Menopause is a well-known biological change in a woman’s body that is associated with advanced age. It should not be considered merely an aging phenomenon; it silently affects various aspects of a woman’s life, such as physical and emotional changes, and more importantly, her psychosocial behavior. Women undergoing menopause often feel insecure due to the physical changes they experience in their bodies and a sense of lost attractiveness. Many women avoid talking about the major changes their bodies experience during this period, considering it a social stigma. This also happens because the average age of menopause is 51 years, when a woman is still in her mid-age and busy with loads of personal and professional work. Notably, on average, a woman spends nearly 40 percent of her lifespan being postmenopausal.
Menopause represents a transition from the reproductive phase to the non-reproductive phase of a woman’s life and thus involves a major shift in the biochemistry of her body. Intriguingly, the odyssey of hormones, which played their normal roles just a few years back, is now going away from the scene. The decreased levels of oestrogen, progesterone, AMH, and many others are causing symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, urogenital changes, insomnia, racing heart, and mood swings. While some symptoms might look usual, when considered on a daily basis, they are truly bothersome.
For many women, navigating through menopause is quite tough. Still, most of the woman avoid talking about their symptoms, considering it as a natural process or just because of a feeling of being ashamed. Many women don’t even discuss such symptoms with their spouses too. This is not an appropriate approach, and the barriers at the patient, health care provider, and the society levels should be removed. Major physical symptoms like urinary incontinence and dyspareunia are never discussed by peri-menopausal and menopausal women due to social stigma. But it is important to talk about the symptoms and manage them appropriately to avoid future incidences of higher post-menopausal lifestyle-related disorders, such as the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, diabetes, and a decline in cognitive abilities. The menopausal phase of a woman is important for seeking preventive health care and pursuing individualized health care management strategies.
Don’t you think menopause needs to be discussed more often and that the feeling of being inferior or ashamed should go away? Please share your thoughts!
MBH/PS