria detection, urine culture continues to be the first diagnostic test for its detection and follow up during pregnancy. Penicillin derivates and cephalosporins continue to be the first choice because their lack of adverse effects on either fetus or mother. Alternative options like phosphomicin and aztreonam although they show low toxicity there is need for more studies supporting their suitability for the treatment of pregnancy UTIs. Menopausal female UTI have their different features from those in younger women. Hormonal alterations derived from gonadal atrophy associate functional changes in the vaginal ecosystem, making it prone to enterobacteriaceae colonization as a first step up to the urinary tract. This associated with genitourinary tract anatomical alterations inherent t aging make UTI extraordinary prevalent in this growing segment of population. Treatment lines focus on hormonal alteration correction and proper antimicrobial prophylaxis and vaccines in a close future. UTIs during pregnancy and menopause have

Menopausal status dependence of the timing of breast cancer recurrence after surgical removal of the primary tumour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demicheli, Romano; Bonadonna, Gianni; Hrushesky, William JM; Retsky, Michael W; Valagussa, Pinuccia

2004-01-01

Information on the metastasis process in breast cancer patients undergoing primary tumour removal may be extracted from an analysis of the timing of clinical recurrence. The hazard rate for local-regional and/or distant recurrence as the first event during the first 4 years after surgery was studied in 1173 patients undergoing mastectomy alone as primary treatment for operable breast cancer. Subset analyses were performed according to tumour size, axillary nodal status and menopausal status. A sharp two-peaked hazard function was observed for node-positive pre-menopausal patients, whereas results from node-positive post-menopausal women always displayed a single broad peak. The first narrow peak among pre-menopausal women showed a very steep rise to a maximum about 8–10 months after mastectomy. The second peak was considerably broader, reaching its maximum at 28–30 months. Post-menopausal patients displayed a wide, nearly symmetrical peak with maximum risk at about 18–20 months. Peaks displayed increasing height with increasing axillary lymph node involvement. No multi-peaked pattern was evident for either pre-menopausal or post-menopausal node-negative patients; however, this finding should be considered cautiously because of the limited number of events. Tumour size influenced recurrence risk but not its timing. Findings resulting from the different subsets of patients were remarkably coherent and each observed peak maintained the same position on the time axis in all analysed subsets. The risk of early recurrence for node positive patients is dependent on menopausal status. The amount of axillary nodal involvement and the tumour size modulate the risk value at any given time. For pre-menopausal node-positive patients, the abrupt increase of the first narrow peak of the recurrence risk suggests a triggering event that synchronises early risk. We suggest that this event is the surgical removal of the primary tumour. The later, broader, more symmetrical risk

Association of Renal Function and Menopausal Status with Bone Mineral Density in Middle-aged Women.

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Sheng, Yueh-Hsuan; Chen, Jen-Hau; Chiou, Jeng-Min; Tsai, Keh-Sung; Lee, Yue-Yuan; Tsao, Chwen-Keng; Chen, Yen-Ching

2015-10-13

The association between mild renal dysfunction and bone mineral density (BMD) has not been fully explored. It is also unclear how menopausal status and the use of Chinese herb affect this association. This is a cross-sectional study that included a total of 1,419 women aged 40 to 55 years old who were recruited from the MJ Health Management Institution in Taiwan between 2009 and 2010. Spinal BMD was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Renal function was assessed using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and creatinine clearance rate (CCr). The multivariable logistic regression and general linear models were employed to assess the association between renal function and BMD. Stratification analyses were performed by menopausal status and use of Chinese herbs. Low CCr levels were significantly associated with low BMD [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15-1.90]. This association was observed in premenopausal women (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.07-1.92) and in women not taking Chinese herbs (AOR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.14-1.94). CCr is a better predictor for low BMD in middle-aged women. Menopausal status and the use of Chinese herbs also affected this association.

[Is menopause a risk factor for ischemic heart disease in women?].

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Leuzzi, Chiara; Marzullo, Raffaella; Modena, Maria Grazia

2012-06-01

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in men and women worldwide. The apparent cardioprotective effects of endogenous estrogens seem to prevent CVD in premenopausal women. Following menopause and loss of hormonal effects, gender-based differences in CVD are reduced, with the CVD risk being higher in women who develop the metabolic syndrome. In postmenopausal women, many features of the metabolic syndrome emerge with estrogen deficiency. Estrogen deficiency occurring in the menopausal period is associated with 1) dyslipidemia (hypertriglyceridemia, reduced HDL, and increased small dense LDL particles); 2) insulin resistance; 3) hypertension; 4) increased central fat and reduction in lean body mass; and 5) increased hypercoagulability and pro-inflammatory state. In addition to traditional cardiovascular risk factors, also early menopause has a negative impact on females. Over the past years, different approaches were found to improve quality of life and cardiovascular health in menopausal women. Since the concept of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), large observational studies and randomized clinical trials have amassed a wealth of data about the effects of menopause and the safety and efficacy of using estrogen replacement therapies to treat menopause symptoms and menopause-related diseases. While there is no question that HRT effectively mitigates troublesome menopause symptoms, conflicting evidence about other effects of HRT has fueled controversy concerning its relative benefits and risks. Moreover, it seems that CVD protection mediated by replacement therapy is maximum when treatment is initiated in the absence of signs of atherosclerosis (typically in the premenopausal period), whereas it vanishes as atherosclerosis progresses (postmenopausal period). However, many questions remain unsolved regarding the effectiveness of hormonal compounds, doses, regimens, and route of administration. On the basis of these

Vitamin D levels and menopause-related symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

LeBlanc, Erin S; Desai, Manisha; Perrin, Nancy; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Manson, JoAnn E; Cauley, Jane A; Michael, Yvonne L; Tang, Jean; Womack, Catherine; Song, Yiqing; Johnson, Karen C; O'Sullivan, Mary J; Woods, Nancy; Stefanick, Marcia L

2014-11-01

This study aims to determine whether vitamin D levels are associated with menopause-related symptoms in older women. A randomly selected subset of 1,407 women, among 26,104 potentially eligible participants of the Women's Health Initiative Calcium and Vitamin D trial of postmenopausal women aged 51 to 80 years, had 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels measured at the Women's Health Initiative Calcium and Vitamin D trial baseline visit. Information about menopause-related symptoms at baseline was obtained by questionnaire and included overall number of symptoms and composite measures of sleep disturbance, emotional well-being, and energy/fatigue, as well as individual symptoms. After exclusions for missing data, 530 women (mean [SD] age, 66.2 [6.8] y) were included in these analyses. Borderline significant associations between 25(OH)D levels and total number of menopausal symptoms were observed (with P values ranging from 0.05 to 0.06 for fully adjusted models); however, the effect was clinically insignificant and disappeared with correction for multiple testing. No associations between 25(OH)D levels and composite measures of sleep disturbance, emotional well-being, or energy/fatigue were observed (P's > 0.10 for fully adjusted models). There is no evidence for a clinically important association between serum 25(OH)D levels and menopause-related symptoms in postmenopausal women.

Early Menopause Predicts Future Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

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Wellons, Melissa; Ouyang, Pamela; Schreiner, Pamela J; Herrington, David M; Vaidya, Dhananjay

2012-01-01

Objective Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. Identifying women at risk of cardiovascular disease has tremendous public health importance. Early menopause is associated with increased cardiovascular disease events in some predominantly white populations, but not consistently. Our objective was to determine if a self-reported early menopause (menopause at an age menopause (either natural menopause or surgical removal of ovaries at an age menopause. In survival curves, women with early menopause had worse coronary heart disease and stroke-free survival (log rank p=menopause is positively associated with coronary heart disease and stroke in a multiethnic cohort, independent of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. PMID:22692332

CT measurement of fat in pre- and post-menopausal women with breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Masanori; Ogura, Toshihiro

2011-01-01

Since breast cancer is the most common cancer among Japanese women, research leading to its prevention and early detection is important, and many studies have reported a relationship between this cancer and obesity. In addition, it has been reported that the risk of breast cancer posed by obesity differs between pre- and post-menopausal patients. In this study, we investigated the difference in the amount of body fat between pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer patients by measuring the areas of total, visceral, and subcutaneous fat on CT images acquired at the level of the umbilicus. The subjects were 136 women, comprising 63 with breast cancer (21 pre- and 42 post-menopausal) and 73 with other diseases (31 pre- and 42 post menopausal). We found that post-menopausal women with breast cancer had a significantly greater amount of fat than their pre-menopausal counterparts, presumably attributable to the action of estrogen. These results suggest that fat accumulation in post-menopausal women increases the risk of breast cancer. (author)

Women's health in menopause with a focus on hypertension.

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Maas, A H E M; Franke, H R

2009-02-01

In menopause transition many women have vasomotor symptoms which may affect their normal daily activities. With the decline in oestrogen levels, risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) become more apparent, especially hypertension. The onset of hypertension can cause a variety of complaints that are often attributed to the menopause. Risk factor identification is poorly managed in middle-aged women and should be the first step in the evaluation and treatment of women with perimenopausal symptoms. In women at low risk for CHD, there is still a window of opportunity for safe hormone prescription in the first years proximal to menopause. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:68-72.).

GP registrar consultations addressing menopause-related symptoms: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

De Giovanni, Jasmine M; Tapley, Amanda; Druce, Penny L; Davey, Andrew R; van Driel, Mieke L; Henderson, Kim M; Catzikiris, Nigel F; Mulquiney, Katie J; Morgan, Simon; Spike, Neil A; Kerr, Rohan H; Magin, Parker J

2018-05-01

To investigate the prevalence and associations of general practitioner registrars' (trainees') management of women with menopause-related symptoms. A cross-sectional analysis from the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) cohort study. In ReCEnT registrars collected data of 60 consecutive consultations on three occasions during training. The outcome factor was menopause-related problems/diagnoses (compared with other problems/diagnoses). Associations of registrar, patient, practice, and consultation-independent variables were assessed by univariate and multivariable logistic regression. In all, 1,333 registrars conducted 189,774 consultations involving 295,017 problems/diagnoses. Of these, there were 1,291 problems/diagnoses (0.44% of all problems/diagnoses) relating to menopause. Significant multivariable independent associations of a problem being menopause-related were registrar female sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.30-3.26) and registrars working part-time (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.98 for full-time work). Consultation-related associations included an increased number of problems addressed in the consultation (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.21-1.37), and menopause-related problems/diagnoses not being new (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.86). Significant educational associations were increased odds of recourse to in-consultation sources of information or assistance (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.80-2.44) and of generating learning goals (OR 3.15, 95% CI 2.66-3.72). Registrars seek more assistance and further knowledge about menopause compared with other problems. Thus, they may find the area particularly challenging and could benefit from further education regarding managing menopause. Our findings may help inform the design of measures aimed at improving the delivery of menopause training for general practice registrars.

The Effect of Evening Primrose Plant on Physical Symptoms of Menopause

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B Motaghi Dastenaie

2017-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Menopause is a global phenomenon for women and about 74 to 80% of women worldwide suffer from symptoms of menopause. The symptoms women experience during this period include night sweats, sleep disorders, heart problems and flushing. The treatment currently used for these complications is hormone replacement method, which has serious side effects. One alternative method for the hormone replacement method is the use of plants from the family of phytoestrogens such as evening primrose. METHODS: This triple-blind clinical trial was conducted among 100 postmenopausal women with menopausal symptoms in both drug and placebo groups. First, the symptoms of menopause were measured based on scores of 0 – 16. The participants arbitrarily used placebo or evening primrose oil 1g perle twice a day for one month. After one month, the symptoms of menopause were measured and compared using Menopause Health Questionnaire. IRCT:1N2017012432161. FINDINGS: The results of the study demonstrated that evening primrose has considerable effects on the reduction of flushing (3.33±0.79 vs. 0.89±0.64, sleep disorders (2.65±0.6 vs. 1.3±0.66 and musculo-skeletal disorders (3.41±0.74 vs. 3.41±0.73 vs. 0.82±0.73 in evening primrose group compared with placebo group (p<0.001. In this study, the mean physical symptom score before menopause was 11.15±1.78, while it was 4.78±1.60 at the end of the study (p<0.001. CONCLUSION: Results of the study demonstrated that the use of evening primrose is effective in reducing the physical symptoms in postmenopausal women and can be used as a complementary therapy or an alternative method for hormone replacement method to improve the symptoms of menopause in women.

The ultrasound research's results of the peri menopausal women's genitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dodkhoeva, M.F.; Djonova, B.Yu.; Barieva, L.S.; Djonbekova, P.A.

2007-01-01

The results of ultrasound research of the peri menopausal women's genitals revealed that the sizes of the ovaries of women with the climacteric syndrome are smaller that the size of ovaries of the women with the physiologic menopause

Use of Chinese herbal medicine among menopausal women in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lih-Chi; Wang, Bi-Ru; Chen, I-Chin; Shao, Chun-Hui

2010-04-01

To assess the patterns of use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used by women in Taiwan to treat menopausal symptoms. A retrospective review of the records of women who received CHM therapies for menopausal symptoms at the Traditional Medicine Center, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, between January 2003 and December 2006. The average number of therapies per prescription, dosage, and duration of the prescription were recorded. The most commonly prescribed herbs and formulae were also recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The records of 3432 women who were administered a total of 19370 CHMs to treat symptoms of the menopause were reviewed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 5.64. Most of the prescriptions (97.1%) were prescribed to be taken 3 times a day. The most commonly prescribed Chinese herb was Leonurus heterophyllus. Jia-Wey-Shiau-Yau-San was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula. CHM is commonly used in Taiwan for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. The efficacy and safety of CHM drugs used for the management of menopausal symptoms require further study. Copyright 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying the educational needs of menopausal women: a feasibility study.

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Trudeau, Kimberlee J; Ainscough, Jessica L; Trant, Meredith; Starker, Joan; Cousineau, Tara M

2011-01-01

The goal of this project was to identify the educational needs of menopausal women and test the feasibility of an online self management program based on social learning theory. The four stages included 1) a needs assessment using a) focus groups with 24 women ages 40 to 55 and b) phone interviews with eight health experts; 2) the use of concept mapping methodology for quantifying qualitative data from stage 1 to identify the core programmatic concepts; 3) development of a demonstration program; and 4) a pilot study with 35 women and 9 health experts to assess knowledge gained and program satisfaction. Results show that women desire more information about normalcy of menopause and symptom management and found the program to meet a need for menopausal education otherwise perceived as unavailable. The women significantly increased their menopausal knowledge after brief exposure (t(34) = 3.64; p = .001). This project provides support for an online health education program for menopausal women and content ideas for inclusion in women's health education curriculum. Copyright © 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biomarkers of vascular function in pre- and recent post-menopausal women of similar age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyberg, Michael Permin; Seidelin, Kåre; Rostgaard Andersen, Thomas

2014-01-01

Menopause is associated with an accelerated decline in vascular function, however, whether this is an effect of age and/or menopause and how exercise training may affect this decline remains unclear. We examined a range of molecular measures related to vascular function in matched pre- and post-menopausal...... women before and after 12 weeks of exercise training. Thirteen pre-menopausal and ten recently post-menopausal (1.6±0.3 (mean±SEM) years after final menstrual period) women only separated by three years (48±1 vs. 51±1 years) were included. Before training, diastolic blood pressure, soluble intercellular...... adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and skeletal muscle expression of thromboxane A synthase were higher in the post-menopausal women compared to the pre-menopausal women, all indicative of impaired vascular function. In both groups, exercise training lowered diastolic blood pressure, the levels of sICAM-1...

Treatment-related risk factors for premature menopause following Hodgkin lymphoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Bruin, Marie L; Huisbrink, Jeannine; Hauptmann, Michael

2008-01-01

We conducted a cohort-study among 518 female 5-year Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors, aged 14 to 40 years (median: 25 years) at treatment (1965-1995). Multivariable Cox regression was used to quantify treatment effects on risk of premature menopause, defined as cessation of menses before age 40...... years. After a median follow up of 9.4 years, 97 women had reached menopause before age 40 years. Chemotherapy was associated with a 12.3-fold increased risk of premature menopause compared with radiotherapy alone. Treatment with MOPP (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone......)/ABV (doxorubicine, bleomycine, vinblastine) significantly increased the risk of premature menopause (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.9), although to a lesser extent than MOPP treatment (HR: 5.7). Alkylating agents, especially procarbazine (HR: 8.1) and cyclophosphamide (HR: 3.5), showed the strongest associations. Ten years...

Menopause and work: an electronic survey of employees' attitudes in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Amanda; MacLennan, Sara Jane; Hassard, Juliet

2013-10-01

This study explored women's experiences of working through menopausal transition in the UK. It aimed to identify the perceived effects of menopausal symptoms on working life, to outline the perceived effects of work on menopausal symptoms, and to provide recommendations for women, healthcare practitioners and employers. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to women aged 45-55 in professional, managerial and administrative (non-manual) occupations in 10 organisations. Items included: age, age and gender of line manager, educational level, job satisfaction; menopausal status; symptoms that were problematic for work; hot flushes; working conditions; work performance, disclosure to line managers; individual coping strategies; and, effective workplace adjustments and employer support. The final sample comprised 896 women. Menopausal transition caused difficulties for some women at work. The most problematic symptoms were: poor concentration, tiredness, poor memory, feeling low/depressed and lowered confidence. Hot flushes were particularly difficult. Some women felt work performance had been negatively affected. The majority of women were unwilling to disclose menopause-related health problems to line managers, most of whom were men or younger than them. Individual coping strategies were described. Four major areas for organisational-level support emerged: (i) greater awareness among managers about menopause as a possible occupational health issue, (ii) flexible working hours, (iii) access to information and sources of support at work, and (iv) attention to workplace temperature and ventilation. Employers and healthcare practitioners should be aware that menopausal transition causes difficulty for some women at work, and that much can be done to support them. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of life and related factors in Menopausal women in Kashan city

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Masoomeh Abedzadeh

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Menopause is a physiological event that occurs in women's life and result in physical, emotional and social changes which affects their quality of life. Because of controversial finding in previous researches and lack of such study in kashan city, this study investigated the quality of life in menopausal women and its related factors. Methods: A cross - sectional study was performed on 700 menopausal women aged 40-60 in Kashan city with cluster sampling. Menopausal Specific Quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL was used for estimation of QOL and related factor such as age, job, educational level, marital status, duration of menopause, child at home, income satisfaction, marital satisfaction, exercise, smoking and family smoking were examined with statistical tests. Results: The quality of life was high in 17.9%, intermediate in 68.9% and low in 13.3% of women. Most of women had intermediate quality of life at vasomotor domain (67.3 %, psychosomatic domain (67.4%, physical domain(46.3% and sexual domain (51.6%.Also there was a significant difference between quality of life and educational level (P=0.004, income satisfaction (P=0.01 and exercise (P=0.0001. Conclusions: Educational level, exercise and income satisfaction are related with quality of life in menopausal women. Based on our findings, we emphasis on teaching about menopause, its symptom and adverse effects. Also emphasizes the necessity use of non pharmacological methods such as exercise and change in life style and diet to improve quality of life in menopausal women.

Menopause status and attitudes in a Turkish midlife female population: an epidemiological study

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Arslan Gul

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is a well accepted status that socio-cultural characteristics may affect the onset of menopause and its characteristics. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence rates of menopausal symptoms and these symptoms related factors, and to assess the women's attitudes towards some climacteric issues. Methods This survey was conducted between Jan., 1st 2008 and March, 31st 2008 to research the menopause status of the female population in a city of western Turkey. The study group consisted of 1551 women selected with a multistage area sampling method: a random sample of individuals aged 40-65 years. The questionnaire included questions pertaining to women's sociodemographic characteristics, women's menopausal status, some statements about the climacteric, use of hormones at menopause or before menopause, and some climacteric myths. The data was analyzed by Chi-square (x2 analysis and percent (% ratios with a significant value of P Results The mean age of the women was 49.1 years. Over 90% of the women were of the negative opinion that the climacteric is "the end of youth", "the end of fecundity", and "the end of unclean days". Most women said that cessation of menstrual periods was the most positive thing because they do not have to wait for monthly bleedings, use sanitary equipment, or take birth control methods. There were significant connections between age groups and nearly all the items, with the exception of the items "the end of life" and "the end of fecundity". Among the women, hot flushes were the most common complaint occurring in 96.5% of women: being severe in 32.9%, moderate in 43.1% and mild in 20.4%. This was followed by low backache or muscle pain 95.0% (25.9% severe, 46.0% moderate and mild 23.1%, headache 91.7% (21.9% severe, 34.9% moderate and 34.9% mild and feeling tired 91.0% (15.3% severe, 38.6% moderate and 37.1% mild. Conclusions Most of the women in this study had mixed ideas of opinions

Menopause characteristics and subjective symptoms in women with and without spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpakjian, Claire Z; Quint, Elisabeth H; Bushnik, Tamara; Rodriguez, Gianna M; Terrill, Melissa Sendroy

2010-04-01

To examine menopause transition characteristics and symptom bother in women with spinal cord injury (SCI). Prospective cohort (4 data collection periods across 4 years). Community. Women (n=62) with SCI (injury levels C6-T12, nonambulatory, >36mo postinjury; 86.1% retention) and women without SCI (n=66; 92.9% retention) with intact ovaries, not using hormone therapy, and between the ages of 45 and 60 years volunteered. A total of 505 observations were collected and analyzed. None. Age at final menstrual period (FMP), transitions through menopause status classifications, and menopause symptom bother (vasomotor, somatic, psychologic symptoms). The number of women transitioning through a menopause status classification over the course of the study did not significantly vary by group (P=.263), nor did age at FMP (P=.643). Women with SCI experienced greater bother of somatic symptoms (a subscale, P<.001), bladder infections (P<.001), and diminished sexual arousal (P=.012). Women without SCI had significantly greater bother of vasomotor symptoms (P=.020). There were no significant group by menopause status interactions; main effects for menopause status were significant only for vasomotor symptoms and vaginal dryness. Results suggested that women with SCI experience greater symptom bother in certain areas, but that patterns of symptom bother across menopause, transition through menopause, and age at FMP are similar to those of their peers. Larger studies are needed to examine menopause outcomes with respect to level of injury and completeness of injury. These findings provide a framework that women with SCI and their health care providers can use to address the menopause transition and highlight the importance of multidisciplinary involvement to maximize health and well being during this transition. Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing menopausal status in women aged 40 - 49 using depot ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. Determining symptoms of menopause in older users of hormonal injectable contraceptives may be challenging, owing to method-induced amenorrhoea, suppression of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and vasomotor symptoms. Objective. To investigate menopausal symptoms in women aged 40 - 49 using ...

