Postmenopause

“Postmenopause is the time after menopause. As your body adjusts to lower hormone levels, you may have less menopausal symptoms – or they may even disappear… ”.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

Definition

PostmenopauseWhat is the definition of postmenopause?

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

“Postmenopause – the stage after the final menstrual period”.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. 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.

As your body adjusts to lower hormone levels, you may have less menopausal symptoms – or they may even disappear – but some women still experience menopausal symptoms for years after their final period”.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”.7

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”.8

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.

Postmenopausal Vaginal Bleeding

What if I have postmenopausal vaginal bleeding?

In Postmenopausal Bleeding: What Causes Postmenopausal Bleeding? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic note:

“Vaginal bleeding during postmenopause isn’t a normal side effect of decreasing hormone levels. In some cases, the dryness in your vagina could cause some light bleeding or spotting after sex. In other cases, it could indicate a condition like endometrial hyperplasia or uterine fibroids, infections like endometritis, or cancer. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any vaginal bleeding so you can be evaluated”.9

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. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  2. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  3. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  4. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  5. Calcium and Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
  6. Causes of Low Libido In Postmenopausal Women [Video]
  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. Consumer Health: Women’s Health and Living A Longer, Healthier Life
  11. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  12. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  13. EMAS Menopause Essentials
  14. EMAS Replay [Webinars: Multiply Languages]
  15. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  16. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  17. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  18. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
  19. HRT and Alternatives
  20. HRT: Types, Doses and Regimens
  21. Health After Menopause
  22. Healthy Living By Age: Healthy Living In Your 50s
  23. Heart Disease and Stroke In Women
  24. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  25. Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Persons: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
  26. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  27. Hot Flashes
  28. Hot Flashes
  29. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  30. How Can I Reduce Lasting Menopausal Symptoms?
  31. How Menopause Impacts Your Health
  32. How Much Postmenopause Weight Gain Can Be Blamed on Weight-Promoting Medications?
  33. How To Prevent Osteoporosis After Menopause
  34. Incontinence – Lifting the Lid on Leakage
  35. 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
  36. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause
  37. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Sexual Wellbeing and Intimacy During and After Menopause [+ Video: Menopause Is the End of Your Sex Life]
  38. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Supporting Someone Through the Menopause [+ Video: Men Don’t Need To Know About Menopause]
  39. Lifestyle and Behavioural Modifications for Menopausal Symptoms
  40. Life’s Essential 8
  41. Live Long, Be Well: Science-Based Tips for Healthy Aging
  42. Maintaining A Healthy Diet and Weight
  43. Maintaining Your Weight and Health During and After Menopause
  44. Management of Urinary Incontinence In Postmenopausal Women: An EMAS Clinical Guide [European Menopause and Andropause Society]
  45. Managing Menopausal Symptoms—Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Not the Only Option!
  46. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
  47. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  48. Mayo Clinic Minute: What Is Heart Disease? [+ Video]
  49. Mayo Clinic Q and A: New Shingles Vaccine Recommended for Most Adults Over Age 50
  50. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  51. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
  52. Menopause
  53. Menopause
  54. Menopause & Herbs
  55. Menopause FAQs: Your Health After Menopause
  56. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
    Postmenopause
  57. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – Stages of Menopause: Postmenopause
    Postmenopause
  58. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated with Menopause and Midlife
  59. Menopause and Heart Disease
  60. Menopause and Long-Term Health In Vulnerable Populations
  61. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  62. Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
  63. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
  64. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Safe Use of Complementary Health Products and Practices
  65. Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  66. Non-Hormonal Treatment Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  67. NonHormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  68. Osteoporosis
  69. Postmenopausal Bleeding
  70. Postmenopause
  71. Postmenopause: Symptoms and Impact
  72. Questions To Ask Your GP About Menopause
  73. Screening for Osteoporosis
  74. Severe Postmenopausal Symptoms Decrease Quality of Life, But Can Be Treated
  75. Staying Well As You Age – Fact Sheets [Multiply Languages]
  76. Supporting A Loved One Through Menopause
  77. Testosterone and the Menopause
  78. Topical Estrogens and Non-Hormonal Preparations for Postmenopausal Vulvovaginal Atrophy: An EMAS Clinical Guide
  79. Urinary Incontinence
  80. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  81. Vaginal Dryness Alternative Treatments
  82. Video Series-2021: Female Urinary and Bladder Issues at Midlife
  83. Video Series-2021: Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
  84. Video Series-2021: What You Need To Know About the #1 Cause of Death In Women
  85. Video Series-2022: Discussing Sexual Health Concerns With Your Health Care Professional
  86. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  87. Videos and Podcasts: Interviews and Podcasts – Interviews: Is Testosterone the Answer To Low Libido?
  88. Videos and Podcasts: Interviews and Podcasts – Interviews: Prevention of Chronic Diseases In Women Where Does MHT Fit In?
  89. Videos and Podcasts: Multiply Languages – Interviews: Menopause – How Will It Affect My Health?
  90. Videos and Podcasts: World Menopause Day 2021 – Interviews: Bone Health What Why and How
  91. Videos and Podcasts: World Menopause Day 2022 – Interviews: How To Protect Your Brain Health At Menopause and Beyond
  92. Videos and Podcasts: World Menopause Day 2022 – Interviews: What Women Should Know About Menopause and Brain Fog
  93. Vulvovaginal Atrophy
  94. Want To Live Longer? Exercise Is Key, Study Confirms
  95. Webinars: Previous – Abnormal Uterine Bleeding In Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women
  96. Webinars: Previous – Dealing With A Big Issue: Weight Gain At Midlife
  97. Webinars: Previous – Osteoporosis for Midlife Women and Beyond
  98. What Can I Do To Help With Hot Flashes?
  99. What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
  100. World Heart Day 2022

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Is Menopause? The Menopause Transition – Postmenopause. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause#the-menopause-transition Accessed: 09 December 2022
  2. Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Terms. Page 4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/education/menopause-terminology/ Accessed: 09 December 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: 09 December 2022
  4. What Is Menopause? Content Created May 2022. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/185-what-is-menopause Accessed: 09 December 2022
  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: 09 December 2022
  6. What Is Menopause? The Menopause Transition – Postmenopause. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause#the-menopause-transition Accessed: 09 December 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: 09 December 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: Summary of Prevention Strategies. 2014:22 https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wmd-2014-white-pages-english.pdf Accessed: 09 December 2022
  9. Postmenopausal Bleeding: What Causes Postmenopausal Bleeding? Last Reviewed 05 October 2021. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21837-postmenopause Accessed: 09 December 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: 09 December 2022
Topic Last Updated: 09 December 2022 – Topic Last Reviewed: 09 December 2022

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