Postmenopause

“Postmenopause is the time after menopause. A woman can experience menopausal symptoms in postmenopause. How long this continues varies for each woman”.1

Umbrella
What may the Postmenopause Umbrella include?

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

  • After/Beyond Menopause
  • Postmenopausal
  • Post Menopause/Post-Menopause/Postmenopause

DefinitionPostmenopause

What is the definition of postmenopause?

DotS the definition of postmenopause may vary. The World Health Organization’s and the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) definition is:

“Postmenopause – the term postmenopause is defined as dating from the FMP, regardless of whether the menopause was induced or spontaneous”.2

The North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) definition is:

“Postmenopause includes all the years beyond menopause”.3

The Australasian Menopause Society’s definition is:

“When a woman has had no periods for 12 consecutive months she is considered to be “postmenopausal””.4

FMP

What is FMP?

FMP can be an abbreviation for Final Menstrual Period.

Duration

How long does postmenopause last?

Postmenopause – or after menopause – lasts for the rest of our life. This means we may be postmenopausal for 30 years – more or less – if we live from menopause at 50ish, until 80ish.

On page two in Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Introduction the authors elaborate on:

“As the world population increases, along with an increase in life expectancy, many millions of women will be spending a third or more of their lives after menopause”.5

Postmenopause Differences

Do all women experience the same postmenopause?

No. All women do not experience the same postmenopause. Just as different women have a different perimenopause, different women also have a different postmenopause.

Menopause Symptoms

Do menopause symptoms stop when postmenopause starts?

Not necessarily. The (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health explain:

Postmenopause
“Postmenopause is the time after menopause. A woman can experience menopausal symptoms in postmenopause. How long this continues varies for each woman”.6

Chronic Conditions

Is there an association between chronic conditions and postmenopause?

On page three in Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases After Menopause the authors note:

“After menopause, several chronic diseases may emerge, usually by the sixth decade, and these include obesity and metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and arthritis, dementia and cognitive decline, and cancer. An important opportunity exists at the onset of menopause to prevent or attenuate these chronic diseases which have an onset approximately 10 years later”.7

The same authors of Prevention of Diseases After Menopause also note:

“Some of these conditions (cardiovascular disease) accelerate in women after menopause, and others (cancer) increase as a function of age in both men and women”.8

Prevention

Postmenopause, how may chronic disease be prevented?

The authors of Prevention of Diseases After Menopause explain:

“The first 10 years after menopause are an important window for intervention.

For all women, lifestyle measures (diet and exercise), control of body weight, mentally stimulating activity and regular screening for cancer should be carried out. As part of this armamentarium, MHT should be considered, particularly in symptomatic women. Beyond this, the identification of specific risks (e.g. osteoporosis) may warrant more specific prevention therapy”.9

What is MHT?

PostmenopauseMHT can be an abbreviation for Menopausal Hormone Therapy or Hormone Therapy (HT).

On page four in Maintaining Health and Preventing Disease After the Menopause for World Menopause Day 2014, the International Menopause Society list their Top 10 Prevention Tips for Chronic Disease in Later Life.

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with my postmenopause?

If you would like help with your postmenopause, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The IMS remind us:

“The menopause transition should be used as an opportunity to visit your healthcare professional for a check-up, assess potential risks and proactively start to manage later life. Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, cognitive decline and dementia, depression, and cancer are the key diseases to address”.10

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Postmenopause?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Postmenopause?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