AB029. Meeting sexual health requirements in menopause

OpenAIRE

Srilatha, B.

2015-01-01

Many underlying psycho-physiological complexities can alter the normal manifestation of sexual responses in women. While these factors may be hormonal changes associated with pregnancy or lactation, medical or surgical debilitating illnesses, relationship issues or socio-cultural and environmental factors, a major hallmark along the life stages is menopause per se. The transition from reproductively active period to menopause is the key to a variety of physiological, psychological, functional...

Sleep During Menopausal Transition: A 6-Year Follow-Up.

Science.gov (United States)

Lampio, Laura; Polo-Kantola, Päivi; Himanen, Sari-Leena; Kurki, Samu; Huupponen, Eero; Engblom, Janne; Heinonen, Olli J; Polo, Olli; Saaresranta, Tarja

2017-07-01

Menopausal transition is associated with increased dissatisfaction with sleep, but the effects on sleep architecture are conflicting. This prospective 6-year follow-up study was designed to evaluate the changes in sleep stages and sleep continuity that occur in women during menopausal transition. Sixty women (mean age 46.0 years, SD 0.9) participated. All women were premenopausal at baseline, and at the 6-year follow-up, women were in different stages of menopausal transition. Polysomnography was used to study sleep architecture at baseline and follow-up. The effects of aging and menopause (assessed as change in serum follicle-stimulating hormone [S-FSH]) on sleep architecture were evaluated using linear regression models. After controlling for body mass index, vasomotor, and depressive symptoms, aging of 6 years resulted in shorter total sleep time (B -37.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] -71.5 to (-3.3)), lower sleep efficiency (B -6.5, 95%CI -12.7 to (-0.2)), as well as in increased transitions from slow-wave sleep (SWS) to wakefulness (B 1.0, 95%CI 0.1 to 1.9), wake after sleep onset (B 37.7, 95%CI 12.5 to 63.0), awakenings per hour (B 1.8, 95%CI 0.8 to 2.8), and arousal index (B 2.3, 95%CI 0.1 to 4.4). Higher S-FSH concentration in menopausal transition was associated with increased SWS (B 0.09, 95%CI 0.01 to 0.16) after controlling for confounding factors. A significant deterioration in sleep continuity occurs when women age from 46 to 52 years, but change from premenopausal to menopausal state restores some SWS. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Genes Involved in Initial Follicle Recruitment May Be Associated with Age at Menopause

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voorhuis, Marlies; Broekmans, Frank J.; Fauser, Bart C. J. M.; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.

Context: Timing of menopause is largely influenced by genetic factors. Because menopause occurs when the follicle pool in the ovaries has become exhausted, genes involved in primordial follicle recruitment can be considered as candidate genes for timing of menopause. Objective: The aim was to study

Early menopause predicts future coronary heart disease and stroke: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wellons, Melissa; Ouyang, Pamela; Schreiner, Pamela J; Herrington, David M; Vaidya, Dhananjay

2012-10-01

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. Identifying women at risk of cardiovascular disease has tremendous public health importance. Early menopause is associated with increased cardiovascular disease events in some predominantly white populations, but not consistently. Our objective was to determine if self-reported early menopause (menopause at an age menopause (either natural menopause or surgical removal of ovaries at an age menopause. In survival curves, women with early menopause had worse coronary heart disease and stroke-free survival (log rank P = 0.008 and P = 0.0158). In models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, Multi-ethnic Study Atherosclerosis site, and traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, this risk for coronary heart disease and stroke remained (hazard ratio, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.17-3.70; and hazard ratio, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.11-4.32, respectively). Early menopause is positively associated with coronary heart disease and stroke in a multiethnic cohort, independent of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Factors affecting sexual function in menopause: A review article

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Soheila Nazarpour

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to systematically review the articles on factors affecting sexual function during menopause. Searching articles indexed in Pubmed, Science Direct, Iranmedex, EMBASE, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database databases, a total number of 42 studies published between 2003 and 2013 were selected. Age, estrogen deficiency, type of menopause, chronic medical problems, partner's sex problems, severity of menopause symptoms, dystocia history, and health status were the physical factors influencing sexual function of menopausal women. There were conflicting results regarding the amount of androgens, hormonal therapy, exercise/physical activity, and obstetric history. In the mental–emotional area, all studies confirmed the impact of depression and anxiety. Social factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, the quality of relationship with husband, partner's loyalty, sexual knowledge, access to health care, a history of divorce or the death of a husband, living apart from a spouse, and a negative understanding of women's health were found to affect sexual function; however, there were conflicting results regarding the effects of education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital duration, and frequency of sexual intercourse.

Factors affecting sexual function in menopause: A review article.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazarpour, Soheila; Simbar, Masoumeh; Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani

2016-08-01

This study aimed to systematically review the articles on factors affecting sexual function during menopause. Searching articles indexed in Pubmed, Science Direct, Iranmedex, EMBASE, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database databases, a total number of 42 studies published between 2003 and 2013 were selected. Age, estrogen deficiency, type of menopause, chronic medical problems, partner's sex problems, severity of menopause symptoms, dystocia history, and health status were the physical factors influencing sexual function of menopausal women. There were conflicting results regarding the amount of androgens, hormonal therapy, exercise/physical activity, and obstetric history. In the mental-emotional area, all studies confirmed the impact of depression and anxiety. Social factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, the quality of relationship with husband, partner's loyalty, sexual knowledge, access to health care, a history of divorce or the death of a husband, living apart from a spouse, and a negative understanding of women's health were found to affect sexual function; however, there were conflicting results regarding the effects of education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital duration, and frequency of sexual intercourse. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Oxidative stress of crystalline lens in rat menopausal model.

Science.gov (United States)

Acer, Semra; Pekel, Gökhan; Küçükatay, Vural; Karabulut, Aysun; Yağcı, Ramazan; Çetin, Ebru Nevin; Akyer, Şahika Pınar; Şahin, Barbaros

2016-01-01

To evaluate lenticular oxidative stress in rat menopausal models. Forty Wistar female albino rats were included in this study. A total of thirty rats underwent oophorectomy to generate a menopausal model. Ten rats that did not undergo oophorectomy formed the control group (Group 1). From the rats that underwent oophorectomy, 10 formed the menopause control group (Group 2), 10 were administered a daily injection of methylprednisolone until the end of the study (Group 3), and the remaining 10 rats were administered intraperitoneal streptozocin to induce diabetes mellitus (Group 4). Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and oxidative stress index (OSI) measurements of the crystalline lenses were analyzed. The mean OSI was the lowest in group 1 and highest in group 4. Nevertheless, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant in terms of OSI (p >0.05). The mean TOS values were similar between the groups (p >0.05), whereas the mean TAC of group 1 was significantly higher than that of the other groups (p <0.001). Our results indicate that menopause may not promote cataract formation.

Deconstructing the cultural confinement of the Western menopausal women towards a spirituality of liberation

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Crystal Meletiou

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Throughout the ages, menstruation and menopause have posed unique challenges in the life of women. In Biblical times, much was said about the impurity of a menstruating woman. In the past century, however, the focus gradually shifted to menopause and the effect thereof on a woman�s body, both aesthetically and physiologically. Freud went so far as to argue that menopausal women are neurotic and that an oophorectomy (the surgical removal of the female ovaries should be a standard procedure for a menopausal woman. Unfortunately, this Freudian theory has not yet been completely demolished in our contemporary society. Hysterectomies (the surgical removal of the uterus are still frequently performed on menopausal women, and all too often, antidepressants are included in menopausal women� medical regimes. The question remains: Can hysterectomy, hormone replacement therapy and antidepressants �erase� the challenges that Western menopausal women face?Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Western menopausal women are under tremendous social pressure to preserve their youthfulness. Many middle-aged women live with the fear that their declining sexual appeal may result in rejection, both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, the intellectual value of these women is seldom acknowledged.�

Age at natural menopause in women on long-term methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Banas, Tomasz; Hajdyla-Banas, Iwona; Pitynski, Kazimierz; Niewegłowska, Dorota; Juszczyk, Grzegorz; Ludwin, Artur; Knafel, Anna; Ludwin, Inga

2016-10-01

The aim of the study was to compare the natural menopause ages of healthy women with those of women with methotrexate (MTX)-treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to specifically assess the effect of disease onset and activity and the use of MTX on the age of the last menstruation. We performed a retrospective review of medical records to identify the ages at which menopause occurred in women with premenopausal RA treated with MTX and in women with postmenopausal onset, irrespective of therapy. Natural menopause ages were also compared between participants with and without RA. Women with premenopausal onset of RA underwent menopause at a significantly younger age than did healthy women (P Menopause also occurred at younger ages in participants with postmenopausal disease onset than in healthy controls (P = 0.012). The study suggested that menopause age was positively correlated with the age at which RA was diagnosed (R = 0.51; P menopause (P = 0.008). The age at which menopause occurs in a patient with RA depends on the patient's age at the time of disease onset and its duration, but is not influenced by MTX treatment.

Assessment of Questionnaire Measuring Quality of Life in Menopausal Women: A Systematic Review

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Ensiyeh Jenabi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Menopause is a natural part of the aging process in women and is defined as occurring 12 months after the last menstrual period marking the end of menstrual cycles. Menopause has a negative impact on the quality of life (QoL. Various generic and specific questionnaires have been used for assessing different dimensions of QoL in menopausal women. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify those general and specific instruments, and to determine the factors that affect QoL in menopausal women. We assessed eight specific and three general tools and found that some general and specific instruments, such as the 36-item short form (SF-36 and the Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL, were mostly used for assessment. The specific tools available were diverse. Employment status and a high educational level in menopausal women were considered to be protective factors in improving QoL. Identification of predicting factors of QoL, such as body mass index, race, age, duration of menopause, and social and occupational variables can help to improve the QoL of these women allowing planning of psychological consultations and practical interventions.

NUTRITIONAL IMPORTANCE DURING MENOPAUSE: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY IN URBAN AREA OF DISTRICT VARANASI

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Pooja Verma

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: - Menopause is a universal reproductive phenomenon. All the nutrients plays important role at the time of menopause and in prevention of diseases. Deficiency of vitamin D is one of the major contributory factors responsible for lower bone mineral density (BMD in menopausal women. Iron deficiency anemia is common among menopausal women. The present study was conducted to assess the views on importance of nutrition & intake of various food items during menopause. Methods: - Community based   cross sectional study. A total of 100 women aged 45-55 years in post-menopausal phase were selected from urban areas of district Varanasi during 2012-13. Data were collected by pretested questionnaire cum interview method. Results: - In the present study half of respondent belonged to 40-45 years age group. When they were asked about importance of nutrition during menopause 70% respondent said that they paid attention on their diet during menopause. 79% women preferred food being cooked in their kitchen. 69% women took milk in their regular diet. 95% women’s took fruits and vegetables in their diet. Only 76% have knowledge of added requirement of iron & calcium but only 59% women had iron and calcium reach foods in their regular diet. Conclusion: - In the present study about three fourth respondents knew about nutritional importance during menopause.

Timing of Hormone Therapy, Type of Menopause, and Coronary Disease in Women: Data from the NHLBI-sponsored Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE)

Science.gov (United States)

Shufelt, Chrisandra; Johnson, B. Delia; Berga, Sarah L.; Braunstein, Glenn D.; Reis, Steven E.; Bittner, Vera; Yang, YuChing; Pepine, Carl J.; Sharaf, Barry L.; Sopko, George; Kelsey, Sheryl F.; Merz, C. Noel Bairey

2011-01-01

Objective To assess the relationship of timing of hormone therapy (HT) use with angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in women with natural versus surgical menopause. Methods We studied 654 postmenopausal women undergoing coronary angiography for evaluation of suspected ischemia. Timing and type of menopause, HT use, and quantitative angiographic evaluations were obtained at baseline, and the women were followed for a median of 6 years for CVD events. Results Ever users of HT had a significantly lower prevalence of obstructive CAD compared to never users (age-adjusted OR=0.41 [0.28, 0.60]). Naturally menopausal women initiating HT at age menopause group (HR [95%CI] = 0.60[0.41, 0.88], p=0.009) but became non-significant when adjusting for presence or severity of obstructive CAD. Conclusions Using quantitative measurements of timing and type of menopause and HT use, earlier initiation of HT was associated with less angiographic CAD in women with natural but not surgical menopause. Our data suggest that the effect of HT use on reduced cardiovascular event rates is mediated by the presence or absence of angiographic obstructive atherosclerosis. PMID:21532511

Early menopause, association with tobacco smoking, coffee consumption and other lifestyle factors: a cross-sectional study

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Sundby Johanne

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Early onset of menopause is a risk factor for several health problems. The objective was primarily to investigate the association between early menopause and current, past active and passive smoking. A second aim was to investigate the association between coffee and alcohol consumption and early menopause. Methods The present population-based cross-sectional study included a sub-sample of 2123 postmenopausal women born in 1940–41 who participated in the Oslo Health Study. Early menopause was defined as menopause occurring at an age of less than 45 years. We applied logistic regression analyses (crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR to examine the association between early menopause and selected lifestyle factors. Results Current smoking was significantly associated with early menopause (adj. OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.11–2.28. Stopping smoking more than 10 years before menopause considerably reduced the risk of early menopause (adj. OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.05–0.33. Total exposure to smoking (the product of number of cigarettes per day and time as a smoker was positively related to early menopause and, at the highest doses, nearly doubled the odds (adj. OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.12–3.30. These data suggest a possible dose-response relationship between total exposure to smoking and early menopause, but no dose-response relationship was detected for the other variables examined. We found no significant association of coffee or alcohol consumption with early menopause. Of the lifestyle factors tested, high educational level (adj. OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.34–0.72 and high social participation (adj. OR, 0.60, 95% CI, 0.39–0.98 were negatively associated with early menopause. Conclusion This cross-sectional study shows an association between current smoking and early menopause. The data also suggest that the earlier a woman stops smoking the more protected she is from early menopause. Early menopause was not significantly associated with passive

Functional and molecular neuroimaging of menopause and hormone replacement therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Comasco, Erika; Frøkjær, Vibe; Sundström-Poromaa, Inger

2014-01-01

The level of gonadal hormones to which the female brain is exposed considerably changes across the menopausal transition, which in turn, is likely to be of great relevance for neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. However, the neurobiological consequences of these hormone fluctuat......The level of gonadal hormones to which the female brain is exposed considerably changes across the menopausal transition, which in turn, is likely to be of great relevance for neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. However, the neurobiological consequences of these hormone...... fluctuations and of hormone replacement therapy in the menopause have only begun to be understood. The present review summarizes the findings of thirty-five studies of human brain function, including functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron and single-photon computed emission tomography studies, in peri......-controlled multi-modal prospective neuroimaging studies as well as investigation on the related molecular mechanisms of effects of menopausal hormonal variations on the brain....

Musculoskeletal pain among women of menopausal age in Puebla, Mexico.

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Sievert, Lynnette Leidy; Goode-Null, Susan K

2005-06-01

Worldwide, complaints of musculoskeletal pain are more frequent than complaints of hot flashes amongst women of menopausal age. The purpose of this study was to examine musculoskeletal pain among women of menopausal age in the city of Puebla, Mexico. An opportunity sample was recruited from public parks and markets, with representation from all social classes (n=755). Mean age was 50.1 years, and the majority were employed as saleswomen in small businesses. Symptom frequencies were collected by open-ended interviews and with a structured symptom list that queried symptom experience during the two weeks prior to interview. In response to open-ended questions, "dolores de huesos" (bone pain) was volunteered by 47% of respondents as a symptom associated with menopause, second only to hot flashes (53%). From the structured symptom list, 55.8% and 55.6% reported back pain and joint stiffness during the two weeks prior to interview. Women with back pain and joint stiffness were less likely to report being active during their leisure time (p<.01). The results of backwards stepwise logistic regressions indicate that women with back pain were more likely to be older, with less education, a higher BMI, and ate less meat. Women with joint pain were more likely to be post-menopausal, with less education, more children, a higher BMI, and were likely to drink milk and coffee more than once/week but less than once/day. While menopause is not necessarily a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain, it is important to recognize the pervasiveness of this complaint among women of menopausal age.

Menopause and risk of diabetes in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

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Kim, Catherine; Edelstein, Sharon L; Crandall, Jill P; Dabelea, Dana; Kitabchi, Abbas E; Hamman, Richard F; Montez, Maria G; Perreault, Leigh; Foulkes, Mary A; Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth

2011-08-01

The study objectives were to examine the association between menopause status and diabetes risk among women with glucose intolerance and to determine if menopause status modifies response to diabetes prevention interventions. The study population included women in premenopause (n = 708), women in natural postmenopause (n = 328), and women with bilateral oophorectomy (n = 201) in the Diabetes Prevention Program, a randomized placebo-controlled trial of lifestyle intervention and metformin among glucose-intolerant adults. Associations between menopause and diabetes risk were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models that adjusted for demographic variables (age, race/ethnicity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes mellitus), waist circumference, insulin resistance, and corrected insulin response. Similar models were constructed after stratification by menopause type and hormone therapy use. After adjustment for age, there was no association between natural menopause or bilateral oophorectomy and diabetes risk. Differences by study arm were observed in women who reported bilateral oophorectomy. In the lifestyle arm, women with bilateral oophorectomy had a lower adjusted hazard for diabetes (hazard ratio [HR], 0.19; 95% CI, 0.04-0.94), although observations were too few to determine if this was independent of hormone therapy use. No significant differences were seen in the metformin (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.63-2.64) or placebo arms (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.74-2.55). Among women at high risk for diabetes, natural menopause was not associated with diabetes risk and did not affect response to diabetes prevention interventions. In the lifestyle intervention, bilateral oophorectomy was associated with a decreased diabetes risk.

Surgical menopause and nonvertebral fracture risk among older US women.

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Vesco, Kimberly K; Marshall, Lynn M; Nelson, Heidi D; Humphrey, Linda; Rizzo, Joanne; Pedula, Kathryn L; Cauley, Jane A; Ensrud, Kristine E; Hochberg, Marc C; Antoniucci, Diana; Hillier, Teresa A

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether older postmenopausal women with a history of bilateral oophorectomy before natural menopause (surgical menopause) have a higher risk of nonvertebral postmenopausal fracture than women with natural menopause. We used 21 years of prospectively collected incident fracture data from the ongoing Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, a cohort study of community-dwelling women without previous bilateral hip fracture who were 65 years or older at enrollment, to determine the risk of hip, wrist, and any nonvertebral fracture. χ(2) and t tests were used to compare the two groups on important characteristics. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models stratified by baseline oral estrogen use status were used to estimate the risk of fracture. Baseline characteristics differed significantly among the 6,616 women within the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures who underwent either surgical (1,157) or natural (5,459) menopause, including mean age at menopause (44.3 ± 7.4 vs 48.9 ± 4.9 y, P menopause, even among women who had never used oral estrogen (hip fracture: hazard ratio [HR], 0.87; 95% CI, 0.63-1.21; wrist fracture: HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.78-1.57; any nonvertebral fracture: HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.93-1.32). These data provide some reassurance that the long-term risk of nonvertebral fracture is not substantially increased for postmenopausal women who experienced premenopausal bilateral oophorectomy, compared with postmenopausal women with intact ovaries, even in the absence of postmenopausal estrogen therapy.

Test Review: Autism Spectrum Rating Scales

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Simek, Amber N.; Wahlberg, Andrea C.

2011-01-01

This article reviews Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS) which are designed to measure behaviors in children between the ages of 2 and 18 that are associated with disorders on the autism spectrum as rated by parents/caregivers and/or teachers. The rating scales include items related to behaviors associated with Autism, Asperger's Disorder, and…

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

... study may also apply to younger women. However, women in the study were not using MHT to relieve symptoms of menopause. In addition, the WHI trials tested single-dose strengths of one estrogen-only medication (Premarin) ...

Sexual Functioning During Menopause: Schemas, Hormones, and Race

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-08

Spitznagel, E. L., Schootman, M., Bucholz, K. K., Peipert, J. F., . . . Bierut, L. J. (2009). Age of sexual debut among US adolescents . Contraception , 80(2...use different, non-comparable methods to calculate the average age that menopause ‘begins.’ Finally, it is unclear how oral contraceptives and... contraception use are related to a later age of menopause (Gold et al., 2001; Gold et al., 2006; Hardy, Kuh, & Wadsworth, 2000; Kato et al., 1998; Palmer

Premature menopause linked to CVD and osteoporosis.

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Park, Claire; Overton, Caroline

2010-03-01

Premature menopause affects 1% of women under the age of 40, the usual age of the menopause is 51. Most women will present with irregular periods or no periods at all with or without climacteric symptoms. Around 10% of women present with primary amenorrhoea. A careful history and examination are required. It is important to ask specifically about previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy and to look for signs of androgen excess e.g. polycystic ovarian syndrome, adrenal problems e.g. galactorrhoea and thyroid goitres. Once pregnancy has been excluded, a progestagen challenge test can be performed in primary care. Norethisterone 5 mg tds po for ten days or alternatively medroxyprogesterone acetate 10 mg daily for ten days is prescribed. A withdrawal bleed within a few days of stopping the norethisterone indicates the presence of oestrogen and bleeding more than a few drops is considered a positive withdrawal bleed. The absence of a bleed indicates low levels of oestrogen, putting the woman at risk of CVD and osteoporosis. FSH levels above 30 IU/l are an indicator that the ovaries are failing and the menopause is approaching or has occurred. It should be remembered that FSH levels fluctuate during the month and from one month to the next, so a minimum of two measurements should be made at least four to six weeks apart. The presence of a bleed should not exclude premature menopause as part of the differential diagnosis as there can be varying and unpredictable ovarian function remaining. The progestagen challenge test should not be used alone, but in conjunction with FSH, LH and oestradiol. There is no treatment for premature menopause. Women desiring pregnancy should be referred to a fertility clinic and discussion of egg donation. Women not wishing to become pregnant should be prescribed HRT until the age of 50 to control symptoms of oestrogen deficiency and reduce the risks of osteoporosis and CVD.

Effects of calci soya balance and vitagnus on menopausal symptoms.

