There’s a lot of talk now about the Menopause, even men are using the M word, but do we really understand what the Menopause is?
When I say or hear the word menopause, I automatically think that the name menopause, was coined by a man and sure enough a French physician first came up with the word ‘menopause’ in 1821.
An awareness of the menopause can be traced all the way back to the ancient Greeks. In fact, the roots of the word are found in the Greek language -” men,” meaning month, which is related to the word moon, and “pauein” meaning to cease or stop.
Thank goodness the menopause is now being recognised as a natural part of a woman’s lifestyle. In many parts of the world the menopause is still viewed negatively, rather than it being seen as a positive journey in a woman’s life.
So what is the true meaning of the menopause?
It is quite simply when a woman or anyone with ovaries has not had a period for 12 months in a row, this is said to be menopause stage and the person is said to be menopausal.
The menopause is not an overnight experience, it is a long journey and can last up to 15 years and even longer.
We are unique beings, and every woman’s menopause journey is unique, with women having different experiences as they travel along their menopause journey.
This journey starts from the first menstrual period, through the childbearing years, during our life-time, a woman’s hormones are constantly shifting throughout her life span, with this comes difference, emotional, physical, and mental experiences, which are different for every woman.
The cycle of women’s health can be broken down into four main stages.
Stage 1 - Pre-Menopause Stage
During the pre-menopause stage, most women are having regular periods, are in their childbearing years, and have no noticeable symptoms of the menopause. Perimenopause is the transitional time around the menopause. It normally starts when a woman is in her 40’s, but can be earlier in some women, who go through the menopause in their 30’s (this is the onset of the ‘early ‘menopause which is a topic we will cover in a future posts).
Perimenopause is marked by changes in the menstrual cycle, along with other physical and emotional symptoms. The perimenopause phase can last between 2 and up to 10 years.
Stage 2 - Perimenopause Stage
During the perimenopause stage, the body releases eggs less regularly, produces less estrogen (the female hormone), and fertility hormones, women become less fertile, and have irregular, shorter and heavier periods, even though they may have menopausal symptoms, they can still get pregnant during the perimenopause stage of their life.
Stage 3 Menopause Stage
A woman is in the ‘true’ menopause phase when she has not had a period for 12 consecutive months. The menopause can start in women ranging from their 30s to their 60s. However, the average age for the onset of the menopause, is the early to mid-50’s. At this stage, the ovaries have stopped working entirely and are no longer releasing eggs.
For many menopausal women, hot flushes and night sweats are the most common symptom. In addition, hot flushes may be accompanied by heart palpitations. Women may also notice decreased breast fullness, thinning hair, increased growth of facial hair, or urinary incontinence as the pelvic floor becomes more relaxed.
Post-Menopause Stage
Once a woman has surpassed a full year without a period, she is postmenopausal, and this stage will last for the rest of her life. Fortunately, during this time the symptoms that marked the perimenopause and menopause years begin to subside, leaving most women more physically comfortable.
However, due to decreased estrogen (the female hormone), the risk for health conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease increases during this time. For women who have reached the postmenopausal stage of life, a healthy lifestyle, with or without some kind of hormone replacement therapy, can be key to keeping hormone-related menopause symptoms at bay.
At a time when a woman can feel the unsettling effects of changing hormones, it is sad to think that menopausal women were believed to be ill, insane and some were even put in mental institutions. Fortunately, we have made immense progress in our awareness and attitudes towards the menopause, its symptoms and treatment. We still have a long way to go, but it’s good to know that the menopause is no longer something to fear.
It happens at a time when a woman can move forward with her life with a sense of new-found freedom from menstruation, cramps, not having to worry about unplanned pregnancies, so that women can look forward to an enjoyable healthy retirement.
It is a wonderful time for women who have contributed so much to our society, to embrace their change.
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