  1. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  2. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
  3. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  4. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  5. Causes of Low Libido In Postmenopausal Women [Video]
  6. ClinicalTrials.gov: Postmenopause
  7. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  8. Complementary Medicine Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  9. Complementary and Alternative Therapies Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  10. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  11. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  12. Does Osteoporosis Run In Your Family?
  13. Fast Facts: HRT and Breast Cancer Risk
  14. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  15. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  16. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  17. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
  18. Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month [September, United States]
  19. HRT and Alternatives
  20. HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  21. HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  22. HRT: Types, Doses and Regimens
  23. Health After Menopause
  24. Healthy Living By Age: Healthy Living In Your 50s
  25. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  26. Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Women: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
  27. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  28. Hot Flashes: Manage Without Medication?
  29. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do?
  30. How Much Postmenopause Weight Gain Can Be Blamed on Weight-Promoting Medications?
  31. Incontinence – Lifting the Lid on Leakage
  32. Is It Too Late To Start HRT At 60? – Ask Dr Jean
  33. Lifestyle and Behaviour Changes for Menopausal Symptoms
  34. Lifestyle and Behavioural Modifications for Menopausal Symptoms
  35. Maintaining Your Weight and Health During and After Menopause
  36. Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
  37. Management of Urinary Incontinence In Postmenopausal Women: An EMAS Clinical Guide [European Menopause and Andropause Society]
  38. Managing Menopausal Symptoms—Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Not the Only Option!
  39. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
  40. Mayo Clinic Minute: Lifestyle Changes To Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  41. Mayo Clinic Minute: What Is Heart Disease? [+ Video]
  42. Mayo Clinic Q and A: New Shingles Vaccine Recommended for Most Adults Over Age 50
  43. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Who Should Have A Bone Density Test?
  44. Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Don’t Miss A Beat With Preventive Heart Care [+ Video]
  45. Mayo Mindfulness: Self-Awareness, Mindfulness and Self-Management Can Impact Chronic Diseases
  46. Menopause
  47. Menopause
  48. Menopause & Herbs
  49. Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What Is Postmenopause?
  50. Menopause FAQs: Your Health After Menopause
  51. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Who Shouldn’t Take It?
  52. Menopause Matters
  53. Menopause and Heart Disease
  54. Menopause and Women’s Health In Later Life
  55. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  56. Menopause: How Will It Affect My Health? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  57. Menopause: Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT) Safe? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  58. Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
  59. ‘Menopause: The Change Is Here’ World Menopause Day 2021
  60. My Life Check | Life’s Simple 7
  61. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
  62. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Safe Use of Complementary Health Products and Practices
  63. Natural Therapies & Supplements
  64. News Flash About Hot Flashes: They Can Last Longer Than You Think [+ Video]
  65. Non-Hormonal Treatment Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  66. NonHormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  67. Postmenopausal Bleeding
  68. Postmenopause
  69. Postmenopause: Symptoms and Impact
  70. Risks and Benefits of MHT
  71. Severe Postmenopausal Symptoms Decrease Quality of Life, But Can Be Treated
  72. Sex & Relationships: Sex & Menopause [+ Video: 5 Things To Know About Sex In Later Life]
  73. Staying Well As You Age – Fact Sheets [Multiply Languages]
  74. The Menopause: After the Menopause
  75. The Menopause: Sexual Wellbeing and Intimacy During and After the Menopause [+ Video: Menopause Is the End of Your Sex Life]
  76. The Menopause: Supporting Someone Through the Menopause [+ Video: Men Don’t Need To Know About Menopause]
  77. The Menopause: Treating Menopause Symptoms [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
  78. Topical Estrogens and Non-Hormonal Preparations for Postmenopausal Vulvovaginal Atrophy: An EMAS Clinical Guide
  79. Urogenital Problems
  80. Vaginal Dryness
  81. Vaginal Dryness Alternative Treatments
  82. Video Series-2021: Female Urinary and Bladder Issues At Midlife
  83. Video Series-2021: How Menopause Symptoms Can Affect Your Quality of Life
  84. Video Series-2021: Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
  85. Video Series-2021: What Women Need to Know About Hormone Therapies
  86. Video Series-2021: What You Need to Know About the #1 Cause of Death in Women
  87. Video Series-2022
  88. Videos and Podcasts: Interviews and Podcasts – Interviews: Is Testosterone the Answer To Low Libido?
  89. Videos and Podcasts: World Menopause Day 2021 – Interviews: Bone Health
  90. Videos and Podcasts: World Menopause Day 2021 – Interviews: Bone Health What Why and How
  91. Webinars: Previous – Breast Cancer
  92. Webinars: Previous – Update on Bone Health
  93. What Can I Do To Help With Hot Flashes?
  94. What It Means To Go Red for Women [+ Video]
  95. Women’s Wellness: Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Happen After Menopause [+ Video]
  96. Women’s Wellness: Mindfulness May Ease Menopausal Symptoms
  97. Women’s Wellness: Painful Sex After Menopause
  98. Women’s Wellness: Treating Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Without Hormones [+ Video]
  99. World Menopause Day: Patient Information Leaflet: Update on Bone Health [Multiply Languages] Postmenopause
  100. World Osteoporosis Day October 20

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. About Menopause: The Stages of Menopause – Postmenopause. Last Updated: 23 March 2021 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause/ Accessed: 10 January 2022
  2. Menopause Terminology: Definitions. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/menopause_terminology.php Accessed: 10 January 2022
  3. Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What is postmenopause? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-an-introduction-to-menopause Accessed: 10 January 2022
  4. What Is Menopause? Content Updated February 2016. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/185-what-is-menopause Accessed: 08 December 2021
  5. Lobo, R. A., Davis, S. R., De Villiers, T. J., Gompel, A., Henderson, V. W., Hodis, H. N., Lumsden, M. A., Mack, W. J., Shapiro, S. and Baber, R. J. Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Introduction. 2014:2 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-white-pages-english.pdf Accessed: 10 January 2022
  6. About Menopause: The Stages of Menopause – Postmenopause. Last Updated: 23 March 2021 | Last Reviewed: 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause/ Accessed: 10 January 2022
  7. Lobo, R. A., Davis, S. R., De Villiers, T. J., Gompel, A., Henderson, V. W., Hodis, H. N., Lumsden, M. A., Mack, W. J., Shapiro, S. and Baber, R. J. Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases After Menopause. 2014:3 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-white-pages-english.pdf Accessed: 10 January 2022
  8. Lobo, R. A., Davis, S. R., De Villiers, T. J., Gompel, A., Henderson, V. W., Hodis, H. N., Lumsden, M. A., Mack, W. J., Shapiro, S. and Baber, R. J. Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Introduction. 2014:2 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-white-pages-english.pdf Accessed: 10 January 2022
  9. Lobo, R. A., Davis, S. R., De Villiers, T. J., Gompel, A., Henderson, V. W., Hodis, H. N., Lumsden, M. A., Mack, W. J., Shapiro, S. and Baber, R. J. Prevention of Diseases After Menopause: Summary of Prevention Strategies. 2014:22 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-white-pages-english.pdf Accessed: 10 January 2022
  10. Maintaining Health and Preventing Disease After the Menopause. 2014:2. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-leaflet-english.pdf Accessed: 10 January 2022

Topic Last Updated: 10 January 2022 – Topic Last Reviewed: 10 January 2022
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