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Golian Tehrani, Shahnaz; Bazzazian, Shahin; Bakhtiarian, Azam; Ghobadzadeh, Maryam

2014-10-01

Menopause is a period of women's lives with changes and symptoms that affect their work, sleep and quality of life. Therefore, it is important to overcome these symptoms. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of Calci soya balance and Vitagnus on menopausal symptoms. This double-blinded controlled trial study was performed in public health centers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (2011-2012). Seventy postmenopausal women with menopausal symptoms were randomly divided into two groups of treatments with Vitagnus and Calci soya balance. Data were collected using interviews, answering Cooperman's index questionnaires before four and eight weeks after the treatment. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used for analyzing the data. In both groups, Wilcoxon test showed a significant decrease in the mean of Cooperman's menopausal index as well as after four and eight weeks of treatment (P = 0.000). Mann-Whitney test did not show any significant differences between the two groups, before and after four and eight weeks of treatment. The results showed that both Vitagnus and Calci soya balance were effective on reduction of menopausal symptoms to a similar extent and medical community can administer each of these two drugs based on patients' conditions and costs.

Sleep and menopause: a narrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaver, Joan L; Woods, Nancy F

2015-08-01

Our overall aim-through a narrative review-is to critically profile key extant evidence of menopause-related sleep, mostly from studies published in the last decade. We searched the database PubMed using selected Medical Subject Headings for sleep and menopause (n = 588 articles). Using similar headings, we also searched the Cochrane Library (n = 1), Embase (n = 449), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (n = 163), Web of Science (n = 506), and PsycINFO (n = 58). Articles deemed most related to the purpose were reviewed. Results were articulated with interpretive comments according to evidence of sleep quality (self-reported) and sleep patterns (polysomnography and actigraphy) impact as related to reproductive aging and in the context of vasomotor symptoms (VMS; self-reported), vasomotor activity (VMA) events (recorded skin conductance), depressed mood, and ovarian hormones. Predominantly, the menopausal transition conveys poor sleep beyond anticipated age effects. Perceptions of sleep are not necessarily translatable from detectable physical sleep changes and are probably affected by an emotional overlay on symptoms reporting. Sleep quality and pattern changes are mostly manifest in wakefulness indicators, but sleep pattern changes are not striking. Likely contributing are VMS of sufficient frequency/severity and bothersomeness, probably with a sweating component. VMA events influence physical sleep fragmentation but not necessarily extensive sleep loss or sleep architecture changes. Lack of robust connections between perceived and recorded sleep (and VMA) could be influenced by inadequate detection. There is a need for studies of women in well-defined menopausal transition stages who have no sleep problems, accounting for sleep-related disorders, mood, and other symptoms, with attention to VMS dimensions, distribution of VMS during night and day, and advanced measurement of symptoms and physiologic manifestations.

EMAS recommendations for conditions in the workplace for menopausal women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Griffiths, Amanda; Ceausu, Iuliana; Depypere, Herman; Lambrinoudaki, Irene; Mueck, Alfred; Pérez-López, Faustino R; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Senturk, Levent M; Simoncini, Tommaso; Stevenson, John C; Stute, Petra; Rees, Margaret

2016-01-01

Women form a large part of many workforces throughout Europe. Many will be working throughout their menopausal years. Whilst the menopause may cause no significant problems for some, for others it is known to present considerable difficulties in both their personal and working lives. During the

Methodological issues related to studies of lead mobilization during menopause

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Berkowitz Gertrud S.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available While there has been a substantial decline in lead exposure in the United States during the past two decades, mobilization of existing lead stored in bone potentially represents an important endogenous source of exposure for menopausal women. It has been hypothesized that lead may be mobilized from skeletal stores during conditions of high bone turnover, such as during menopause. However, such mobilization has not been documented in prospective studies. This discussion is focussed on some of the methodological difficulties to be anticipated in longitudinal studies of lead mobilization specific to menopause and the issues that need to be taken into account when evaluating the results of such studies. To evaluate whether lead mobilization occurs during menopause, a prospective repeated measures design is needed using X-ray fluorescence analysis of lead in bone and serial measurements of blood lead. Potential confounders and effect modifiers also need to be taken into account in the statistical analysis.

Impact of hormone therapy on quality of life after menopause.

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Utian, Wulf H; Woods, Nancy Fugate

2013-10-01

Given the complexity of the literature on quality of life (QOL) and hormone therapy (HT) among women in the menopausal transition and postmenopause, the purposes of this integrative review were to (1) define QOL as a multidimensional construct; (2) review validated instruments for measurement of QOL; (3) review results of HT and QOL clinical trials that have used validated instruments; and (4) assess the effectiveness of HT on QOL, including health-related QOL (HRQOL), menopause-specific QOL (MSQOL), and global QOL (GQOL). The literature on HT and QOL was searched for definitions of QOL and validated instruments for measuring QOL, and the results were summarized. The purposes of this integrative review were to evaluate the effects of HT on HRQOL, differentiating the effects of HT on GQOL, HRQOL, and MSQOL. As a basis for this review, we searched for published controlled clinical trials in which the effects of HT on QOL were studied using validated QOL instruments, in particular menopause-specific validated instruments. Clear definitions are elucidated. Validated instruments for the measurements of HRQOL, GQOL, and MSQOL are summarized, and the necessity of their incorporation into future research and clinical practice is emphasized. The published effects on QOL of estrogens and progestogens administered to symptomatic and nonsymptomatic women in the menopausal transition and beyond are reviewed. The impact of various health state-related symptoms on HRQOL and GQOL is now an integral component of contemporary health care. Effects of HT include GQOL and HRQOL and should be menopause-specific. There is clearly a need for further studies on menopause and menopause-related therapies using appropriate and validated instruments. Literature review shows that HT provides a significant benefit for MSQOL in midlife women, mainly through relief of symptoms, but treatment also may result in a global increase in sense of well-being (GQOL). HRQOL benefits are contingent on

Distribution of age at menopause in two Danish samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boldsen, J L; Jeune, B

1990-01-01

We analyzed the distribution of reported age at natural menopause in two random samples of Danish women (n = 176 and n = 150) to determine the shape of the distribution and to disclose any possible trends in the distribution parameters. It was necessary to correct the frequencies of the reported...... ages for the effect of differing ages at reporting. The corrected distribution of age at menopause differs from the normal distribution in the same way in both samples. Both distributions could be described by a mixture of two normal distributions. It appears that most of the parameters of the normal...... distribution mixtures remain unchanged over a 50-year time lag. The position of the distribution, that is, the mean age at menopause, however, increases slightly but significantly....

Effect of lavender aromatherapy on menopause hot flushing: A crossover randomized clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafat Kazemzadeh

2016-09-01

Conclusion: This study indicated that the use of lavender aromatherapy reduced menopause flushing. Given the impact of stress on flushing and the undesirable effects of menopause symptoms on the quality of life, it would appear that this simple, noninvasive, safe, and effective method can be used by menopausal women with noticeable benefits.

Association of menopause age and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebong, Imo A; Watson, Karol E; Goff, David C; Bluemke, David A; Srikanthan, Preethi; Horwich, Tamara; Bertoni, Alain G

2015-05-01

Menopause age can affect the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of early menopause (menopause occurring before age 45 y) and menopause age with N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a potential risk marker of CVD and heart failure. Our cross-sectional study included 2,275 postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 85 years and without clinical CVD (2000-2002), from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Participants were classified as having or not having early menopause. NT-proBNP was log-transformed. Multivariable linear regression was used for analysis. Five hundred sixty-one women had early menopause. The median (25th-75th percentiles) NT-proBNP value was 79.0 (41.1-151.6) pg/mL for all participants, 83.4 (41.4-164.9) pg/mL for women with early menopause, and 78.0 (40.8-148.3) pg/mL for women without early menopause. The mean (SD) age was 65 (10.1) and 65 (8.9) years for women with and without early menopause, respectively. No significant interactions between menopause age and ethnicity were observed. In multivariable analysis, early menopause was associated with a 10.7% increase in NT-proBNP levels, whereas each 1-year increase in menopause age was associated with a 0.7% decrease in NT-proBNP levels. Early menopause is associated with greater NT-proBNP levels, whereas each 1-year increase in menopause age is associated with lower NT-proBNP levels, in postmenopausal women.

Relationships between menstrual and menopausal attitudes and associated demographic and health characteristics: the Hilo Women's Health Study.

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Morrison, Lynn A; Sievert, Lynnette L; Brown, Daniel E; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relation of menstrual attitudes to menopausal attitudes and the demographic and health characteristics associated with each. This cross-sectional study consisted of a randomly selected sample of 1,824 respondents aged 16 to 100 years in multi-ethnic Hilo, Hawai'i. Women completed questionnaires for demographic and health information, such as age, ethnicity, education, residency in Hawai'i, menopausal status, exercise, and attitudes toward menstruation and menopause. Women more often chose positive terms, such as "natural," to describe menstruation (60.8%) and menopause (59.4%). In bivariate analyses, post-menopausal women were significantly more likely to have positive menstrual and menopausal attitudes than pre-menopausal women. Factor analyses were used to cluster attitudes followed by linear regression to identify demographic characteristics associated with factor scores. Asian-American ethnicity, higher education, reporting more exercise, and growing up outside of Hawai'i were associated with positive menstrual attitudes. Higher education, older age, post-menopausal status, growing up outside of Hawai'i and having hot flashes were associated with positive menopausal attitudes. Bivariate correlation analyses suggested significant associations between factor scores for menstrual and menopausal attitudes. Both negative and positive menstrual attitudes were positively correlated with the anticipation of menopause, although negative attitudes toward menstruation were negatively correlated with menopause as a positive, natural life event. Demographic variables, specifically education and where one grows up, influenced women's attitudes toward menstruation and menopause and should be considered for inclusion in subsequent multi-ethnic studies. Further research is also warranted in assessing the relationship between menstrual and menopausal attitudes.

Menopause and cardiovascular disease: the evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosano, G M C; Vitale, C; Marazzi, G; Volterrani, M

2007-02-01

Menopause is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) because estrogen withdrawal has a detrimental effect on cardiovascular function and metabolism. The menopause compounds many traditional CVD risk factors, including changes in body fat distribution from a gynoid to an android pattern, reduced glucose tolerance, abnormal plasma lipids, increased blood pressure, increased sympathetic tone, endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation. Many CVD risk factors have different impacts in men and women. In postmenopausal women, treatment of arterial hypertension and glucose intolerance should be priorities. Observational studies and randomized clinical trials suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) started soon after the menopause may confer cardiovascular benefit. In contrast to other synthetic progestogens used in continuous combined HRTs, the unique progestogen drospirenone has antialdosterone properties. Drospirenone can therefore counteract the water- and sodium-retaining effects of the estrogen component of HRT via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which may otherwise result in weight gain and raised blood pressure. As a continuous combined HRT with 17beta-estradiol, drospirenone has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure in postmenopausal women with elevated blood pressure, but not in normotensive women. Therefore, in addition to relieving climacteric symptoms, drospirenone/17beta-estradiol may offer further benefits in postmenopausal women, such as improved CVD risk profile.

Natural menopause among women below 50 years in India: A population-based study

Science.gov (United States)

Pallikadavath, Saseendran; Ogollah, Reuben; Singh, Abhishek; Dean, Tara; Dewey, Ann; Stones, William

2016-01-01

Background & objectives: The age at which menopause naturally occurs may reflect nutritional and environmental circumstances as well as genetic factors. In this study we examined natural menopause as a marker of women's health at the population level in India and in some major States. Methods: Data from the Indian District Level Household Survey (DLHS) carried out during 2007-2008 covering 643,944 ever-married women aged 15-49 yr were used; women of older ages were not included in this survey. Since not all women in this age group had achieved natural menopause at the time of survey, Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed to obtain the median age of women reporting a natural menopause, excluding those who underwent hysterectomy. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated for key socio-economic and reproductive variables that could potentially affect the age at natural menopause menopause prior to age 40 was reported by approximately 1.5 per cent of women. In the national data set, significant associations with age at natural menopause were identified with marriage breakdown or widowhood, poverty, Muslim religious affiliation, ‘scheduled caste’ status, not having received schooling, rural residence, having never used contraceptive pills, not been sterilized or had an abortion, low parity and residence in the western region. Within data from five selected States examined separately, the strength of these associations varied. Interpretation & conclusions: Associations of natural menopause with sociocultural, family planning and demographic variables were noted. Most importantly, there was an association with poverty that would require further investigation as to causality. The proportion of women experiencing early menopause may represent a useful overall indicator of women's health. The data are reassuring with regard to possible late effects of sterilization on ovarian function. PMID:28139535

Diabetes and onset of natural menopause: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, J S; Onland-Moret, N C; Eijkemans, M J C; Tjønneland, A; Roswall, N; Overvad, K; Fagherazzi, G; Clavel-Chapelon, F; Dossus, L; Lukanova, A; Grote, V; Bergmann, M M; Boeing, H; Trichopoulou, A; Tzivoglou, M; Trichopoulos, D; Grioni, S; Mattiello, A; Masala, G; Tumino, R; Vineis, P; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H B; Weiderpass, E; Redondo, M L; Sánchez, M J; Castaño, J M Huerta; Arriola, L; Ardanaz, E; Duell, E J; Rolandsson, O; Franks, P W; Butt, S; Nilsson, P; Khaw, K T; Wareham, N; Travis, R; Romieu, I; Gunter, M J; Riboli, E; van der Schouw, Y T

2015-06-01

Do women who have diabetes before menopause have their menopause at an earlier age compared with women without diabetes? Although there was no overall association between diabetes and age at menopause, our study suggests that early-onset diabetes may accelerate menopause. Today, more women of childbearing age are being diagnosed with diabetes, but little is known about the impact of diabetes on reproductive health. We investigated the impact of diabetes on age at natural menopause (ANM) in 258 898 women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), enrolled between 1992 and 2000. Determinant and outcome information was obtained through questionnaires. Time-dependent Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the associations of diabetes and age at diabetes diagnosis with ANM, stratified by center and adjusted for age, smoking, reproductive and diabetes risk factors and with age from birth to menopause or censoring as the underlying time scale. Overall, no association between diabetes and ANM was found (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-1.01). However, women with diabetes before the age of 20 years had an earlier menopause (10-20 years: HR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.02-2.01, France); German Cancer Aid, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMMF) (Germany); Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity, Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Hellenic Health Foundation (Greece); Italian Association for Research on Cancer (AIRC) and National Research Council (Italy); Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS), Netherlands Cancer Registry (NKR), LK Research Funds, Dutch Prevention Funds, Dutch ZON (Zorg Onderzoek Nederland), World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), Statistics Netherlands (The Netherlands); ERC-2009-AdG 232997 and Nordforsk, Nordic Centre of Excellence programme on Food, Nutrition and Health (Norway); Health Research Fund (FIS), Regional Governments of Andaluc

Oxidative stress of crystalline lens in rat menopausal model

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Semra Acer

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate lenticular oxidative stress in rat menopausal models. Methods: Forty Wistar female albino rats were included in this study. A total of thirty rats underwent oophorectomy to generate a menopausal model. Ten rats that did not undergo oophorectomy formed the control group (Group 1. From the rats that underwent oophorectomy, 10 formed the menopause control group (Group 2, 10 were administered a daily injection of methylprednisolone until the end of the study (Group 3, and the remaining 10 rats were administered intraperitoneal streptozocin to induce diabetes mellitus (Group 4. Total oxidant status (TOS, total antioxidant capacity (TAC, and oxidative stress index (OSI measurements of the crystalline lenses were analyzed. Results: The mean OSI was the lowest in group 1 and highest in group 4. Nevertheless, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant in terms of OSI (p >0.05. The mean TOS values were similar between the groups (p >0.05, whereas the mean TAC of group 1 was significantly higher than that of the other groups (p <0.001. Conclusions: Our results indicate that menopause may not promote cataract formation.

Notes on nervios: a disorder of menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, E A

1989-01-01

The condition of nerves among women in the small Peruvian town of Puente Piedre is described. Both nervios (a symptom) and Nervios (a disorder) describe a woman's difficulty with nerves. In Puente Piedre, the identification of an anxiety condition among women depends only on the women's age. Younger women with anxiety symptoms are diagnosed as nervios, a temporary condition ascribed to a single episode of high blood pressure. Menopausal women with similar symptoms, on the other hand, are thought to have a specific disorder, Nervios. In Puente Piedre, Nervios clearly is a folk illness limited to women of menopausal age.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for treatment of menopausal symptoms: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myeong Soo; Shin, Byung-Cheul; Yang, Eun Jin; Lim, Hyun-Ja; Ernst, Edzard

2011-11-01

Maca (Lepidium meyenii), an Andean plant of the brassica (mustard) family has been used for centuries in the Andes as an adaptogenic plant to manage anemia, infertility and female hormone balance. The aim of this review was to assess the evidence for and against the effectiveness of the maca plant as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. We searched 17 databases from their inception up to June 2011 and included all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared any type of maca-based intervention to a placebo for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. All studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane 'risk of bias' assessment tool. Four RCTs met all inclusion criteria. These RCTs tested the effects of maca on menopausal symptoms in healthy perimenopausal, early postmenopausal, and late postmenopausal women. Using the Kupperman Menopausal Index and the Greene Climacteric Score, all RCTs demonstrated favorable effects of maca. There have been very few rigorous trials of maca for menopausal symptoms. The results of our systematic review provide limited evidence for the effectiveness of maca as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. However, the total number of trials, the total sample size, and the average methodological quality of the primary studies, were too limited to draw firm conclusions. Furthermore, the safety has not been proved yet. Therefore, the efficacy and safety should be tested in larger studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictors of the quality of life of women in peri-menopausal period

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Katarzyna Kanadys

2016-09-01

The quality of life of the peri-menopausal women examined was the highest with respect to depressive mood (DEP and anxiety/depressed mood (ANX, while it was the lowest with respect to the sense of attractiveness (ATT, and somatic symptoms (SOM. In addition, in the group of women in peri-menopausal period the quality of life was conditioned: level of depression, self-reported state of health, occurrence of menopausal symptoms, education level, and marital status.

[Survey on menopausal age and menstruation span in women in Pudong district of Shanghai].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hua; Feng, You-ji; Shu, Hui-min; Lu, Tian-mei; Zhu, Hong-mei; Yang, Bin-lie; Xiong, Miao

2010-06-01

To investigate natural spontaneous menopausal age, menstruation span and their relationship with menarche age and parity in Pudong district of Shanghai. From Jan 2007 to Jul 2008, 15 083 spontaneous menopause women undergoing cervical cancer screening were enrolled in this study. The questionnaire included menarche age, parity, spontaneous menopausal age and menstruation span. Those women were divided into four groups based on age, which were group of 56 - 60, 61 - 65, 66 - 70 and more than 70.Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for comparing difference between menopausal age and menstruation span. Multiple factor regressions was used to analyze the relationship between menarche age, parity and menopausal age and menstruation span. (1) Spontaneous menopausal age: the minimum was 29 years old, the maximum was 61 years old, and the mean age was (50.6 ± 3.7) years old. The mean spontaneous menopause age were (50.9 ± 3.4), (50.7 ± 3.7), (50.0 ± 4.1), (49.6 ± 4.0) years in groups of 56 - 60, 61 - 65, 66 - 70 and more than 70 years. With the increasing age range in four groups, the increasing trends of menopausal age were observed, which the difference of 1.36 year was shown between groups of 56 - 60 and more than 70 years. (2) Menstruation span: the mean of menstruation span was (34.3 ± 4.1) years, which the minimal age of 12 years and maximal age of 48 years were recorded. (34.6 ± 3.8), (34.3 ± 4.1), (33.9 ± 4.6), (33.2 ± 4.5) were observed in groups of 56 - 60, 61 - 65, 66 - 70 and more than 70 years. With the increasing age range in four groups, the increasing trends of menstruation span were observed, which the difference of 1.41 year was shown between groups of 56 - 60 and more than 70 years. (3) The impact of menarche age on menopausal age and menstruation span: there was no correlation between menarche age and menopausal age (r = 0.02); however, menstruation span was found to be negatively correlated with the menarche age (r = -0.43). (4) The impact

Menopausal symptoms and associated factors in HIV-positive women.

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Lui-Filho, Jeffrey F; Valadares, Ana Lúcia R; Gomes, Debora de C; Amaral, Eliana; Pinto-Neto, Aarão M; Costa-Paiva, Lúcia

2013-10-01

To evaluate menopausal symptoms and their associated factors in HIV-positive women. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 537 women of 40-60 years of age, 273 of whom were HIV-positive and 264 HIV-negative. The women were interviewed to obtain data on their sociodemographic characteristics and menopausal symptoms. The mean age of the seropositive women was 47.7±5.8 years compared to 49.8±5.3 for the seronegative women (psymptoms in the seropositive group (p=0.009), specifically hot flashes (pHIV serological status and any of the menopausal symptoms. In this study, after controlling for confounding variables, HIV infection was not found to be associated with vasomotor, genitourinary or psychological symptoms or with insomnia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognosis of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in Naturally Menopausal Women with Various Durations of Premenarche, Reproductive Periods, and Postmenopausal Stages

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Xuhang Zhu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC exhibits a higher incidence in women. Due to various ages at menarche and menopause, estrogen levels vary, which may account for the differences in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of female patients with PTC. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between various durations in different estrogen levels and PTC and to provide important information to guide clinical management and treatment of this disease. Methods. First, we selected naturally menopausal female study subjects diagnosed with PTC at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from 2007 to 2012 and then compared the differences in clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis among subjects with various lengths of premenarche, reproductive periods, and postmenopausal stages. Results. We found that all patients showed a significantly higher incidence of tumor multicentricity and intrathyroidal dissemination as the time after menopause increased. Additionally, women with shorter (38 reproductive lives had increased recurrence rates of PTC. Conclusions. In this study, we did not find any relationship of self-reported menarche and menopausal ages with the prognosis of PTC patients. More importantly, natural postmenopausal PTC patients with shorter or longer reproductive life, compared to the normal groups, had a higher rate of cancer recurrence and the patients with these characteristics could be recommended a more aggressive surgical treatment.

