Menopause ⋆ Meno Martha International Menopause Directory

“Menopause is your final menstrual period.
If you haven’t had a period for 12 months,
you’ve reached menopause”.¹

Umbrella
What may the Menopause Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

Change of Life
Early Menopause
Going Through the Menopause
Induced Menopause
Menopausal/Menopause Transition
Menopause
Natural Menopause
Perimenopause
Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause
Postmenopause
Premature Menopause
Second Half of Your Life
Surgical Menopause
The Change
The Change of Life
The Time of Life
The Menopause Years
The Menopause-Related Years
The Three Stages of Menopause
Turning St Catherine’s Corner

Definition

What is menopause?

DotS the definition of menopause may vary. In Menopause: How Menopause Occurs the World Health Organization’s definition is:

“Natural menopause is deemed to have occurred after 12 consecutive months without menstruation for which there is no other obvious physiological or pathological cause and in the absence of clinical intervention”.²

On page four in Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Definitions – Menopause the definition used by the International Menopause Society is:

“Menopause – the last day of a woman’s last period ever”.³

In Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What Is Menopause? the North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) definition is:

“Menopause is a normal, natural event—defined as the final menstrual period and usually confirmed when a woman has missed her periods for 12 consecutive months (in the absence of other obvious causes)”.⁴

In What Is Menopause? Key Points the Australasian Menopause Society’s (AMS) definition is:

“The term “menopause” refers to the final menstrual period”.⁵

In What Is Menopause? The Menopause Transition: Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:

“Menopause is your final menstrual period. If you haven’t had a period for 12 months, you’ve reached menopause”.⁶

Menopause Age

What is the average age of menopause?

On page three in Menopause, Wellbeing and Health: A Care Pathway From the European Menopause and Andropause Society: 2. Diagnosing Reproductive Status, published 12 May 2022, the authors note:

“Spontaneous menopause is usually defined retrospectively, after 12 months of amenorrhoea, typically at 50–51 years. The age of spontaneous menopause varies between ethnic groups. According to data retrieved from 21 studies and 10 countries, the youngest age at menopause has been described as 48 years for women living in South Asia, the oldest as 52 years in Japanese women, and an intermediate age of 50 years for Caucasian women”.⁷

Same Menopause or Not

Do all women experience the same menopause?

No. Menopause is not one-size-fits-all. Although all women have a FMP, different women experience different symptoms, at different times, in different ways, for different lengths of time, before and after their FMP.

In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Menopause – Symptoms the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, the NICE elaborate on:

“Menopause affects every woman differently. You may have no symptoms at all, or they might be brief and short lived. For some women they are severe and distressing.

You can still get menopause symptoms if you have had a hysterectomy (an operation to remove your womb).

Other natural changes as you age can be intensified by menopause. For example, you may lose some muscle strength and have a higher risk of conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease”.⁸

Healthy Lifestyle

Can a health lifestyle improve menopause symptoms?

In the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

“Women should be advised that implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve menopause symptoms. A healthy diet (one low in saturated fat and salt and rich in calcium and vitamin D), stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake and including regular exercise can be beneficial. Reducing caffeine intake may also improve symptoms”.⁹

Hormone Therapy

How effective is hormone therapy (HT) for the treatment of menopause symptoms?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published July 2022, the NAMS explain:

“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. If hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your daily activities and sleep, HT may improve sleep and fatigue, mood, ability to concentrate, and overall quality of life. Treatment of bothersome hot flashes and night sweats is the principal reason women use HT. Hormone therapy also treats vaginal dryness and painful sex associated with menopause. Hormone therapy keeps your bones strong by preserving bone density and decreasing your risk of osteoporosis and fractures. If preserving bone density is your only concern, and you do not have bothersome hot flashes, other treatments may be recommended instead of HT”.¹⁰

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with my menopause?

If you would like help with your menopause, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor the JH explain:

“Talk to your doctor if you are worried about:

Irregular periods
Heavy bleeding
Bleeding after menopause
Increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms
Menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, that interfere with your daily life”.¹¹

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the (United States) Mayo Clinic encourage us to seek help:

“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your doctor about your options and the risks and benefits involved with each. Review your options yearly, as your needs and treatment options may change”.¹²

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Menopause?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

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Links

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Sources

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