The Critical Role of Estrogen in Menopausal Osteoporosis

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Mrinali Sharma

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Osteoporosis is a bone disorder, which causes a reduction in the mass and density of bone tissue, and implants a greater possibility for skeletal fractures to occur. This bone disease is especially relevant for women suffering from menopause. Due to this general prevalence, osteoporosis requires continual intervention in the pharmacological and medicinal industry for better treatment alternatives for patients. A focal point for many scientific research studies for osteoporosis has been estrogen. As a hormone, estrogen exhibits a fluctuating capacity in the woman's body, and this has been proclaimed to be a qualifying explanation as to why women develop osteoporosis after menopause. The purpose of this paper is to interpret estrogen's capacity to treat menopausal osteoporosis. Thus, in this article, estrogen’s significance in bone health and different forms, derivatives, and the combinations of estrogen is examined in terms of efficiency in treating osteoporosis. [J Contemp Med 2017; 7(4.000: 418-427

A comparative study of the effect of stress on the cognitive parameters in women with increased body mass index before and after menopause.

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Ramesh, M B; Ammu, S; Nayanatara, A K; Vinodini, N A; Pratik, K C; Anupama, N; Bhagyalakshmi, K

2018-03-23

The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity is a critical public health problem for women. The negative effect of stress on memory and cognitive functions has been widely explored for decades in numerous research projects using a wide range of methodology. Deterioration of memory and other brain functions is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Estrogen fluctuations and withdrawal have myriad direct effects on the central nervous system that have the potential to influence cognitive functions. The present study aims to compare the effect of stress on the cognitive functions in overweight/obese women before and after menopause. A total of 142 female subjects constituting women before menopause between the ages of 18 and 44 years and women after menopause between the ages of 45 and 60 years were included in the sample. Participants were categorized into overweight/obese groups based on the body mass index. The major tool perceived stress scale was used for measuring the perception of stress. On the basis of the stress scale measurement, each group was classified into with stress and without stress. Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III was used for measuring the cognitive functions. Premenopausal women with stress showed a significant (pembroidery, games and relaxation techniques should be recommended to prevent stress. Insights into the neurobiology before and after menopause can be gained from future studies examining the effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in relation to cognition and stress.

Carotid Artery Distensibility and Hormone Therapy and Menopause: The Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study (LAAS)

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Shufelt, Chrisandra; Elboudwarej, Omeed; Johnson, B. Delia; Mehta, Puja; Bittner, Vera; Braunstein, Glenn; Berga, Sarah; Stanczyk, Frank; Dwyer, Kathleen; Merz, C. Noel Bairey

2015-01-01

Objective Observational studies suggest that arterial distensibility decreases during menopause; however, the relation to hormone therapy use is controversial. We prospectively studied distensibility and hormone therapy use during different menopause stages. Methods 161 women between 42–61 years of age without cardiovascular disease had carotid artery measurements by ultrasound to calculate the distensibility index at baseline and 3 years later. Menopause stage was classified at each visit as premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal. Over 3 years of prospective observation, women were classified as remaining premenopausal, remaining postmenopausal, or transitioning, defined as change from premenopausal-to-perimenopausal, premenopausal-to-postmenopausal, perimenopausal-to-perimenopausal, or perimenopausal-to-postmenopausal. Results Distensibility declined over time in all menopause stages (pmenopause transition is associated with reduced vascular compliance. Hormone therapy is associated with better arterial distensibility only during menopause transition. Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine if hormone therapy use beyond menopause transition is related to distensibility. PMID:26308234

Comparing the Pattern of Menopausal Symptoms, Concern and Attitudes in Urban and Rural Postmenopausal Iranian Women.

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Hakimi, Sevil; Haggi, Hurieh Badali; Shojai, Shayan Kamali; Farahbakhsh, Mostafa; Farhan, Faranak

2018-04-01

Although hormonal changes during menopause are inevitable in this period, the severity of the menopausal symptoms can be controlled. Accepting menopause and having a positive attitude toward it can also help. Given the results of previous studies, and since environmental factors affect the pattern of menopausal symptoms the present study was conducted to compare the pattern of menopausal symptoms, concern and attitudes in urban and rural postmenopausal women. This cross-sectional study was conducted on urban and rural postmenopausal women residing in and around Tabriz, Iran. Cluster sampling was used to select the subjects. The data collection tools used included a demographic questionnaire to assess women's experiences during menopause. This study examined 544 urban and rural postmenopausal women between March and September 2015. The women had a mean age of 51.8 ± 3.1. After adjusting the basic variables, the mean scores of menopausal symptoms and their subscales showed significantly higher scores in the physical and psychological subscales in the urban women, while the rural women had significantly higher scores in the concern subscale. Rural women were significantly different from urban women in terms of menopausal symptoms, concern and attitudes. Hot flushes, a common menopausal symptom, and decreased sexual desire were more common in the urban women; in contrast, the rural women experienced more concern about menopause and its consequences.

Physical performance in relation to menopause status and physical activity.

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Bondarev, Dmitriy; Laakkonen, Eija K; Finni, Taija; Kokko, Katja; Kujala, Urho M; Aukee, Pauliina; Kovanen, Vuokko; Sipilä, Sarianna

2018-05-21

The aim of this study was to examine differences in physical performance (muscle power, muscle strength, aerobic capacity, and walking speed) across menopausal stages and potential of leisure physical activity (PA) to modify the impact of menopause on physical performance. In this cross-sectional study, women aged 47 to 55 were randomly selected from the Finnish National Registry and categorized as premenopausal (n = 233), perimenopausal (n = 381), or postmenopausal (n = 299) based on serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone and bleeding diary. Physical performance was measured by knee extension force, handgrip force, vertical jumping height, maximal walking speed, and 6-minute walking distance. PA level was assessed by self-report and categorized as low, moderate, or high. Multivariate linear regression modeling was used for data analysis. After including fat mass, height, PA, and education in the model, the postmenopausal women showed 12.0 N weaker (P women. There was no significant interaction between menopausal stage and PA on physical performance. The peri- and postmenopausal women with a high PA, however, showed better performance in the maximal knee extension strength and 6-minute walking test, and showed greater lower body muscle power than those with a low PA. Menopause status is associated with muscle strength and power, whereas the association between menopause status and mobility/walking is clearly weaker. A high leisure PA level provides more capacity to counteract the potential negative influence of menopausal factors on muscle function.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.

Life-course origins of the ages at menarche and menopause

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Forman, Michele R; Mangini, Lauren D; Thelus-Jean, Rosenie; Hayward, Mark D

2013-01-01

A woman’s age at menarche (first menstrual period) and her age at menopause are the alpha and omega of her reproductive years. The timing of these milestones is critical for a woman’s health trajectory over her lifespan, as they are indicators of ovarian function and aging. Both early and late timing of either event are associated with risk for adverse health and psychosocial outcomes. Thus, the search for a relationship between age at menarche and menopause has consequences for chronic disease prevention and implications for public health. This article is a review of evidence from the fields of developmental biology, epidemiology, nutrition, demography, sociology, and psychology that examine the menarche–menopause connection. Trends in ages at menarche and menopause worldwide and in subpopulations are presented; however, challenges exist in constructing trends. Among 36 studies that examine the association between the two sentinel events, ten reported a significant direct association, two an inverse association, and the remainder had null findings. Multiple factors, including hormonal and environmental exposures, socioeconomic status, and stress throughout the life course are hypothesized to influence the tempo of growth, including body size and height, development, menarche, menopause, and the aging process in women. The complexity of these factors and the pathways related to their effects on each sentinel event complicate evaluation of the relationship between menarche and menopause. Limitations of past investigations are discussed, including lack of comparability of socioeconomic status indicators and biomarker use across studies, while minority group differences have received scant attention. Suggestions for future directions are proposed. As research across endocrinology, epidemiology, and the social sciences becomes more integrated, the confluence of perspectives will yield a richer understanding of the influences on the tempo of a woman�

Menopause and hormone replacement therapy

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Ali Baziad

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The global population in the 21st century has reached 6.2 billion people, by the year 2025 it is to be around 8.3-8.5 billion, and will increase further. Elderly people are expected to grow rapidly than other groups. The fastest increase in the elderly population will take place in Asia. Life expectancy is increasing steadily throughout developed and developing countries. For many  menopausal women, increased life expectancy will accompanied by many health problems. The consequences of estrogen deficiency are the menopausal symptoms. The treatment of menopause related complaints and diseases became an  important socioeconomic and medical issue. Long term symptoms, such as the increase in osteoporosis fractures, cardio and cerebrovascular disesses and dementia, created a large financial burden on individuals and society. All these health problems can be lreated or prevented by hormone replacement therapy (HRT. Natural HRT is usually prefened. Synthetic  estrogen in oral contraceptives (oc are not recommended for HRT. Many contra-indications for oc, but now it is widely usedfor HRT. The main reasons for discontinuing HRT are unwanted bleeding, fear of cancer, and negative side effects. Until now there are sill debates about the rebrtonship between HRT and the incidence of breast cancer. Many data showed that there were no clear relationship between the use of HRT and breast cancer. ThereÎore, nwny experts advocate the use of HRTfrom the first sign of climacteric complaints until death. (Med J Indones 2001;10: 242-51Keywords: estrogen deficiency, climacteric phases, tibolone.

A depressed post-menopausal woman.

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Lutwak, Nancy; Dill, Curt

2012-11-01

Post-menopausal women are at significant risk for coronary artery disease, have increased rates of depression compared to their male counterparts, and often present atypically with coronary insufficiency. The symptoms of depression and coronary ischemia overlap greatly. Complaints like fatigue, body aches, and sleep disturbance reported by a depressed elderly woman may be cardiac related and need to be investigated seriously without physician bias. To ensure that clinicians are cautious when evaluating older women with a history of depression who are presenting with atypical complaints. A 61-year-old woman with history of depression presented to the Emergency Department with multiple complaints atypical for acute coronary syndrome. She had an immediate electrocardiogram and troponin-T Biosite point-of-care test (Biosite Incorporated, San Diego, CA) performed, which were positive for cardiac ischemia and myocardial infarction. The patient underwent immediate cardiac catheterization, which revealed occlusion of the mid left circumflex. After aspiration of thrombus and balloon dilatation of the site, a bare metal stent was deployed, restoring excellent flow. The patient did well medically but her depression worsened after the procedure and continues despite psychiatric intervention. For years there have been gender differences in medical treatment of coronary artery disease, and often women's complaints are not investigated aggressively. Post-menopausal women are at great risk for cardiac ischemia and depression, and their symptoms, which are often atypical, may not be diagnosed as anginal equivalents. In addition, depression is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and, if it occurs after myocardial infarction, may lead to poor quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. Patients who have had a coronary event must be thoroughly evaluated for signs of depression and receive the necessary treatment. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Emergence and maintenance of menopause in humans: A game theory model.

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Thouzeau, Valentin; Raymond, Michel

2017-10-07

Menopause, the permanent cessation of ovulation, occurs in women well before the end of their expected life span. Several adaptive hypotheses have been proposed to solve this evolutionary puzzle, each based on a possible fitness benefit derived from an early reproductive senescence, but no consensus has emerged. The construction of a game theory model allowed us to jointly study the main adaptive hypotheses in emergence and maintenance of menopause. Four classical hypotheses on the benefits of menopause were considered (decreased maternal mortality, increased grandmothering, decreased conflict over reproductive resources between older and younger females, and changes in their relatedness) plus a fifth one derived from a possible pleiotropic trade-off. Interestingly, the conditions for the emergence of menopause are more restrictive than those for its maintenance due to the social and familial changes induced by the occurrence of non-reproductive older women. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural menopause among women below 50 years in India: A population-based study.

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Pallikadavath, Saseendran; Ogollah, Reuben; Singh, Abhishek; Dean, Tara; Dewey, Ann; Stones, William

2016-09-01

The age at which menopause naturally occurs may reflect nutritional and environmental circumstances as well as genetic factors. In this study we examined natural menopause as a marker of women's health at the population level in India and in some major States. Data from the Indian District Level Household Survey (DLHS) carried out during 2007-2008 covering 643,944 ever-married women aged 15-49 yr were used; women of older ages were not included in this survey. Since not all women in this age group had achieved natural menopause at the time of survey, Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed to obtain the median age of women reporting a natural menopause, excluding those who underwent hysterectomy. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated for key socio-economic and reproductive variables that could potentially affect the age at natural menopause women. In the national data set, significant associations with age at natural menopause were identified with marriage breakdown or widowhood, poverty, Muslim religious affiliation, 'scheduled caste' status, not having received schooling, rural residence, having never used contraceptive pills, not been sterilized or had an abortion, low parity and residence in the western region. Within data from five selected States examined separately, the strength of these associations varied. Associations of natural menopause with sociocultural, family planning and demographic variables were noted. Most importantly, there was an association with poverty that would require further investigation as to causality. The proportion of women experiencing early menopause may represent a useful overall indicator of women's health. The data are reassuring with regard to possible late effects of sterilization on ovarian function.

Long-term health consequences of premature or early menopause and considerations for management

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Faubion, Stephanie S.; Kuhle, Carol L.; Shuster, Lynne T.; Rocca, Walter A.

2015-01-01

Aim To review the current evidence concerning the long-term harmful effects of premature or early menopause, and to discuss some of the clinical implications. Material and methods Narrative review of the literature. Results Women undergoing premature or early menopause, either following bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or because of primary ovarian insufficiency, experience the early loss of estrogen and other ovarian hormones. The long-term consequences of premature or early menopause include adverse effects on cognition, mood, cardiovascular, bone, and sexual health, as well as an increased risk of early mortality. The use of hormone therapy has been shown to lessen some, although not all of these risks. Therefore, multiple medical societies recommend providing hormone therapy at least until the natural age of menopause. It is important to individualize hormone therapy for women with early estrogen deficiency, and higher dosages may be needed to approximate physiological concentrations found in premenopausal women. It is also important to address the psychological impact of early menopause and to review the options for fertility and the potential need for contraception, if the ovaries are intact. Conclusions Women who undergo premature or early menopause should receive individualized hormone therapy and counseling. PMID:25845383

Isolated torsion of fallopian tube in a post-menopausal patient: a case report.

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Ozgun, Mahmut Tuncay; Batukan, Cem; Turkyilmaz, Cagdas; Serin, Ibrahim Serdar

2007-07-20

Isolated fallopian tube torsion after menopause is a rare condition. Here we report the second case of isolated fallopian tube torsion in a post-menopausal woman. A 55-year-old post-menopausal woman presented with right lower abdominal pain. Sonography depicted a simple cystic mass adjacent to the right uterine border. Laparatomy revealed torsion of the right fallopian tube together with a paraovarian cyst. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed a simple paraovarian cyst with severe congestion, necrosis and hemorrhage. Tubal torsion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute lower abdominal pain, even in post-menopausal women.

Genetics of ovarian ageing : genetic association studies on natural menopause and primary ovarian insufficiency

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Voorhuis, M.

2013-01-01

Menopause is the endpoint of a process referred to as ovarian ageing. The mean age at menopause is approximately 51 years, but varies widely between 40 to 60 years of age. Approximately 1% of all women experience menopause before the age of 40, which is a condition known as primary ovarian

Exploring the breast cancer patient journey: do breast cancer survivors need menopause management support?

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Tanna, Nuttan; Buijs, Helene; Pitkin, Joan

2011-12-01

Breast cancer survivors can be expected to suffer from menopause symptoms with estrogen deprivation due to cancer treatments, in addition to natural menopause-related estrogen loss. To gain an understanding of what support breast cancer patients have when they suffer from menopausal symptoms, and utilize findings to further inform National Health Service (NHS) care provision for breast cancer survivors. Qualitative study with focus group sessions targeting Caucasian and Asian women with breast cancer. Patient stories, with women describing their breast cancer journey and speaking about support received for any menopausal symptoms. Thematic data analysis of transcription. Breast cancer patients were not sure if they had menopausal symptoms or whether this was due to their breast cancer condition or treatment. Patients had an attitude of acceptance of menopausal symptoms and reported trying to cope with these by themselves. This research identifies a need for more information that is culturally sensitive on managing menopause symptoms, both as side-effects of breast cancer treatments as well as for affect on quality of life during the survivorship phase. Our work also gives insight into cultural remedies used for hot flushes by Asian patients, which they consider as 'cooling' foods. Breast cancer patients want to know whether side-effects of cancer treatment persist long term and how these can be managed. There is a need for improved patient support within any new NHS service models that are developed along breast cancer patient pathways, and inclusion of personalized advice for menopause symptoms.

Cross-cultural study: experience, understanding of menopause, and related therapies in Australian and Laotian women.

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Sayakhot, Padaphet; Vincent, Amanda; Teede, Helena

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare symptom experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and understanding of menopause and menopausal therapies in Australian and Laotian women. This was a cross-cultural, questionnaire-based study involving 108 women (56 Australian women and 52 Laotian women aged 40-65 y) attending outpatient clinics in Australia and Laos. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were conducted using Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test, where appropriate. Psychological symptoms, depression, vasomotor symptoms, and sexual dysfunction were significantly higher in Australian women compared with Laotian women (P menopause as aging (57%), whereas most Laotian women reported not knowing what menopause meant to them (81%). Australian women's fears about menopause included weight gain (43%), aging (41%), and breast cancer (38%), whereas Laotian women reported not knowing about potential menopausal problems (85%). Exercise (55%), education and awareness (46%), and improving lifestyle (41%) were reported by Australian women as being effective in alleviating menopausal symptoms, with only 21% reporting not knowing what was effective compared with 83% of Laotian women. Many women reported not knowing the risks/benefits of hormonal therapies (50% of Australian women and 87% of Laotian women) and herbal therapies (79% of Australian women and 92% of Laotian women). General practitioners were the most common source of menopause information for both Australians (73%) and Laotians (67%). Sociocultural factors influence women's perception of menopause. Psychological symptoms, sexual dysfunction, and vasomotor symptoms are more commonly reported by Australian women than by Laotian women. Women have a limited understanding of the risks/benefits of menopausal therapies, and culturally appropriate education is needed.

A pastoral evaluation of menopause in the African context | Baloyi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Menopause, with its physical and emotional changes, appears to be an inevitable road for women to travel. The moment of choice for women at menopause involves not only whether they will embrace the new self or try to cling to identities from earlier life but also how the society in which they live views women after ...

Benefits of Walking on Menopausal Symptoms and Mental Health Outcomes among Chinese Postmenopausal Women

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Liang Hu

2017-09-01

Conclusion: Walking could be recommended for post-menopausal women to manage menopausal symptoms and promote psychological well-being. Life satisfaction may be enhanced through the improvement of mental and physical parameters (e.g., menopausal symptoms, BMI and depression.

Physical activity, symptoms, esteem, and life satisfaction during menopause.

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Elavsky, Steriani; McAuley, Edward

2005-01-01

The present study examined the relationships among physical activity (PA), symptom reporting, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life (SWL) in 133 women (M age=51.12, S.D.=4.10) of varying menopausal status. Multivariate analyses of co-variance (MANCOVA) revealed that independent of menopausal status, women who were more physically active reported significantly less severe vaso-somatic and general somatic symptoms, and higher levels of physical self-worth (PSW). Subsequent hierarchical regression analyses indicated that expended MET-h/week, reported symptoms (frequency and severity, respectively), and PSW accounted for significant variance in SWL (R2 model=0.32, for symptom frequency, and 0.33, for symptom severity). Physical activity was significantly related to SWL through the mediation of PSW. However, both reported symptom frequency and severity retained significant association with SWL after controlling for PSW, although the original associations were significantly reduced. Finally, both symptoms and MET-h/week were independent contributors to the variance in PSW (R2 model=0.33 and 0.34). The results suggest that being physically active may reduce perceived severity of menopausal symptoms and enhance psychological well-being, and that the relationship between physical activity and QOL in mid-life women may be mediated by factors such as physical self-perceptions and menopausal symptoms.

Psychosocial Adjustment Needs of Menopausal Women

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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The sample consisted of 226 menopausal women selected through the random sampling technique. .... The research design adopted was the descriptive survey. It involves both quantitative and qualitative methods. This method was preferred ...

Effects of early age at natural menopause on coronary heart disease and stroke in Chinese women.

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Shen, Lijun; Song, Lulu; Liu, Bingqing; Li, Hui; Zheng, Xiaoxuan; Zhang, Lina; Yuan, Jing; Liang, Yuan; Wang, Youjie

2017-08-15

Menopause is identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease because of the change of estrogen. The objective of the study was to explore the associations between early age at natural menopause (menopause at an age≤45years) and the presence of CHD and stroke. The study subjects were from the first follow-up survey of the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort study. A total of 16,515 postmenopausal women were included for the analysis. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between age at natural menopause (≤45, 45-52, >52years) and the presence of CHD and stroke adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, reproductive history and metabolic factors. In the fully adjusted model, for each 1-year delay in menopausal age, the prevalence of CHD and stroke was reduced by 3% (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.98) and 5% (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.98), respectively. Women with early menopause (≤45years) had a higher prevalence of CHD (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.13-1.57) compared with those with menopause at ages 45-52years. Similarly, women with early menopause (≤45years) was associated with higher prevalence of stroke (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.25-2.30) compared with those with menopause at ages 45-52years. Early age at natural menopause is significantly associated with the presence of CHD and stroke among Chinese women. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of lavender aromatherapy on menopause hot flushing: A crossover randomized clinical trial.

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Kazemzadeh, Rafat; Nikjou, Roya; Rostamnegad, Masoumeh; Norouzi, Hosein

2016-09-01

Flushing is generally considered to be the primary symptom of menopause and is typically the most common complaint in menopausal women. Although flushing poses no danger to a woman's health, it decreases the quality of life. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lavender aromatherapy on menopause flushing. This double-blinded crossover clinical trial included 100 menopausal women 45-55 years of age who were referred to various health centers in Ardabil, Iran in 2013-2014. Samples were blocked randomly and divided into two intervention (lavender) and control (diluted milk) groups. Lavender aroma was smelled for 20 minutes twice a day, over a 12-week period. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, and flushing numbers were duly recorded. Data analysis was performed by SPSS version 16 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) using the Chi-square and t test. The results of our investigation showed that both groups had no significant difference according to demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). Additionally, the flushing number significantly decreased in the intervention group than in the control group (p aromatherapy reduced menopause flushing. Given the impact of stress on flushing and the undesirable effects of menopause symptoms on the quality of life, it would appear that this simple, noninvasive, safe, and effective method can be used by menopausal women with noticeable benefits. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.

In-utero cigarette smoke exposure and the risk of earlier menopause

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Honorato, Talita C; Haadsma, Maaike L; Land, Jolande A; Boezen, Marike H; Hoek, Annemieke; Groen, Henk

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for earlier menopause. Animal studies show that in-utero smoke exposure is toxic to developing ovaries. Our aim was to evaluate whether in-utero smoke exposed women reach menopause earlier compared with nonexposed women. METHODS: This is a cohort study

Is open-angle glaucoma associated with early menopause? The Rotterdam Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulsman, C. A.; Westendorp, I. C.; Ramrattan, R. S.; Wolfs, R. C.; Witteman, J. C.; Vingerling, J. R.; Hofman, A.; de Jong, P. T.

2001-01-01

The authors examined the association between age at menopause and open-angle glaucoma among women aged > or = 55 years in the population-based Rotterdam Study (1990--1993). Information on age and type of menopause was obtained by interview. Subjects (n = 3,078) were stratified into three categories

Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices

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... with historical origins in ancient Indian philosophy. Various styles of yoga typically combine physical postures and movement, ... Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 141: management of menopausal symptoms. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2014;123( ...

Relationships between menstrual and menopausal attitudes and associated demographic and health characteristics: The Hilo Women’s Health Study

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Sievert, Lynnette L.; Brown, Daniel E.; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relation of menstrual attitudes to menopausal attitudes and the demographic and health characteristics associated with each. This cross-sectional study consisted of a randomly selected sample of 1824 respondents aged 16 to 100 years in multi-ethnic Hilo, Hawai`i. Women completed questionnaires for demographic and health information, such as age, ethnicity, education, residency in Hawai`i, menopausal status, exercise, and attitudes toward menstruation and menopause. Women more often chose positive terms, such as “natural,” to describe menstruation (60.8%) and menopause (59.4%). In bivariate analyses, post-menopausal women were significantly more likely to have positive menstrual and menopausal attitudes than pre-menopausal women. Factor analyses were used to cluster attitudes followed by linear regression to identify demographic characteristics associated with factor scores. Asian-American ethnicity, higher education, reporting more exercise, and growing up outside of Hawai`i were associated with positive menstrual attitudes. Higher education, older age, post-menopausal status, growing up outside of Hawai`i and having hot flashes were associated with positive menopausal attitudes. Bivariate correlation analyses suggested significant associations between factor scores for menstrual and menopausal attitudes. Both negative and positive menstrual attitudes were positively correlated with the anticipation of menopause, although negative attitudes toward menstruation were negatively correlated with menopause as a positive, natural life event. Demographic variables, specifically education and where one grows up, influenced women’s attitudes toward menstruation and menopause and should be considered for inclusion in subsequent multi-ethnic studies. Further research is also warranted in assessing the relationship between menstrual and menopausal attitudes. PMID:20853216

Calidad de vida de mujeres en postmenopausia. Valoración con “Menopause Rating Scale” de tres etnias colombianas diferentes

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Álvaro Monterrosa Castro

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Introducción. Pocos estudios han comparado el impacto del climaterio en la calidad de vida (CV en diferentes etnias latinoamericanas. Objetivo: Evaluar la CV en mujeres postmenopáusicas colombianas de tres etnias distintas. Material y método: Estudio descriptivo transversal que incluyó mujeres sanas entre 40 y 59 años de edad, pertenecientes a las etnias hispánicas, indígenas y negras. La población evaluada hace parte del Estudio Calidad de Vida en la Menopausia y Etnias Colombianas (Cavimec. El instrumento utilizado para valorar CV fue el Menopause Rating Scale. Resultados: Se estudiaron 579 mujeres postmenopáusicas, 153 hispánicas, 295 indígenas y 131 afrodescendientes. Las hispánicas tenían en promedio 55,3 (DE 3,3 años de edad, 6,4 (DE 3,5 años de escolaridad y habían presentado su menopausia a los 48,3 (DE 2,5 años. Comparadas con las hispánicas, las indígenas tenían una edad similar, menor escolaridad (2,2 [DE 1,8] años, p<0,0001 y mayor edad al inicio de su menopausia (49,5 [DE 3,0] años, p<0,0001. Las afrodescendientes eran más jóvenes que las hispánicas (53,4 [3,3] años, p<0,0001 y con menor escolaridad (4,6 [DE 4,4] años, p<0,0001. Las hispánicas tienen la mejor CV (MRS 8,6 [DE 5,7] puntos, seguidas por las afrodescendientes (13,7 [DE 7,0] puntos, p<0,001 y las indígenas (14,7 [DE 2,4] puntos, p<0,0001. Las afrodescendientes tienen un mayor deterioro psicológico (dimensión psicológica 5,9 [DE 2,9] puntos que las hispánicas (2,7 [DE 2,6] puntos, p<0,0001 o las indígenas (3,1 [DE 1,6] puntos, p<0,0001, y presentan más síntomas somáticos (dimensión somática 6,5 [DE 3,3] puntos, 4,6 [DE 2,9] puntos, y 5,3 [1,7] puntos, respectivamente; p<0,0001. Las indígenas presentan mayor sintomatología urogenital (dimensión urogenital 6,2 [DE 1,3] puntos que las hispánicas (1,3 [DE 2,3] puntos, p<0,0001 y las afrodescendientes (1,1 [DE 1,9] puntos, p<0,0001. Conclusión: Las mujeres postmenopáusicas hisp

Meta-analysis of loci associated with age at natural menopause in African-American women

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Chen, Christina T.L.; Liu, Ching-Ti; Chen, Gary K.; Andrews, Jeanette S.; Arnold, Alice M.; Dreyfus, Jill; Franceschini, Nora; Garcia, Melissa E.; Kerr, Kathleen F.; Li, Guo; Lohman, Kurt K.; Musani, Solomon K.; Nalls, Michael A.; Raffel, Leslie J.; Smith, Jennifer; Ambrosone, Christine B.; Bandera, Elisa V.; Bernstein, Leslie; Britton, Angela; Brzyski, Robert G.; Cappola, Anne; Carlson, Christopher S.; Couper, David; Deming, Sandra L.; Goodarzi, Mark O.; Heiss, Gerardo; John, Esther M.; Lu, Xiaoning; Le Marchand, Loic; Marciante, Kristin; Mcknight, Barbara; Millikan, Robert; Nock, Nora L.; Olshan, Andrew F.; Press, Michael F.; Vaiyda, Dhananjay; Woods, Nancy F.; Taylor, Herman A.; Zhao, Wei; Zheng, Wei; Evans, Michele K.; Harris, Tamara B.; Henderson, Brian E.; Kardia, Sharon L.R.; Kooperberg, Charles; Liu, Yongmei; Mosley, Thomas H.; Psaty, Bruce; Wellons, Melissa; Windham, Beverly G.; Zonderman, Alan B.; Cupples, L. Adrienne; Demerath, Ellen W.; Haiman, Christopher; Murabito, Joanne M.; Rajkovic, Aleksandar

2014-01-01

Age at menopause marks the end of a woman's reproductive life and its timing associates with risks for cancer, cardiovascular and bone disorders. GWAS and candidate gene studies conducted in women of European ancestry have identified 27 loci associated with age at menopause. The relevance of these loci to women of African ancestry has not been previously studied. We therefore sought to uncover additional menopause loci and investigate the relevance of European menopause loci by performing a GWAS meta-analysis in 6510 women with African ancestry derived from 11 studies across the USA. We did not identify any additional loci significantly associated with age at menopause in African Americans. We replicated the associations between six loci and age at menopause (P-value < 0.05): AMHR2, RHBLD2, PRIM1, HK3/UMC1, BRSK1/TMEM150B and MCM8. In addition, associations of 14 loci are directionally consistent with previous reports. We provide evidence that genetic variants influencing reproductive traits identified in European populations are also important in women of African ancestry residing in USA. PMID:24493794

Benefits of Walking on Menopausal Symptoms and Mental Health Outcomes among Chinese Postmenopausal Women

OpenAIRE

Liang Hu; Li Zhu; Jiaying Lyu; Wenjun Zhu; Yaping Xu; Lin Yang

2017-01-01

Background: Menopausal transition is often associated with impaired satisfaction with life (SL). Exercise is promising in both managing menopausal symptoms and improving subjective well-being of women after menopause. Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 4-month randomized controlled walking trial on menopausal symptoms and SL in 80 community-dwelling postmenopausal Chinese women (M age = 53.38, SD = 3.41), and identified predictors of changes in SL across the intervention. Met...

NIH State-of-the-Science Conference Statement on management of menopause-related symptoms.

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To provide health care providers, patients, and the general public with a responsible assessment of currently available data on the management of menopause-related symptoms. A non-DHHS, nonadvocate 12-member panel representing the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, general internal medicine, endocrinology, rheumatology, family and health psychology, geriatric medicine, health services research, demography, biochemistry, epidemiology, clinical research, and biostatistics. In addition, 26 experts in fields related to the conference topic presented data to the panel and to the conference audience. Presentations by experts and a systematic review of the medical literature prepared by the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center, through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Evidence-based Practice Centers Program. Scientific evidence was given precedence over clinical anecdotal experience. Answering pre-determined questions, the panel drafted its statement based on scientific evidence presented in open forum and on the published scientific literature. The draft statement was read in its entirety on the final day of the conference and circulated to the audience for comment. The panel then met in executive session to consider the comments received, and released a revised statement later that day at http://consensus.nih.gov. This statement is an independent report of the panel and is not a policy statement of the NIH or the Federal Government. A final copy of this statement is available, along with other recent conference statements, at the same web address of http://consensus.nih.gov. Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstrual periods that occurs naturally in women, usually in their early 50s. Many women have few or no symptoms; these women are not in need of medical treatment. Premenopausal or perimenopausal women who have menopause induced by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation are more likely to experience bothersome and even disabling symptoms. These

Evaluation of Valerians’ effect on sleep quantity and quality of menopausal women: cross-over clinical trial

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Mandana Mirmohammadali

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Menopause causes poor sleep quality in women, so that great throngs of menopausal women experience menopause-induced sleep disorders. This study was conducted to determine the effects of valerian extract on sleep quantity and quality of postmenopausal women. Methods: This triple-blind, randomized, cross-over clinical trial was performed on 144 eligible postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly classified into two groups to use either 700 mg valerian extract (group A or a placebo (group B for one month. After a 2-week washout period, the treatment regimens were reversed. Sleep quantity and quality were evaluated using Pittsburgh and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI questionnaires at baseline and after both phases of intervention. Results: Mean score of Pittsburgh scale was 10.93.6 at baseline. Valerian reduced this score to 7.83.4 and 7.43 at the first and the second phase of intervention, respectively (P<0.001. After the first phase of intervention, ISI score was reduced to 2.870.62 in group A (P<0.001. It was reduced to 4.020.5 in group B after the second phase of intervention (P<0.001. Conclusion: Daily consumption of 700 mg valerian improved sleep quantity and quality in postmenopausal women

Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste-Tree/Berry) in the treatment of menopause-related complaints.

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van Die, Margaret Diana; Burger, Henry G; Teede, Helena J; Bone, Kerry M

2009-08-01

The origin of the current practice of administering Vitex agnus-castus in menopause-related complaints is uncertain, but appears to be relatively recent. Here we review the evidence for this application of Vitex based on evidence from pharmacological studies and clinical research. The mechanisms of potential relevance in the context of menopause are explored with reference to the current understanding of the endocrinology and neuroendocrinology of menopause and associated symptoms. We conclude that, while evidence from rigorous randomized controlled trials is lacking for the individual herb in this context, emerging pharmacological evidence supports a role for V. agnus-castus in the alleviation of menopausal symptoms and suggests that further investigation may be appropriate.

[Life satisfaction and self-esteem among women in the menopausal time].

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Banaczek, Zbigniew; Saracen, Agnieszka

2016-01-01

The period of menopause is usually a long-lasting, running process, with strong hormone changes which are manifested with somatic disorders and the lability of the emotional state. The degree of severity of the occurence of these symptoms can be variously bolstered. These changes can affect the quality of life and ones self-esteem. To assess the level of self-esteem of biopsychosocial functioning women in the menopausal time and the impact of menopause on women's quality of life. A group of 90 women in perimenopausal aged 49-61 were enrolled in the study. Standardized psychological questionnaires (Kupperman Index, SES Rosenberg and WHOQoL-BREF) were used. Additional data was collected by using a questionnaire developed by the authors. In statistical analysis χ2, analysis of variance and Spearman's rank correlation models were used. A significant correlation relationship between level of education and the sphere of psychological evaluation (p life in the social (p 25 indicating the correct (in the normal or higher range) self-esteem. In the studied group, women believe that they have the correct (in the normal or higher range) self-esteem. The surveyed women found as good their quality of life, the highest rated was social and psychological sphere, the lowest score received sphere of physical functioning (somatic). A statistically significant correlations were achieved between home and professional activity, and the assessment of the quality of life in the social and environmental sphere. The analysis showed a significant association correlation between level of education of women and the sphere of psychological evaluation.

Life course effects on age at menopause among Bangladeshi sedentees and migrants to the UK.

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Murphy, Lorna; Sievert, Lynnette; Begum, Khurshida; Sharmeen, Taniya; Puleo, Elaine; Chowdhury, Osul; Muttukrishna, Shanthi; Bentley, Gillian

2013-01-01

To assess how different variables experienced across the life course, but particularly during early life, might affect age at menopause among 174 Bangladeshi migrants to London by comparing them to 157 nonmigrant sedentees and 154 women of European descent in London. Participants were aged 35-59 years, with no exogenous hormone use in the past three months, not pregnant or lactating, with no history of hysterectomy or oophorectomy. Face-to-face interviews and anthropometric measures were carried out. In addition to mean recalled age at natural menopause, median age was computed by probit analysis. Ages at menopause were examined by bivariate and Cox regression analyses in relation to demographic, reproductive, and lifestyle variables, and in relation to potential exposure to cyclones in early childhood. Ages at menopause were significantly earlier among Bangladeshi sedentees and immigrants compared to Londoners of European origin. Ages at menopause were earlier among sedentees compared to immigrants. Urban birthplace, more infectious diseases during childhood, and lower levels of education increased the risk of an earlier menopause. Changes in environmental conditions during adulthood appeared to modify age at menopause among Bangladeshi immigrants in London compared to women living in Bangladesh; however, Bangladeshi immigrants still experienced an earlier age at menopause compared with their London neighbors of European descent. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of the effects of surgical and natural menopause on carotid intima media thickness, osteoporosis, and homocysteine levels.

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Özkaya, Enis; Cakir, Evrim; Okuyan, Erhan; Cakir, Caner; Ustün, Gülnihal; Küçüközkan, Tuncay

2011-01-01

Menopause is associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors. We designed this study to compare common carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) and homocysteine level between women who had natural menopause and those who had surgical menopause and to correlate IMT, bone mineral density (BMD), and homocysteine level with time since menopause. Ninety healthy postmenopausal women aged 50 to 78 years who were not on hormone therapy (45 women who did not have a prior hysterectomy or oophorectomy and 45 women who had undergone hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy) were included in the study. B-mode ultrasonography of the carotid artery, BMD, and serum homocysteine level analysis were completed to evaluate the relationship between type of menopause, time since menopause, and subclinical atherosclerosis. Mean ± SD carotid artery IMT measurements were 0.72 ± 0.002 mm among women experiencing natural menopause and 0.88 ± 0.003 mm among women having bilateral oophorectomy (P = 0.002). After adjusting for time since menopause and age, the mean IMT also differed between the two groups: 0.76 ± 0.003 mm in the natural menopause group and 0.84 ± 0.003 mm in the bilateral oophorectomy group (P = 0.038). The age-adjusted carotid IMT was significantly positively associated with years since menopause (P = 0.001). Mean homocysteine measurements were 10.3 ± 5 μmol/L among women experiencing natural menopause and 9.1 ± 4 μmol/L among women who had bilateral oophorectomy (P = 0.216). Age-adjusted femur total, trochanter, and shaft BMDs were significantly lower in the surgical menopause group (P = 0.041, P = 0.034, and P = 0.046, respectively). Oophorectomy before natural menopause increases IMT but not homocysteine levels independent of age and time since menopause and is associated with lower BMD values after adjustment for age.

Total bone calcium in normal women: effect of age and menopause status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallagher, J.C.; Goldgar, D.; Moy, A.

1987-01-01

Bone density in different regions of the skeleton was measured in 392 normal women aged 20-80 years by dual photon absorpiometry. In premenopausal women, aged 25-50 years, multiple regression analysis of regional bone density on age, height, and weight showed a small significant decrease in total bone density (less than 0.01) but no significant change in other regions of the skeleton. In postmenopausal women there were highly significant decreases in all regions of the skeleton (p less than 0.001), and bone density in these areas decreased as a logarithmic function of years since menopause. Based on multiple regression analyses, the decrease in spine density and total bone calcium was 2.5-3.0 times greater in the 25 years after menopause than the 25 years before menopause. The largest change, however, occurred in the first five years after menopause. During this time the estimated annual change in spine density and total bone calcium was about 10 times greater than that in the premenopausal period. These results demonstrate the important effect of the menopause in determining bone mass in later life

Severity of menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular and osteoporosis risk factors.

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Martínez Pérez, J A; Palacios, S; Chavida, F; Pérez, M

2013-04-01

To assess whether the severity of menopausal symptoms is related to increased cardiovascular and osteoporosis risk factors, and to determine whether women with more severe menopausal symptoms present a greater percentage of osteoporosis disease. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study encompassing women aged 45-65 years in the whole Spanish territory. The study population sample was collected through random sampling. A total of 10 514 women were included. Their sociodemographic, medical history and lifestyle data were assessed by means of a survey. The Kupperman Index was used to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms. Bone mineral density was measured by the dual X-ray absorptiometry method. The prevalences of risk factors for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease were 67.6% and 74.8%, respectively. Women with a higher intensity of symptoms also had a greater percentage of cardiovascular (p osteoporosis (p osteoporosis disease (p obesity (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.55-2.91; p osteoporosis disease (OR 3.71; 95% CI 2.9-4.52; p osteoporosis disease risk factors and suffered more from osteoporosis disease compared to those who had milder or no menopausal symptoms.

Risk factors for high blood pressure in women attending menopause clinics in Italy.

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2006-01-10

We analysed risk factors for high blood pressure (BP) among women around menopause. Eligible women were consecutively attending first-level outpatient menopause clinics in Italy for general counseling or treatment of menopausal symptoms. During the visit BP was measured three times. The mean of second and third of the three diastolic BP values for women was >90mm of mercury and/or reporting any current pharmacological treatment for high BP were considered hypertensive. Out of 45,204 women who entered the study with information on blood pressure, 12,150 had high BP. The odds ratios (OR) of high BP increased with age: in comparison with women aged or =58, respectively. Women with high BP were less educated than those without (OR education >12 versus 26. In comparison with women reporting no regular physical activity, the multivariate OR of high BP was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.87-0.99) for women reporting regular activity. In comparison with peri-menopausal women, post-menopausal women were at increased risk (OR 1.14, 95% CI, 1.03-1.24) and the risk tended to increase with age at menopause. Current use of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) was associated with a lower risk of high BP (OR 0.88, 95% CI, 0.84-0.94). This large cross-sectional study suggests that, after taking into account the effect of age, post-menopausal women are at greater risk of high BP, but current HRT use slightly lowers the risk. Other determinants of high BP were low level of education, overweight, and low level of physical activity.

Estimation of natural age of menopause in Iranian women: A meta-analysis study

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Abdolreza Rajaeefard

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The mean age of menopause have been reported at the age of 51 in the world and regarding the increase in life expectancy in many countries more than a third of the life time of women i s in menopause period. The importance of menopause is due to its relationship with various diseases and quality of life. The present study was conducted to estimate the average natural age of menopause in women based on a meta-analysis study. Material and Methods: In a meta-analysis study on all the existing articles in the natural age o f menopause in Iran, 21 articles were selected based on inclusion criteria. Begg and Egger tests fo r publication bias and Cochrane test were used to determine the heterogeneity among samples. ???? estimate of mean calculated based on Random effect model in Stata11 software. Results: The publication bias assumption was rejected by Begg and Egger tests with significant value s equal to 0.174 and 0.446 respectively. There was a heterogeneity among samples (Q=4626.3, df=20 , P<0.001. So based on random effect model the mean age of menopause was calculated as 48.183 with 95 % CI=47.457-48.91. Conclusion: The average age of natural menopause in Iranian women is favorable to some places of Middle East, but is less compared with developed countries and the world mean. Because of the importance of this period in women, educational programs seem to be necessary.

Evaluating the content and development of decision aid tools for the management of menopause: A scoping review.

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Siyam, Tasneem; Sultani, Humirah; Ross, Sue; Chatterley, Trish; Yuksel, Nese

2017-12-01

Decision-making during menopause (especially surgical menopause) can be complex given the variability in risk-benefit perceptions of menopausal treatments. Decision aid tools (DATs) help women participate in decision-making about options. Our objective is to identify and evaluate the content and development of DATs for managing menopause, with a special focus on surgical menopause. We systematically searched electronic databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, from inception to March 2017 for relevant records. The principal inclusion criterion was that papers reported studies on DATs for managing menopause. Search terms were derived from two concepts: menopause and DATs. Data extracted were presented in written evidence tables and narrative summaries. Our search yielded 18,801 records. Of these, 26 records met our inclusion criteria, which gave rise to 12 DATs from peer-reviewed literature and 6 from grey literature. Seventeen DATs were focused on natural menopause and two targeted surgical menopause, both identified from grey literature. More than half were published before the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) publication and 70% before the release of the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS). Very few studies reported the full development of the DAT involved, and less than half of DATs were informed by a needs assessment to identify the decisional needs of their target population. Most DATs focused on hormone therapy as a treatment option and did not provide a comprehensive overview of other options. None of the DATs reported the steps involved in finding, appraising and summarizing scientific content of the tool. This review highlights several limitations in the content and development of DATs for managing menopause. No peer-reviewed DATs were identified for surgical menopause. A need for a complete, evidence-based DAT in the context of surgical menopause is identified. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disparities of time trends and birth cohort effects on invasive breast cancer incidence in Shanghai and Hong Kong pre- and post-menopausal women.

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Wang, Feng; Tse, Lap Ah; Chan, Wing-Cheong; Kwok, Carol Chi-Hei; Leung, Siu-Lan; Wu, Cherry; Mang, Oscar Wai-Kong; Ngan, Roger Kai-Cheong; Li, Mengjie; Yu, Wai-Cho; Tsang, Koon-Ho; Law, Sze-Hong; Miao, Xiaoping; Wu, Chunxiao; Zheng, Ying; Wu, Fan; Yang, Xiaohong R; Yu, Ignatius Tak-Sun

2017-05-23

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer morbidity among Shanghai and Hong Kong women, which contributes to 20-25% of new female cancer incidents. This study aimed to describe the temporal trend of breast cancer and interpret the potential effects on the observed secular trends. Cancer incident data were obtained from the cancer registries. Age-standardized incidence rate was computed by the direct method using the World population of 2000. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) in incidence rate was estimated by the Joinpoint regression. Age, period and cohort effects were assessed by using a log-linear model with Poisson regression. During 1976-2009, an increasing trend of breast cancer incidence was observed, with an AAPC of 1.73 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.54-1.92)] for women in Hong Kong and 2.83 (95% CI, 2.26-3.40) in Shanghai. Greater upward trends were revealed in Shanghai women aged 50 years old or above (AAPC = 3.09; 95% CI, 1.48-4.73). Using age at 50 years old as cut-point, strong birth cohort effects were shown in both pre- and post-menopausal women, though a more remarkable effect was suggested in Shanghai post-menopausal women. No evidence for a period effect was indicated. Incidence rate of breast cancer has been more speedy in Shanghai post-menopausal women than that of the Hong Kong women over the past 30 years. Decreased birth rate and increasing environmental exposures (e.g., light-at-night) over successive generations may have constituted major impacts on the birth cohort effects, especially for the post-menopausal breast cancer; further analytic studies are warranted.

Carer Knowledge and Experiences with Menopause in Women with Intellectual Disabilities

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Willis, Diane S.; Wishart, Jennifer G.; Muir, Walter J.

2010-01-01

Overall life expectancy for women with intellectual disabilities (ID) is now significantly extended, and many will live long enough to experience menopause. Little is known about how carers support women with ID through this important stage in their lives. This study investigated carer knowledge of how menopause affects women with ID under their…

Associations of physical activity and diet with the onset of menopause in Japanese women.

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Nagata, Chisato; Wada, Keiko; Nakamura, Kozue; Tamai, Yuya; Tsuji, Michiko; Shimizu, Hiroyuki

2012-01-01

Prospective studies on physical activity and diet and the onset of natural menopause are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the association of physical activity and dietary factors potentially related to endogenous estrogen levels such as fats, dietary fiber, soy isoflavones, and alcohol with the onset of menopause in a cohort of premenopausal women. Study participants were 3,115 premenopausal Japanese women aged 35 to 56 years derived from the participants in the Takayama Study. Physical activity was assessed by a validated questionnaire at baseline, and the metabolic equivalent score was calculated. The dietary intakes were estimated by a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline and adjusted for total energy. Menopause status was defined as the absence of menstruation for 12 months or more. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio of the occurrence of menopause after controlling for age, parity, body mass index, smoking status, years of education, and lifelong irregular menstrual cycle. During the 10-year follow-up, 1,790 women experienced natural menopause. A high physical activity level and a high intake of polyunsaturated fat were moderately but significantly associated with the earlier onset of menopause; the hazard ratios for the highest versus lowest quartile were 1.17 (95% CI, 1.02-1.34) for physical activity and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.01-1.31) for polyunsaturated fat intake. Total fat, other types of fat, dietary fiber, soy isoflavones, and alcohol were not associated with the onset of menopause. These data suggest that high levels of physical activity and polyunsaturated fat intake are associated with earlier onset of menopause.

Clinical study on osteopenia, serum sexual hormones and BGP level in the menopausal women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Liu; Guo Hui; Duan Liusheng

2003-01-01

In order to clarify the mechanism of osteogenesis and osteopenia of the menopausal women, serum [Ca 2+ ], [P 3+ ], AKP, sexual hormones and BGP level were investigated. The blood samples were taken from 177 female individuals who were divided into 5 groups based on different ages of menopause. Serum estradiol, testosterone and BGP were measured by RIA. Serum LH, FSH and PRL were determined by IRMA. Serum [Ca 2+ ], [P 3+ ], AKP were determined by biochemistry analytical methods. Results showed that serum E 2 and T levels in the menopausal women were lower than those in the normal, E 2 decreased significantly. Meanwhile, serum PRL level was only a little lower, but the menopausal female had the higher levels of LH and FSH. Conclusion: the most important cause of osteopenia for the menopausal women is the deficiency of estrogen and degeneration of ovarian function

A model of care for healthy menopause and ageing : EMAS position statement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stute, Petra; Ceausu, Iuliana; Depypere, Herman; Lambrinoudaki, Irene; Mueck, Alfred; Pérez-López, Faustino R.; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.; Senturk, Levent M.; Simoncini, Tommaso; Stevenson, John C.; Rees, Margaret

2016-01-01

Worldwide, the number of menopausal women is increasing. They present with complex medical issues that lie beyond the traditional scope of gynaecologists and general practitioners (GPs). The European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) therefore provides a holistic model of care for healthy

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Rating Scales with a Brief Review of the "Connors Teacher Rating Scale" (1998)

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Cordes, Matthew, McLaughlin, T. F.

2004-01-01

This paper explores the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) definition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) (ADHD). The use of rating scales to diagnose ADHD was evaluated. Rating scales have been used since the 1970s and are highly influential in the detection…

Does menopausal hormone therapy reduce myocardial infarction risk if initiated early after menopause? A population-based case-control study.

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Carrasquilla, Germán D; Berglund, Anita; Gigante, Bruna; Landgren, Britt-Marie; de Faire, Ulf; Hallqvist, Johan; Leander, Karin

2015-06-01

This study aims to assess whether the timing of menopausal hormone therapy initiation in relation to onset of menopause and hormone therapy duration is associated with myocardial infarction risk. This study was based on the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program, a population-based case-control study including 347 postmenopausal women who had experienced a nonfatal myocardial infarction and 499 female control individuals matched for age and residential area. Odds ratios (with 95% CIs) for myocardial infarction were calculated using logistic regression. Early initiation of hormone therapy (within 10 y of onset of menopause or before age 60 y), compared with never use, was associated with an odds ratio of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.58-1.30) after adjustments for lifestyle factors, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. For late initiation of hormone therapy, the corresponding odds ratio was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.53-1.76). For hormone therapy duration of 5 years or more, compared with never use, the adjusted odds ratio was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.35-1.18). For hormone therapy duration of less than 5 years, the odds ratio was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.63-1.48). Neither the timing of hormone therapy initiation nor the duration of therapy is significantly associated with myocardial infarction risk.

The Asian Menopause Survey: knowledge, perceptions, hormone treatment and sexual function.

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Huang, Ko-En; Xu, Ling; I, Nik Nasri; Jaisamrarn, Unnop

2010-03-01

To provide current insights into the opinions, attitudes, and knowledge of menopausal women in Asia regarding menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Cross-sectional. Between January 2006 and February 2006, 1000 postmenopausal women from China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Hong Kong were interviewed to determine postmenopausal symptoms, HRT use and knowledge, breast discomfort and knowledge of breast cancer risks, and sexual function. Almost all women reported experiencing postmenopausal symptoms. Sleeplessness (42%) was reported as the main reason for seeking treatment. On average, 54% of women were aware of HRT, despite the fact that most (38%) were unable to mention any associated benefits. Most women had used natural or herbal treatments (37%) for the alleviation of menopausal symptoms. Only 19% had received HRT. 27% of respondents reported having breast discomfort, while 70% reported performing self-breast examinations. 53% of women had never received a mammogram, despite breast cancer concern (50%). 24% of women described HRT as being a risk factor for breast cancer. Most women and their partners reported no reductions in sexual function (66 and 51%, respectively), while 90% of respondents did not seek treatment for reduced sexual function. In the event of sexual dysfunction, 33% of women replied that they would be willing to seek treatment. Many Asian women experience postmenopausal symptoms that are often left untreated (due to the acceptance of menopause as a natural process) or treated with herbal/natural remedies. There was a general lack of knowledge among these women regarding treatment options, HRT, and possible risks associated with HRT. A more concerted effort should be made to better disseminate information regarding the pathogenesis and risk factors associated with breast cancer, menopause, and menopausal symptoms to Asian women. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing Depression during the Menopausal Transition

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Pearson, Quinn M.

2010-01-01

The menopausal transition is associated with both first onset of depression and recurrent depression. Risk factors include vasomotor symptoms, a history of premenstrual dysphoria, postpartum depression, major depression, and sleep disturbances. Hormone replacement therapy, complementary and alternative medicine approaches, and counseling…

Sleep problems during the menopausal transition: prevalence, impact, and management challenges

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Baker FC

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Fiona C Baker,1,2 Massimiliano de Zambotti,1 Ian M Colrain,1,3 Bei Bei4,5 1Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA; 2Brain Function Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 3Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, 4Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, 5Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Abstract: A substantial number of women experience sleep difficulties in the approach to menopause and beyond, with 26% experiencing severe symptoms that impact daytime functioning, qualifying them for a diagnosis of insomnia. Here, we review both self-report and polysomnographic evidence for sleep difficulties in the context of the menopausal transition, considering severity of sleep complaints and links between hot flashes (HFs and depression with poor sleep. Longitudinal population-based studies show that sleep difficulties are uniquely linked with menopausal stage and changes in follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol, over and above the effects of age. A major contributor to sleep complaints in the context of the menopausal transition is HFs, and many, although not all, HFs are linked with polysomnographic-defined awakenings, with HF-associated wake time contributing significantly to overall wakefulness after sleep onset. Some sleep complaints may be comorbid with depressive disorders or attributed to sleep-related breathing or movement disorders, which increase in prevalence especially after menopause, and for some women, menopause, age, and environmental/behavioral factors may interact to disrupt sleep. Considering the unique and multifactorial basis for sleep difficulties in women transitioning menopause, we describe clinical assessment

Beer Polyphenols and Menopause: Effects and Mechanisms—A Review of Current Knowledge

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Sandoval-Ramírez, Berner Andrée; M. Lamuela-Raventós, Rosa; Estruch, Ramon; Sasot, Gemma; Doménech, Monica

2017-01-01

Beer is one of the most frequently consumed fermented beverages in the world, and it has been part of the human diet for thousands of years. Scientific evidence obtained from the development of new techniques of food analysis over the last two decades suggests that polyphenol intake derived from moderate beer consumption may play a positive role in different health outcomes including osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk and the relief of vasomotor symptoms, which are commonly experienced during menopause and are an important reason why women seek medical care during this period; here, we review the current knowledge regarding moderate beer consumption and its possible effects on menopausal symptoms. The effect of polyphenol intake on vasomotor symptoms in menopause may be driven by the direct interaction of the phenolic compounds present in beer, such as 8-prenylnaringenin, 6-prenylnaringenin, and isoxanthohumol, with intracellular estrogen receptors that leads to the modulation of gene expression, increase in sex hormone plasma concentrations, and thus modulation of physiological hormone imbalance in menopausal women. Since traditional hormone replacement therapies increase health risks, alternative, safer treatment options are needed to alleviate menopausal symptoms in women. The present work aims to review the current data on this subject. PMID:28904736

Class, gender and culture in the experience of menopause. A comparative survey in Tunisia and France.

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Delanoë, Daniel; Hajri, Selma; Bachelot, Annie; Mahfoudh Draoui, Dorra; Hassoun, Danielle; Marsicano, Elise; Ringa, Virginie

2012-07-01

The experience of menopause can vary strongly from one society to another: frequency of hot flushes, other somatic and psychological symptoms, and changes in family and social relations. Several studies have shown that country of residence, country of birth, ethnicity, and social class all play roles in these variations. But few comparative anthropological studies have analysed the social processes that construct the experience of menopause or considered menopausal women's social and financial autonomy. To study the impact of the social status accorded to menopausal women and their social resources, during 2007 and 2008 we conducted a series of 75 in-depth interviews with women in different sociocultural settings: Tunisian women in Tunisia, Tunisian women in France, and French women in France, all aged from 45 to 70 years. Our methodological approach to the data included content analysis, typology development and socio-demographic analysis. Quite substantial differences appeared, as a function of social class and cultural environment. We identified three principal experiences of menopause. Tunisian working class women, in Tunisia and France, experience menopause with intense symptoms and strong feelings of social degradation. Among Tunisian middle-class women in both countries, menopause was most often accompanied by a severe decline in aesthetic and social value but few symptoms. For most of the French women, menopause involved few symptoms and little change in their social value. The distribution of types of experiences according to social but not geographic or national factors indicates that, in the populations studied here, the differences in symptoms are not biologically determined. Different experiences of menopause are linked to social class and to the degree of male domination. A given level of independence and emancipation allows women an identity beyond their reproductive function and a status unimpaired by menopause. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All

The effect of menopause on carotid artery remodeling, insulin sensitivity, and plasma adiponectin in healthy women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muscelli, Elza; Kozàkovà, Michaela; Flyvbjerg, Allan

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms by which menopause may influence the systemic subclinical atherosclerosis are unexplained. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the associations between early menopause, established cardiovascular (c-v) risk factors, metabolic parameters (insulin...... secretion and sensitivity, plasma adiponectin), and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in healthy women. METHODS: In 74 menopausal women (mean age = 51 +/- 3 years, mean duration of menopause = 2.9 +/- 1.2 years) and in 74 nonmenopausal women comparable for age and body mass index (BMI), common carotid...... by mathematical modeling. RESULTS: CCA diameter (5.55 +/- 0.46 vs. 5.21+/- 0.51 mm, P menopausal women, whereas CCA IMT/diameter ratio and IMT in other carotid...

Diabetes and onset of natural menopause : Results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brand, J. S.; Onland-Moret, N. C.; Eijkemans, M. J C; Tjønneland, A.; Roswall, N.; Overvad, K.; Fagherazzi, G.; Clavel-Chapelon, F.; Dossus, L.; Lukanova, A.; Grote, V.; Bergmann, M. M.; Boeing, H.; Trichopoulou, A.; Tzivoglou, M.; Trichopoulos, D.; Grioni, S.; Mattiello, A.; Masala, G.; Tumino, R.; Vineis, P.; Bueno-De-Mesquita, H. B.; Weiderpass, E.; Redondo, M. L.; Sánchez, M. J.; Castaño, J. M Huerta; Arriola, L.; Ardanaz, E.; Duell, E. J.; Rolandsson, O.; Franks, P. W.; Butt, S.; Nilsson, P.; Khaw, K. T.; Wareham, N.; Travis, R.; Romieu, I.; Gunter, M. J.; Riboli, E.; Van Der Schouw, Y. T.

2015-01-01

STUDY QUESTION Do women who have diabetes before menopause have their menopause at an earlier age compared with women without diabetes? SUMMARY ANSWER Although there was no overall association between diabetes and age at menopause, our study suggests that early-onset diabetes may accelerate

Calcium status in premenopausal and post menopausal women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, H.J.; Hussain, G.; Bashir, M.U.; Latif, N.; Riaz, Z.

2010-01-01

Background: In postmenopausal women, the two major causes of bone loss are oestrogen deficiency after menopause and age related processes. Bone turnover increases to high levels and oestrogen deficiency may induce calcium loss by indirect effects on extra skeletal calcium homeostasis. Objective of this study was to evaluate calcium status in pre-menopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in 34 premenopausal women and 33 postmenopausal women, in Department of Physiology, Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore. Height and weight of each woman were taken to find out the body mass index (BMI). Serum calcium, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin levels of each subject were determined. Results: Premenopausal women were obese (BMI>30 Kg/m/sup 2/) while postmenopausal women were overweight (BMI>25 Kg/m/sup 2/). Serum calcium levels were significantly lower in postmenopausal women than in pre-menopausal women, while serum parathyroid hormone levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal woman. Serum calcitonin level was not significantly different in the two groups. Conclusion: Postmenopausal women are calcium deficient and have increased bone turnover as indicated by increased serum parathyroid hormone levels. (author)

Differential effects of estradiol on carotid artery inflammation when administered early versus late after surgical menopause.

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Sophonsritsuk, Areepan; Appt, Susan E; Clarkson, Thomas B; Shively, Carol A; Espeland, Mark A; Register, Thomas C

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of estrogen therapy (ET) on carotid artery inflammation when initiated early and late relative to surgical menopause. Female cynomolgus macaques consuming atherogenic diets were ovariectomized and randomized to control or oral estradiol (E2; human equivalent dose of 1 mg/d micronized E2) initiated at 1 month (early menopause, n = 24) or 54 months (late menopause, n = 40) after ovariectomy. The treatment period was 8 months. Carotid artery expression of the markers of monocyte/macrophages (CD68 and CD163), dendritic cells (CD83), natural killer cells (neural cell adhesion molecule-1), and interferon-γ was significantly lower in E2-treated animals in the early menopause group but not in the late menopause group (P menopausal stage (P menopause inhibits macrophage accumulation in the carotid artery, an effect that is not observed when E2 is administered after several years of estrogen deficiency. No evidence for pro-inflammatory effects of late ET is observed. The results provide support for the timing hypothesis of postmenopausal ET with implications for the interpretation of outcomes in the Women's Health Initiative.

Women’s health in menopause with a focus on hypertension

OpenAIRE

Maas, A.H.E.M.; Franke, H.R.

2009-01-01

In menopause transition many women have vasomotor symptoms which may affect their normal daily activities. With the decline in oestrogen levels, risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) become more apparent, especially hypertension. The onset of hypertension can cause a variety of complaints that are often attributed to the menopause. Risk factor identification is poorly managed in middle-aged women and should be the first step in the evaluation and treatment of women with perimenopausal...

Risk of breast cancer by type of menopausal hormone therapy: a case-control study among post-menopausal women in France.

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Emilie Cordina-Duverger

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: There is extensive epidemiological evidence that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT increases breast cancer risk, particularly combinations of estrogen and progestagen (EP. We investigated the effects of the specific formulations and types of therapies used by French women. Progestagen constituents, regimen (continuous or sequential treatment by the progestagen, and time interval between onset of menopause and start of MHT were examined. METHODS: We conducted a population-based case-control study in France in 1555 menopausal women (739 cases and 816 controls. Detailed information on MHT use was obtained during in-person interviews. Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval adjusted for breast cancer risk factors were calculated. RESULTS: We found that breast cancer risk differed by type of progestagen among current users of EP therapies. No increased risk was apparent among EP therapy users treated with natural micronized progesterone. Among users of EP therapy containing a synthetic progestin, the odds ratio was 1.57 (0.99-2.49 for progesterone-derived and 3.35 (1.07-10.4 for testosterone-derived progestagen. Women with continuous regimen were at greater risk than women treated sequentially, but regimen and type of progestagen could not be investigated independently, as almost all EP combinations containing a testosterone-derivative were administered continuously and vice-versa. Tibolone was also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Early users of MHT after onset of menopause were at greater risk than users who delayed treatment. CONCLUSION: This study confirms differential effects on breast cancer risk of progestagens and regimens specifically used in France. Formulation of EP therapies containing natural progesterone, frequently prescribed in France, was not associated with increased risk of breast cancer but may poorly protect against endometrial cancer.

A histerectomia simples realizada no menacme e a densidade mineral óssea da mulher na pós-menopausa Pre-menopausal simple hysterectomy and post-menopausal female bone mineral density

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João Daniel Hobeika

2002-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo foi avaliar a densidade mineral óssea de mulheres na pós-menopausa, com o antecedente de histerectomia com conservação ovariana bilateral, realizada no menacme, comparadas a um grupo de mulheres com menopausa natural, não histerectomizadas. Tratou-se de um estudo de corte transversal, com trinta mulheres na pós-menopausa e histerectomizadas no menacme e 102 mulheres menopausadas naturalmente, comparando-se as respectivas densitometrias ósseas, em nível do fêmur e coluna lombar. A análise mostrou que as variáveis idade e índice de massa corporal estavam fortemente associadas à densidade mineral óssea do fêmur e da coluna lombar, sendo o índice de massa corporal diretamente e a idade inversamente associados. Posteriormente, as trinta mulheres histerectomizadas, foram pareadas por idade e índice de massa corporal, com trinta mulheres não-histerectomizadas, não apresentando diferenças estatisticamente significantes da densidade mineral óssea. Esses resultados sugerem que a histerectomia com conservação ovariana bilateral, realizada em mulheres no menacme, não parece ocasionar redução adicional da massa óssea, quando avaliadas na pós-menopausa.This study aimed to evaluate the bone mineral density (BMD of post-menopausal women with previous pre-menopausal hysterectomy including bilateral ovarian conservation compared to a group of non-hysterectomized women with natural menopause. Data from a cross-sectional study of 30 pre-menopausally hysterectomized women evaluated in the post-menopause were compared with 102 naturally post-menopausal women, analyzing their respective bone densitometry, measuring the femoral and lumbar spinal BMD. Multiple regression analysis of the 132 women showed that age and body mass index (BMI were heavily associated with femoral and lumbar spinal BMD, BMI directly associated, and age inversely associated with BMD. In addition, 30 hysterectomized women were matched by age and BMI to the

Menopause and Metabolic Syndrome in Tunisian Women

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Samir Ben Ali

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of menopausal status on the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS in Tunisian women. Methods. We analyzed a total of 2680 women aged between 35 and 70 years. Blood pressure, anthropometric indices, fasting glucose, and lipid profile were measured. The MetS was assessed by the modified NCEP-ATPIII definition. Results. The mean values of waist circumference, blood pressure, plasma lipids, and fasting glucose were significantly higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women, a difference that was no longer present when adjusting for age. Except for hypertriglyceridaemia, the frequency of central obesity, hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, and high total cholesterol was significantly higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. After adjusting for age, the significance persisted only for hyperglycemia. The overall prevalence of MetS was 35.9%, higher in postmenopausal (45.7% versus 25.6% than in premenopausal women. A binary logistic regression analysis showed that menopause was independently associated with MetS (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.10–1.82 after adjusting for age, residence area, marital status, family history of cardiovascular disease, education level, and occupation. Conclusions. The present study provides evidence that the MetS is highly prevalent in this group of women. Menopause can be a predictor of MetS independent of age in Tunisian women.

Enhancing memory self-efficacy during menopause through a group memory strategies program.

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Unkenstein, Anne E; Bei, Bei; Bryant, Christina A

2017-05-01

Anxiety about memory during menopause can affect quality of life. We aimed to improve memory self-efficacy during menopause using a group memory strategies program. The program was run five times for a total of 32 peri- and postmenopausal women, age between 47 and 60 years, recruited from hospital menopause and gynecology clinics. The 4-week intervention consisted of weekly 2-hour sessions, and covered how memory works, memory changes related to ageing, health and lifestyle factors, and specific memory strategies. Memory contentment (CT), reported frequency of forgetting (FF), use of memory strategies, psychological distress, and attitude toward menopause were measured. A double-baseline design was applied, with outcomes measured on two baseline occasions (1-month prior [T1] and in the first session [T2]), immediately postintervention (T3), and 3-month postintervention (T4). To describe changes in each variable between time points paired sample t tests were conducted. Mixed-effects models comparing the means of random slopes from T2 to T3 with those from T1 to T2 were conducted for each variable to test for treatment effects. Examination of the naturalistic changes in outcome measures from T1 to T2 revealed no significant changes (all Ps > 0.05). CT, reported FF, and use of memory strategies improved significantly more from T2 to T3, than from T1 to T2 (all Ps attitude toward menopause nor psychological distress improved significantly more postintervention than during the double-baseline (all Ps > 0.05). Improvements in reported CT and FF were maintained after 3 months. The use of group interventions to improve memory self-efficacy during menopause warrants continued evaluation.

Bone mineral density and fractures after surgical menopause : systematic review and meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fakkert, I. E.; Teixeira, N.; Abma, E. M.; Slart, R. H. J. A.; Mourits, M. J. E.; de Bock, G. H.

Background Oophorectomy is recommended for women at increased risk for ovarian cancer. When performed at premenopausal age oophorectomy induces acute surgical menopause, with unwanted consequences. Objective To investigate bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture prevalence after surgical menopause.

Loss of attributes of femininity, anxiety and value crisis. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome compared to women after mastectomy and in menopause

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Dorota Mącik

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is a relatively widespread disease and a main cause of fertility problems. The disease diagnosis is frequently related to changes in the value hierarchy. However, it can be treated as a “loss of/threat to” femininity. Similar aspects of the loss of part of femininity are connected with menopause and mastectomy. Participants and procedure One hundred and forty-five women were examined in total: 42 with the PCOS diagnosis, 20 after mastectomy, 42 in menopause and 41 healthy women (reference group. Standard measurement methods were used: the Value Crisis Questionnaire by P. Oleś and the IPAT Anxiety Scale – Self Analysis Form by R. B. Cattell. Results Women suffering from PCOS obtained significantly higher indexes of both crisis and anxiety compared to other groups, whereas women after mastectomy and in menopause did not differ between one another in tested variables, and they did not differ from healthy women either. It was noted that the most relationships between variables were observed in the group of women in menopause (significant correlations between almost all dimensions, while there are few relationships in women after mastectomy. In women with PCOS (a relatively small number of correlations relationships of the greatest strength relate to the relationships of negative self-esteem and guilt proneness with all dimensions of the value crisis. Conclusions Polycystic ovary syndrome, despite having a relatively non-threatening course, is experienced much more strongly by women compared to mastectomy and menopause. It is associated with strong internal anxiety and degradation of the value hierarchy.

Menarche menopause breast cancer risk individual

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer; Bausch-Goldbohm, R.A.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND:Menarche and menopause mark the onset and cessation, respectively, of ovarian activity associated with reproduction, and affect breast cancer risk. Our aim was to assess the strengths of their effects and determine whether they depend on characteristics of the tumours or the affected

The association of menopause status with physical function: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

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Tseng, Lisa A; El Khoudary, Samar R; Young, Elizabeth A; Farhat, Ghada N; Sowers, MaryFran; Sutton-Tyrrell, Kim; Newman, Anne B

2012-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether postmenopause status is associated with self-reported limitations in physical function. The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation is a multisite, multiethnic, longitudinal study of midlife women. Women aged 45 to 57 years (N = 2,566) completed the physical function scale of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 on visit 4 (2000-2001). Scores created a three-category variable of physical function limitations: none (86-100), moderate (51-85), and substantial (0-50). In the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, menopause status is a five-category list variable based on menstrual bleeding patterns and gynecological surgery. Premenopausal and perimenopausal women using hormones (n = 284) or missing physical function scores (n = 46) were excluded. Multinomial logistic regression was used to relate physical function and menopause status after adjustment for age, ethnicity, site, education, body mass index (BMI), and self-reported diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, depressive symptoms, smoking, and hormone use among postmenopausal women. Of 2,236 women, 8% were premenopausal, 51% were early perimenopausal, 12% were late perimenopausal, 24% were naturally postmenopausal, and 5% were surgically postmenopausal. In the full model, substantial limitations in physical function were higher in postmenopausal women, whether naturally postmenopausal (odds ratio, 3.82; 95% CI, 1.46-10.0) or surgically postmenopausal (odds ratio, 3.54; 95% CI, 1.15-10.84), than in premenopausal women. These associations were attenuated by higher BMI and depressive symptoms but remained significant. Moderate limitations in physical function were not significantly related to menopause status. Women experiencing surgical or naturally occurring postmenopause report greater limitations in physical function compared with premenopausal women, independent of age and only partly explained by higher BMI and depressive symptoms. This suggests that

Anti-Müllerian hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, antral follicle count, and risk of menopause within 5 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Catherine; Slaughter, James C; Wang, Erica T; Appiah, Duke; Schreiner, Pamela; Leader, Benjamin; Calderon-Margalit, Ronit; Sternfeld, Barbara; Siscovick, David; Wellons, Melissa

2017-08-01

To evaluate the ability of concentration of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), antral follicle count (AFC), and concentration of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) to predict the onset of menopause. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA) Women's Study was an ancillary study to CARDIA, a population-based study of adults aged 18-30 years followed for 3 decades. For this report, participants were women (n=426) who had attended the CARDIA year 15-16 (2000-2001) examination, had at least one ovary, were not pregnant, and underwent serum AMH and FSH measurement and transvaginal ultrasonography in 2002-2003. The probability of menopause in 5 years based upon AMH, FSH, and AFC. The mean age of the women at the time of AMH, FSH, and AFC assessment was 43 years. The cumulative incidence of menopause at 25 years (or follow-up) was 27% (n=426), and the incidence within 5 years was 13% (n=55). Among women aged 45-49 years, undetectable AMH concentrations were associated with a greater than 60% probability of menopause within 5 years, whereas approximately 1/3 of women with no or just one antral follicle experienced menopause within 5 years. Both low and high concentrations of FSH were associated with greater odds of menopause than intermediate concentrations. Models with multiple markers did not improve the prediction of menopause over that afforded by models with single markers. The ability to predict onset of menopause was improved with any of the three menopausal markers in addition to age. AMH concentrations were more closely associated with menopause than AFC or FSH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk of long-term hot flashes after natural menopause: evidence from the Penn Ovarian Aging Study cohort.

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Freeman, Ellen W; Sammel, Mary D; Sanders, Richard J

2014-09-01

This study aims to estimate the risk of hot flashes relative to natural menopause and to evaluate the associations of hormone levels, behavioral variables, and demographic variables with the risk of hot flashes after menopause. We performed annual assessment of 255 women who were premenopausal at baseline and reached natural menopause within 16 years of follow-up. The prevalence of moderate/severe hot flashes increased in each premenopausal year, reaching a peak of 46% in the first 2 years after the final menstrual period (FMP). Hot flashes decreased slowly after menopause and did not return to premenopausal levels until 9 years after the FMP. The mean (SD) duration of moderate/severe hot flashes after the FMP was 4.6 (2.9) years (for any hot flashes, 4.9 [3.1] y). One third of women at 10 years or more after menopause continued to experience moderate/severe hot flashes. African-American women (obese and nonobese) and obese white women had significantly greater risks of hot flashes compared with nonobese white women (interaction, P = 0.01). In multivariable analysis, increasing follicle-stimulating hormone levels before the FMP (P menopause; more than one third of women observed for 10 years or more after menopause have moderate/severe hot flashes. Continuation of hot flashes for more than 5 years after menopause underscores the importance of determining individual risks/benefits when selecting hormone or nonhormone therapy for menopausal symptoms.

Changes of the prescription of hormone therapy in menopausal women: An observational study in Taiwan

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Hsiao Fei-Yuan

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate the impact of the 2002 Women's Health Initiative (WHI study results on the prescription of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT to treat menopause-related symptoms in Taiwan. Methods This retrospective study participant data collected from women interviewed in 2001 Taiwan's National Health Interview Survey (NHIS and the National Health Insurance (NHI outpatient claims for women being treated for menopause-related symptoms. We compared prescriptions made for MHI to women seeking outpatient treatment for menopause-related symptoms before and after the publication of the 2002 WHI to study its effect of prescription behavior in Taiwan. There was one dichotomous outcome variable, which was whether MHT was prescribed or not in an outpatient visit to treat menopause-related symptoms. Results Our study included 504 women 45 years old or above whose outpatient visits for menopause-related symptoms were covered by National Health Insurance in 2002. In total, these 504 women made 2549 outpatient visits to be treated for these symptoms. The proportion of outpatient visits in which MHT was prescribed dropped from 83.0% (n = 1,155 before WHI to 73.0% (n = 844 after WHI. We found a decrease in likelihood that women would be prescribed MHT for menopause-related symptoms after the release of the WHI report (OR = 0.36, 95%CI = 0.25 to 0.52, p Conclusion The WHI report caused a substantial decline in the use of MHT to treat menopause-related symptoms in Taiwan. It was found to exert most of its influence in patients with higher educations, physicians with specialties other than gynecologists and obstetricians, and academic medical centers.

Common diseases as determinants of menopausal age.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingmei; Eriksson, Mikael; Czene, Kamila; Hall, Per; Rodriguez-Wallberg, Kenny A

2016-12-01

Can the diagnosis of common diseases before menopause influence age at natural menopause (ANM) onset? Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and depression were observed to delay menopause. It has been observed that women who undergo early menopause experience a higher burden of health problems related to metabolic syndromes, heart disease and depression, but whether ANM can be influenced by common adult diseases has not been studied extensively. All women attending mammography screening or clinical mammography at four hospitals in Sweden were invited to participate in the Karolinska Mammography Project for Risk Prediction of Breast Cancer (KARMA) study. Between January 2011 and March 2013, 70 877 women were recruited. Information from the baseline questionnaire filled out upon enrollment was used in this cross-sectional analysis on predictors of ANM onset. We limited our analyses to 61 936 women with complete data on ANM and covariates and a follow-up time (from birth to menopause or censoring) of at least 35 years. Premenopausal diagnoses of depression, anorexia, bulimia, PCOS, ovarian cyst, heart failure, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, preeclampsia, diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia were examined as time-dependent variables in multivariable Cox regression analyses, adjusting for reproductive factors (age at menarche, menstrual cycle regularity in adult life, number of children and premenopausal oral contraceptive use) and risk factors of common diseases (education, physical activity at 18 years and information at the time of questionnaire including BMI, ever smoking and alcohol consumption). Women with PCOS and depression were independently associated with later menopause (hazard ratio (95% CI): 0.44 (0.28-0.71) and 0.95 (0.91-1.00), respectively), compared to women with no such histories. The associations remained significant in a subset of women who had never received gynecological surgery or hormone treatment (n = 32313, 0.21 (0

Why do women stop reproducing before menopause? A life-history approach to age at last birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Towner, Mary C; Nenko, Ilona; Walton, Savannah E

2016-04-19

Evolutionary biologists have long considered menopause to be a fundamental puzzle in understanding human fertility behaviour, as post-menopausal women are no longer physiologically capable of direct reproduction. Menopause typically occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, but across cultures and history, women often stop reproducing many years before menopause. Unlike age at first reproduction or even birth spacing, a woman nearing the end of her reproductive cycle is able to reflect upon the offspring she already has--their numbers and phenotypic qualities, including sexes. This paper reviews demographic data on age at last birth both across and within societies, and also presents a case study of age at last birth in rural Bangladeshi women. In this Bangladeshi sample, age at last birth preceded age at menopause by an average of 11 years, with marked variation around that mean, even during a period of high fertility. Moreover, age at last birth was not strongly related to age at menopause. Our literature review and case study provide evidence that stopping behaviour needs to be more closely examined as an important part of human reproductive strategies and life-history theory. Menopause may be a final marker of permanent reproductive cessation, but it is only one piece of the evolutionary puzzle. © 2016 The Author(s).

Association between endothelial dysfunction, epicardial fat and subclinical atherosclerosis during menopause.

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Cabrera-Rego, Julio Oscar; Navarro-Despaigne, Daisy; Staroushik-Morel, Liudmila; Díaz-Reyes, Karel; Lima-Martínez, Marcos M; Iacobellis, Gianluca

Menopausal transition is critical for the development of early, subclinical vascular damage. Multiple factors, such as atherosclerosis, increased epicardial fat, and endothelial dysfunction can play a role. Hence, the objective of this study was the comparison of epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima media thickness in order to establish the best predictor of carotid stiffness in middle-aged women with endothelial dysfunction. A total of 43 healthy women aged 40-59 years old with endothelial dysfunction previously demonstrated by flow mediated dilation were recruited to have anthropometric, biochemical, hormonal and ultrasound determinations of carotid intima media thickness and epicardial fat thickness. Carotid arterial stiffness parameters (local pulse wave velocity [4.7±0.7 vs 4.8±0.5 vs 5.6±0.5m/s, respectively, p<0.001], pressure strain elastic modulus [55.2±13.4 vs 59.2±11.8 vs 81.9±15.6kPa, respectively, p<0.001], arterial stiffness index β [4.4±1.4 vs 5.0±1.1 vs 6.4±1.3, respectively, p<0.001]) and epicardial fat thickness (2.98±1.4 vs 3.28±1.9 vs 4.70±1.0mm, respectively, p=0.007) showed a significant and proportional increase in the group of late post-menopausal women when compared to early post-menopausal and pre-menopausal groups, respectively. Among body fat markers, epicardial fat was the strongest predictor of local pulse wave velocity, independent of age. In menopausal women with endothelial dysfunction, menopausal transition is associated with increased carotid arterial stiffness and epicardial fat thickness, independent of age. Ultrasound measured epicardial fat was a better independent predictor of arterial stiffness than carotid intima media thickness in these women. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The influence of physiological and surgical menopause on coronary heart disease risk markers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, Marieke O.; van der Mooren, Marius J.; Teerlink, Tom; Verheijen, Rene H. M.; Scheffer, Peter G.; Kenemans, Peter

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate the influence of physiological and surgical menopause oil Serum concentrations of corollary heart disease (CHD) risk markers and sex hormones. Design: Physiological menopausal transition was investigated in two studies. In a longitudinal Study, 16 women were followed from 2

Metabolic alteration of urinary steroids in pre- and post-menopausal women, and men with papillary thyroid carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Man Ho; Moon, Ju-Yeon; Cho, Sung-Hee; Chung, Bong Chul; Lee, Eun Jig

2011-01-01

To evaluate the metabolic changes in urinary steroids in pre- and post-menopausal women and men with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Quantitative steroid profiling combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to measure the urinary concentrations of 84 steroids in both pre- (n = 21, age: 36.95 ± 7.19 yr) and post-menopausal female (n = 19, age: 52.79 ± 7.66 yr), and male (n = 16, age: 41.88 ± 8.48 yr) patients with PTC. After comparing the quantitative data of the patients with their corresponding controls (pre-menopause women: n = 24, age: 33.21 ± 10.48 yr, post-menopause women: n = 16, age: 49.67 ± 8.94 yr, male: n = 20, age: 42.75 ± 4.22 yr), the levels of steroids in the patients were normalized to the mean concentration of the controls to exclude gender and menopausal variations. Many urinary steroids were up-regulated in all PTC patients compared to the controls. Among them, the levels of three active androgens, androstenedione, androstenediol and 16α-hydroxy DHEA, were significantly higher in the pre-menopausal women and men with PTC. The corticoid levels were increased slightly in the PTC men, while progestins were not altered in the post-menopausal PTC women. Estrogens were up-regulated in all PTC patients but 2-hydroxyestrone and 2-hydroxy-17β-estradiol were remarkably changed in both pre-menopausal women and men with PTC. For both menopausal and gender differences, the 2-hydroxylation, 4-hydroxylation, 2-methoxylation, and 4-methoxylation of estrogens and 16α-hydroxylation of DHEA were differentiated between pre- and post-menopausal PTC women (P < 0.001). In particular, the metabolic ratio of 2-hydroxyestrone to 2-hydroxy-17β-estradiol, which could reveal the enzyme activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, showed gender differences in PTC patients (P < 1 × 10 -7 ). These results are expected be helpful for better understanding the pathogenic differences in PTC according to gender and menopausal conditions

Physical activity, menopause, and quality of life: the role of affect and self-worth across time.

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Elavsky, Steriani

2009-01-01

Physical activity has been shown to enhance quality of life (QOL); however, few investigations of these effects exist in women undergoing the menopausal transition. The present study examined the long-term effects of physical activity on menopause-related QOL and tested the mediating effects of physical self-worth and positive affect in this relationship. Middle-aged women previously enrolled in a 4-month randomized controlled trial involving walking and yoga, and a control group completed a follow-up mail-in survey 2 years after the end of the trial. The survey included a battery of psychological and physical activity measures, including measures of menopausal symptoms and menopause-related QOL. Longitudinal linear panel analysis was conducted within a covariance modeling framework to test whether physical self-worth and positive affect mediated the physical activity-QOL relationship over time. At the end of the trial, physical activity and menopausal symptoms were related to physical self-worth and positive affect, and in turn, greater levels of physical self-worth and positive affect were associated with higher levels of menopause-related QOL. Analyses indicated that increases in physical activity and decreases in menopausal symptoms over the 2-year period were related to increases in physical self-worth (betas = 0.23 and -0.52, physical activity and menopausal symptoms, respectively) and, for symptoms, also to decreased positive affect (beta = -0.47), and both physical self-worth (beta = 0.34) and affect (beta = 0.43) directly influenced enhancements in QOL (R = 0.775). The findings support the position that the effects of physical activity on QOL are mediated, in part, by intermediate psychological outcomes and that physical activity can have long-term benefits for women undergoing the menopausal transition.

Study on the differences between the serum sex hormones levels in menopausal women and patients with secondary amenorrhea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhaohui

2007-01-01

Objective: To assess the differences between the ovarian function in menopausal women and patients with secondary amenorrhea with measurement of serum sex hormones levels. Methods: Serum FSH, LH, E 2 prolactin, progesterone and testosterone levels were measured with RIA in: (1) 40 women with normal menstration (2) 40 menopausal women and (3) 40 patients with secondary amenorrhea. Results: Among the three groups, the serum FSH and LH levels wre highest in the menopausal women with secondary amenorrhea patients the next. On the contrary, the serum E 2 levels were lowest in the menopausal women with secondary amenorrhea patients the next. The sreum prolactin levels in women with normal menstruation and menopausal women were about the same and both were significantly lower than those in patients with secondary amenorrhea. The serum progestrone levels were extremely low in menopausal women (0.63 ± 0.39 ng/ml), while the levels in patients with secondary menopause were only moderately decreased (4.91 ± 2. 83 ng/ml vs 11.25 ± 4.51 ng/ml in women with normal menstruation), indicating possible presence of ovulation. Testosterone levels were also lowest in menopausal women. Conclusion: Ovarian atrophy with functional failure was present in menopausal women. Secondury amenorrhea was usually due to dysfunction of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary-uterus axis (HPOV axis) with rentention of ovarian function. (authors)

Timing of hormone therapy, type of menopause, and coronary disease in women: data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation.

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Shufelt, Chrisandra L; Johnson, B Delia; Berga, Sarah L; Braunstein, Glenn D; Reis, Steven E; Bittner, Vera; Yang, YuChing; Pepine, Carl J; Sharaf, Barry L; Sopko, George; Kelsey, Sheryl F; Merz, C Noel Bairey

2011-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of the timing of hormone therapy (HT) use with angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in women with natural versus surgical menopause. We studied 654 postmenopausal women undergoing coronary angiography for the evaluation of suspected ischemia. Timing and type of menopause, HT use, and quantitative angiographic evaluations were obtained at baseline, and the women were followed for a median of 6 years for CVD events. Ever users of HT had a significantly lower prevalence of obstructive CAD compared with never users (age-adjusted odds ratio, 0.41 [0.28-0.60]). Women with natural menopause initiating HT before age 55 years had lower CAD severity compared with never users (age-adjusted β [SE] = -6.23 [1.50], P menopause group (hazard ratio [95% CI], 0.60 [0.41-0.88]; P = 0.009) but became nonsignificant when adjusted for the presence or severity of obstructive CAD. Using the quantitative measurements of the timing and type of menopause and HT use, earlier initiation of HT was associated with less angiographic CAD in women with natural but not surgical menopause. Our data suggest that the effect of HT use on reduced cardiovascular event rates is mediated by the presence or absence of angiographic obstructive atherosclerosis.

Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause, and Sexuality (DREAMS): A cohort profile.

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Faubion, Stephanie S; Kapoor, Ekta; Kling, Juliana M; Kuhle, Carol L; Sood, Richa; Rullo, Jordan E; Thielen, Jacqueline M; Shuster, Lynne T; Rocca, Walter A; Hilsaca, Karla S Frohmader; Mara, Kristin C; Schroeder, Darrell R; Miller, Virginia M

2018-01-01

The Women's Health Clinic (WHC) at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has provided consultative care to women with menopausal and sexual health concerns since 2005. Clinical information on the 8688 women seen in the WHC through May 2017 who gave consent for the use of their medical records in research is contained in the Data Registry on Experiences of Aging, Menopause, and Sexuality (DREAMS). Initially, DREAMS was created to improve the clinical care of women, but it has become a valuable research tool. About 25% of the DREAMS women have been seen in the WHC 2 or more times, allowing for passive longitudinal follow-up. Additionally, about 25% of the DREAMS women live in the 27-county region included in the expanded Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records linkage system, providing additional information on those women. The cohort has been used to investigate associations between: caffeine intake and vasomotor symptom bother; recent abuse (physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional) and menopausal symptoms; specific menopausal symptoms and self-reported view of menopause; and obstructive sleep apnea risk and vasomotor symptom severity and the experience of vasomotor symptoms in women older than 60 years. A study nearing completion describes a clinical series of over 3500 women presenting for sexual health consultation by sexual function domain and by decade of life. Other studies under way are determining correlates with sexual health and dysfunction. Planned studies will investigate associations between the experience with menopause and the risk of disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Menopause Symptoms and Attitude Impact Korean Women's Quality of Life After Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer.

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Gang, Moonhee; Jung, Mi Sook; Park, Sunyoung; Park, Younghee; Oh, Kyongok

Attitudes toward menopause vary across cultures and influence women's experiences of menopausal symptoms, possibly leading to reduced posttreatment quality of life in breast cancer survivors. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of menopausal symptoms and attitudes on health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors who were premenopausal at the time of diagnosis. A total of 139 women receiving chemotherapy with/without endocrine therapy were assessed with self-report questionnaires of established reliability and validity. Hierarchical regression was conducted to assess the impact of menopausal symptoms and attitudes on quality of life, while controlling for demographic characteristics. Overall, participants endorsed more than half of 46 symptoms, most at the level of mild symptoms, and most reported a less positive attitude toward menopause. Lower quality of life was significantly predicted by more menopausal symptoms endorsed and more negative attitudes when controlling for demographic factors associated with quality of life (R = 26.1%). Most participants experienced change from premenopause to postmenopause after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy with or without tamoxifen. The results suggest that more menopausal symptoms and negative attitudes toward menopause may affect health-related quality of life considerably in chemotherapy-treated Asian breast cancer survivors. Healthcare professionals should develop a better understanding of the effects of menopausal symptoms and attitudes on quality of life by using a culturally relevant perspective based on patients' sociocultural backgrounds. Furthermore, these findings help healthcare professionals communicate with their Asian clients in a more informed way and provide culturally appropriate and individualized care.

Association between use of self-prescribed complementary and alternative medicine and menopause-related symptoms: a cross-sectional study.

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Peng, Wenbo; Sibbritt, David W; Hickman, Louise; Adams, Jon

2015-10-01

To examine the association between self-prescribed complementary and alternative medicine use and menopause-related symptoms, stratified by menopausal status. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of 10,011 menopausal women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, conducted in 2010. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to identify if the use of selected self-prescribed complementary and alternative medicine was significantly associated with a range of menopause-related symptoms. Vitamins/minerals were more likely to be used by natural menopausal women experiencing anxiety (adjusted OR=1.20) and/or stiff/painful joints (adjusted OR=1.16). Yoga/meditation was more likely to be used by women with hysterectomy (adjusted OR=1.76) or natural menopausal women (adjusted OR=1.38) experiencing anxiety. Herbal medicines were more likely to be used by natural menopausal women experiencing anxiety (adjusted OR=1.22), tiredness (adjusted OR=1.20), and/or stiff/painful joints (adjusted OR=1.17), and by women with oophorectomy experiencing tiredness (adjusted OR=1.45). Aromatherapy oils were more likely to be used by natural menopausal women experiencing night sweats (adjusted OR=1.25) and by women with hysterectomy experiencing anxiety (adjusted OR=2.02). Chinese medicines were more likely to be used by women with oophorectomy experiencing stiff/painful joints (adjusted OR=4.06) and/or palpitations (adjusted OR=3.06). Our study will help improve the patient-provider communication regarding complementary and alternative medicine use for menopause, and we conclude that menopausal status should be taken into account by providers for menopause care. The women's experience and motivations of such use warrant further research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in 5-hydroxytryptamine and cortisol plasma levels in menopausal women after inhalation of clary sage oil.

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Lee, Kyung-Bok; Cho, Eun; Kang, Young-Sook

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the antidepressant-like effects of clary sage oil on human beings by comparing the neurotransmitter level change in plasma. The voluntary participants were 22 menopausal women in 50's. Subjects were classified into normal and depression tendency groups using each of Korean version of Beck Depression Inventory-I (KBDI-I), KBDI-II, and Korean version of Self-rating Depression Scale. Then, the changes in neurotransmitter concentrations were compared between two groups. After inhalation of clary sage oil, cortisol levels were significantly decreased while 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) concentration was significantly increased. Thyroid stimulating hormone was also reduced in all groups but not statistically significantly. The different change rate of 5-HT concentration between normal and depression tendency groups was variable according to the depression measurement inventory. When using KBDI-I and KBDI-II, 5-HT increased by 341% and 828% for the normal group and 484% and 257% for the depression tendency group, respectively. The change rate of cortisol was greater in depression tendency groups compared with normal groups, and this difference was statistically significant when using KBDI-II (31% vs. 16% reduction) and Self-rating Depression Scale inventory (36% vs. 8.3% reduction). Among three inventories, only KBDI-II differentiated normal and depression tendency groups with significantly different cortisol level. Finally, clary sage oil has antidepressant-like effect, and KBDI-II inventory may be the most sensitive and valid tool in screening for depression status or severity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of soy phytoestrogens' effects on bone turnover indicators in menopausal women with osteopenia in Iran: a before and after clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larijani Bagher

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Osteoporosis is the gradual declining in bone mass with age, leading to increased bone fragility and fractures. Fractures in hip and spine are known to be the most important complication of the disease which leads in the annual mortality rate of 20% and serious morbidity rate of 50%. Menopause is one of the most common risk factors of osteoporosis. After menopause, sex hormone deficiency is associated with increased remodeling rate and negative bone balance, leading to accelerated bone loss and micro-architectural defects, resulting into increased bone fragility. Compounds with estrogen-like biological activity similar to "Isoflavones" present in plants especially soy, may reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women as they are similar in structure to estrogens. This research, therefore, was carried out to study the effects of Iranian soy protein on biochemical indicators of bone metabolism in osteopenic menopausal women. Materials and methods This clinical trial of before-after type was carried out on 15 women 45–64 years of age. Subjects were given 35 g soy protein per day for 12 weeks. Blood and urine sampling, anthropometric measurement and 48-h-dietary recalls were carried out at zero, 6 and 12 weeks. Food consumption data were analyzed using Food Proccessor Software. For the study of bone metabolism indicators and changes in anthropometric data as well as dietary intake, and repeated analyses were employed. Results Comparison of weight, BMI, physical activity, energy intake and other intervening nutrients did not reveal any significant changes during different stages of the study. Soy protein consumption resulted in a significant reduction in the urinary deoxypyridinoline and increasing of total alkaline phosphatase (p Conclusion In view of beneficial effect of soy protein on bone metabolism indicators, inclusion of this relatively inexpensive food in the daily diet of menopausal women, will probably delay bone

EMAS recommendations for conditions in the workplace for menopausal women.

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Griffiths, Amanda; Ceausu, Iuliana; Depypere, Herman; Lambrinoudaki, Irene; Mueck, Alfred; Pérez-López, Faustino R; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Senturk, Levent M; Simoncini, Tommaso; Stevenson, John C; Stute, Petra; Rees, Margaret

2016-03-01

Women form a large part of many workforces throughout Europe. Many will be working throughout their menopausal years. Whilst the menopause may cause no significant problems for some, for others it is known to present considerable difficulties in both their personal and working lives. During the menopausal transition women report that fatigue and difficulties with memory and concentration can have a negative impact on their working lives. Furthermore, hot flushes can be a source of embarrassment and distress. Some consider that these symptoms can impact on their performance. Greater awareness among employers, together with sensitive and flexible management can be helpful for women at this time. Particular strategies might include: fostering a culture whereby employees feel comfortable disclosing health problems, allowing flexible working, reducing sources of work-related stress, providing easy access to cold drinking water and toilets, and reviewing workplace temperature and ventilation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Menopause: Prevention and Health Promotion

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Ana Mª Rivas Hidalgo

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Taking into account that climacteric constitutes a physiological state in woman’s life, which covers a large stage of her life cycle, it is important that nursery professionals will develop an Action Plan, whose main objective will be health. Covering, then, this stage from a multidisciplinary and holistic field is going to contribute to both: the adoption of healthy life habits and the repercussions that symptoms and physiological processes associated with menopause have on women. Another objective for nurses there must be to provide all our knowledge in a detailed and focused on the individual needs that may come up way. That way, we lay the foundations for facing climacteric with the minimum deterioration of the quality of life and well being.This article is an analysis of the etiology of every one of the most prevalent menopause problems, the predisposing factors to suffer them or to make them get worse, and the habits that are going to prevent larger spill-over effects of those problems. Furthermore, a revision about how nutrition, exercise, toxic substances consumption, etc. have repercussions on musculoskeletal problems, vascular symptoms, urogenital problems, psychological alterations, and gynaecological and breast cancer is made.

The effects of yoga and self-esteem on menopausal symptoms and quality of life in breast cancer survivors-A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

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Koch, Anna K; Rabsilber, Sybille; Lauche, Romy; Kümmel, Sherko; Dobos, Gustav; Langhorst, Jost; Cramer, Holger

2017-11-01

Previous research has found that yoga can enhance quality of life and ease menopausal symptoms of breast cancer survivors. The study examined whether self-esteem mediated the effects of yoga on quality of life, fatigue and menopausal symptoms, utilizing validated outcome measures. This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of yoga with those of usual care in 40 breast cancer survivors who suffered from menopausal symptoms. All participants completed all 3 assessments (week 0, week 12, and week 24) and provided full data. Outcomes were measured using self-rating instruments. Mediation analyses were performed using SPSS. Self-esteem mediated the effect of yoga on total menopausal symptoms (B=-2.11, 95% BCI [-5.40 to -0.37]), psychological menopausal symptoms (B=-0.94, 95% BCI [-2.30 to -0.01]), and urogenital menopausal symptoms (B=-0.66, 95% BCI [-1.65 to -0.15]), quality of life (B=8.04, 95% BCI [3.15-17.03]), social well-being (B=1.80, 95% BCI [0.54-4.21]), emotional well-being (B=1.62, 95% BCI [0.70-3.34]), functional well-being (B=1.84, 95% BCI [0.59-4.13]), and fatigue (B=4.34, 95% BCI [1.28-9.55]). Self-esteem had no effect on somatovegetative menopausal symptoms (B=-0.50, 95% BCI n.s.) or on physical well-being (B=0.79, 95% BCI n.s.). Findings support the assumption that self-esteem plays a vital role in the beneficial effect of yoga and that yoga can have long-term benefits for women diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing menopausal transition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The medical management of menopause: a four-country comparison care in urban areas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sievert, L.L.; Saliba, M.; Reher, D.; Sahel, A.; Hoyer, D.; Deeb, M.; Obermeyer, C.M.

2008-01-01

Objective To compare the medical management of menopause across urban areas in four countries which differ by level of income and degree of medicalization. Methods Surveys of health providers who advise women on the menopausal transition were carried out in Beirut, Lebanon (n = 100), Madrid, Spain

Is the age at menopause a cause of sexual dysfunction? A Brazilian population-based study.

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Lett, Caio; Valadares, Ana L R; Baccaro, Luiz F; Pedro, Adriana O; Filho, Jeffrey L; Lima, Marcelo; Costa-Paiva, Lucia

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between age at menopause and sexual dysfunction and the components of sexual function in postmenopausal women. In this cross-sectional population-based study, data of 540 women aged 45 to 60 years regarding the age they were when they achieved menopause and its association with sexual dysfunction (evaluated using the Short Personal Experiences Questionnaire) were obtained through interviews. We assessed the data for associations between age at menopause and sexual dysfunction and demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics. Age at menopause was not associated with sexual dysfunction. Arousal (dysfunction) was the only component of sexual function that was associated with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause (P = 0.01). It was reported by 64.2% of women with POI (women 45 years, respectively (P = 0.04). In women with POI or early menopause, Poisson regression analysis showed that having a partner with sexual problems (prevalence ratio [PR] = 6.6; 95% CI: 3.3-13,2; P POI. The major factors affecting this association were having a partner with sexual problems, dyspareunia, and no satisfaction with the partner as a lover. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating partner problems and improving lubrication in these groups of women.

Differences in clinician understanding and management of early menopause after breast cancer.

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Sayakhot, P; Teede, H J; Gibson-Helm, M; Vincent, A

2013-08-01

Investigation of clinicians' understanding of early menopause diagnosis/management in women with breast cancer. A cross-sectional study of 176 randomly recruited Australian clinicians (35 gynecologists, 35 endocrinologists, 36 oncologists, 35 breast surgeons and 35 general practitioners (GPs)) involved in the care of women with breast cancer. This questionnaire study utilized an index case to assess understanding of early menopause diagnosis and management. Analysis involved descriptive statistics, χ² tests and Student's t-test. Significant differences between clinician groups regarding diagnostic criteria for early menopause were observed; gynecologists, endocrinologists and GPs selected amenorrhea > 12 months, whereas oncologists and breast surgeons selected elevated serum follicle stimulating hormone level (p breast surgeons (57%), gynecologists (54%) and endocrinologists (49%) compared to oncologists (28%) or GPs (9%) (p = 0.0001). Exercise (63%) and nutrition (66%) were selected by most gynecologists for treatment of hot flushes, whereas endocrinologists (91%), oncologists (94%), breast surgeons (69%) and GPs (63%) prescribed venlafaxine. Hormone therapy was mainly prescribed by breast surgeons (43%) compared to other groups (p = 0.001). Most clinicians reported that the main problem with menopausal therapies was failure to resolve hot flushes. Exercise, lifestyle and stress management were recommended by all clinician groups for treatment of anxiety/depression. This exploratory study demonstrated a lack of consensus between clinician groups in their investigation, diagnosis and management of early menopause in women with breast cancer, with implications for both diagnosis and treatment.

Vegans report less bothersome vasomotor and physical menopausal symptoms than omnivores.

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Beezhold, Bonnie; Radnitz, Cynthia; McGrath, Robert E; Feldman, Arielle

2018-06-01

Lifestyle modifications that may reduce menopausal symptoms have generated much interest. The vegetarian diet has been associated with a lower risk of chronic disease as well as a more healthy hormonal milieu. Our objective in this cross-sectional study was to survey peri- and postmenopausal women to investigate menopausal symptoms and dietary pattern. Survey distribution in 2015-2016 was aimed at female vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores between the ages of 45 and 80 years, who were active on senior and vegetarian social networking websites and at vegan restaurants and events. We investigated vasomotor and physical symptoms as measured by the Menopause-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) and dietary pattern classified by animal protein intakes reported in response to food frequency questions. Out of 754 participants who completed the survey, 604 reported they were perimenopausal (n = 121) or postmenopausal (n = 483), of whom 539 also completed the food frequency questions. We compared vasomotor and physical symptoms in omnivores (n = 304, consumed meat and/or poultry at least monthly) and vegans (n = 125, abstained from all animal proteins) using general linear models; covariates included age, exercise, hormone replacement therapy, presence of reproductive organs, and age at menopause. Among perimenopausal women, vegans reported less bothersome vasomotor (p < 0.01) and physical symptoms (p < 0.01) than omnivores. For both symptom types, more vegetables and less flesh food were associated with less bothersome symptoms (p values < 0.05). Eating a plant-based diet may be helpful for women in menopausal transition who prefer a natural means to manage their symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary medicine and its implications for endocrinological issues (e.g. menopause).

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Kirchengast, Sylvia; Rühli, Frank

2013-06-01

Evolutionary medicine, which was formalized in the early 1990s, investigates evolutionary causes of recent human disease, disorders and malfunctions but also the influence of changing living conditions and modernization on health and disease. Evolutionary medicine can also provide insights into endocrinological disorders and in particular in the process of female reproductive senescence. Female reproductive senescence, i.e. menopausal transition is physiologically caused by the decline of estrogen secretion, which is associated with various somatic and psychic discomforts making this stage of life extremely uncomfortable. From the viewpoint of evolutionary medicine, these menopausal symptoms are the result from the sudden decrease of very high lifetime estrogen levels to zero during postmenopause, a situation which is quite new in our evolution and history. While women in recent developed countries experience menarche early, menopause late, few pregnancies, short periods of lactation and consequently low life time estrogen levels. The opposite is true of women living in traditional societies, whose living conditions may be interpreted as a mirror of the situation in our history. From this viewpoint we can conclude that menopausal symptoms may are the result of a mismatch between female reproductive physiology and recent living conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of the menopause in the sexual standard: opinion of women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosália Teixeira de Araújo

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In this study we objectify: to inquire the physiological modifications of the menopause that influence the sexual standard of the woman; to know if the frequency of the sexual activity changed the menopause after and to investigate the factors aggravations or extenuating circumstances in the sexual life during this phase. One is about a study of quanti-qualitative nature, had as scene the Center of Health Almerinda Lomanto, having as informing 16 women. The data had been collected using the form. The data had been submitted to the Technique of Analysis of Content of Bardin, of where categories and subcategorias had emerged: Changes observed in the sexual relationship after the menopause (Reduction of the libido, Incompreensão of the friend, did not have alteration, positive Change; Reasons that had favored the changes (physiological Alterations in the sexual act, menorragia Chronic headache nauseas fogacho/, Lack or psychological reduction of the pleasure, Alterations. We conclude that during the climatério and after the menopause, can occur physiological modifications that influence the standard of the sexual act, fits professional we while of health, to search to promote attitudes and behaviors that aim at the disruption of myths and taboos and the promotion of the sexual health.

Prevalence of menopausal symptoms in Asian midlife women: a systematic review.

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Islam, M Rakibul; Gartoulla, P; Bell, R J; Fradkin, P; Davis, S R

2015-04-01

To systematically review published articles for the prevalence of menopausal symptoms in Asian women. A comprehensive and systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Google scholar in June 2013 to retrieve all English-language studies that included information on the prevalence of menopausal symptoms in women living in Asian countries. Risk of bias of included studies was assessed using a risk-of-bias tool explicitly designed for the systematic review of prevalence studies. Twenty-three independent studies met our inclusion criteria. Physical symptoms were the most prevalent symptoms compared to psychological, vasomotor and sexual symptoms. There was a wide variation in the prevalence of all symptoms across the menopausal stages due to the differences in modes of recruitment, study design, sampling procedures, the time frame over which symptoms were assessed and use of different diagnostic or screening tools. A high level of bias was observed for both external and internal validity for most studies. Although there is a wide variation in the reported prevalence of menopausal symptoms, physical symptoms predominate, followed by psychological symptoms, vasomotor symptoms and sexual symptoms. Further studies of representative samples are necessary to understand whether the variations in prevalence reporting are a function of methodological issues or due to ethnic, cultural or other socioeconomic differences.

Estrogen and progestogen use in postmenopausal women: July 2008 position statement of The North American Menopause Society

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Objective To update for both clinicians and the lay public the evidence-based position statement published by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in March 2007 regarding its recommendations for menopausal hormone therapy (HT) for postmenopausal women, with consideration for the therapeutic benefit-risk ratio at various times through menopause and beyond. Design An Advisory Panel of clinicians and researchers expert in the field of women’s health was enlisted to review the March 2007 NAMS position statement, evaluate new evidence through an evidence-based analysis, and reach consensus on recommendations. The Panel’s recommendations were reviewed and approved by the NAMS Board of Trustees as an official NAMS position statement. The document was provided to other interested organizations to seek their endorsement. Results Current evidence supports a consensus regarding the role of HT in postmenopausal women, when potential therapeutic benefits and risks around the time of menopause are considered. This paper lists all these areas along with explanatory comments. Conclusions that vary from the 2007 position statement are highlighted. Addenda include a discussion of risk concepts, a new component not included in the 2007 paper, and a recommended list of areas for future HT research. A suggested reading list of key references is also provided. Conclusions Recent data support the initiation of HT around the time of menopause to treat menopause-related symptoms; to treat or reduce the risk of certain disorders, such as osteoporosis or fractures in select postmenopausal women; or both. The benefit-risk ratio for menopausal HT is favorable close to menopause but decreases with aging and with time since menopause in previously untreated women. PMID:18580541

The Internet and the menopause consultation: menopause management in the third millennium.

Science.gov (United States)

Cumming, Grant P; Currie, Heather

2005-09-01

The Internet was born in 1969; it was originally developed so that computers could share information on research and development in the scientific and military fields. The original Internet consisted of four university computers networked in the United States. Email became available two years later. The infant Internet initially required complex computing knowledge to be used. However, this was all to change with the development of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s, which made the Internet much more widely accessible. The Internet has since grown at a phenomenal rate and has evolved into a global communications tool. It is by nature anarchic, in that it is an unrestricted broadcast medium. Although this lack of censorship is a strength, it is also a weakness. The quality of information available on the Web is variable and discernment is required. With the growth of e-health, medicine and its allied specialties are faced with the challenges of providing their services in a novel way while maintaining the first principle of medicine, primum non nocere (first, do no harm). This provision of e-health care is in its infancy and this review explores issues arising from the use of the Internet as a medium for organizing menopausal health care in the third millennium.

Factors associated with poor sleep during menopause: results from the Midlife Women's Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Rebecca L; Flaws, Jodi A; Mahoney, Megan M

2018-05-01

Poor sleep is one of the most common problems reported during menopause, and is known to vary throughout the menopause transition. The objective of this study was to describe the dynamics of poor sleep among participants of the Midlife Women's Health Study and to identify risk factors associated with poor sleep during the menopausal transition. Annual responses to surveys that included questions about the frequency of sleep disturbances and insomnia were analyzed to determine the likelihood of persistent poor sleep throughout the menopausal transition and the correlation of responses to the different sleep-related questions, including frequency of restless sleep during the first year of the study. Responses to questions about a large number of potential risk factors were used to identify risk factors for poor sleep. Poor sleep in premenopause was not predictive of poor sleep in perimenopause, and poor sleep in perimenopause was not predictive of poor sleep in postmenopause. Frequencies of each of the measures of poor sleep were highly correlated. For all sleep outcomes, high frequency of depression was related to a high frequency of poor sleep. Vasomotor symptoms were also significantly related with a higher frequency of all poor sleep outcomes. A history of smoking was also associated with higher frequencies of insomnia and sleep disturbances. The risk factors identified for poor sleep, depression and vasomotor symptoms, were consistently associated with poor sleep throughout the menopausal transition. The likelihood of these risk factors changed from premenopause, through perimenopause, and into postmenopause, however, which could explain changes in sleep difficulties across the menopausal transition. Treatment of these risk factors should be considered when addressing sleep difficulties in menopausal women. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Risk for First-Episode Major Depression During the Menopause Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Epperson, C Neill; Sammel, Mary D; Bale, Tracy L; Kim, Deborah R; Conlin, Sarah; Scalice, Stephanie; Freeman, Katharine; Freeman, Ellen W