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

What is the definition of postmenopause?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. Postmenopause35 Ways To Stay Bone Strong
  2. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 4. Misunderstanding – MHT Increases the Risk of Heart Disease
  3. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 6. Myth – Complementary Medicines and Therapies Are As Effective As MHT and Safer
  4. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 7. Myth – Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Is Safer Than Conventional MHT
  5. BMS TV: The Menopause Explained – Series 1
  6. BMS TV: The Menopause Explained – Series 2
  7. Being Positive About Sexual Wellbeing After Menopause
  8. Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy
  9. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
  10. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  11. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  12. ClinicalTrials.gov: Postmenopause
  13. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  14. Complementary Medicine Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  15. Complementary and Alternative Therapies Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  16. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  17. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  18. Decidir Sobre La Hormonoterapia
  19. Does Osteoporosis Run In Your Family?
  20. Everything You Wanted To Know About Painful Sex… But Were Too Embarrassed To Ask
  21. Goredforwomen.org [Go Red for Women, United States]
  22. HRT
  23. HRT and Breast Cancer: Overall Risks and Benefits Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  24. HRT and the Risk of Breast Cancer Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  25. Practical Prescribing Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  26. HRT and Alternatives
  27. Health After Menopause
  28. Healthy Aging: Keeping Mentally Well In Our Older Years
  29. Healthy Living By Age: Healthy Living In Your 50s
  30. Healthy Living By Age: Healthy Living In Your 60s
  31. Healthy Living By Age: Healthy Living In Your 70s
  32. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  33. Hormone Therapy In Postmenopausal Women: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions
  34. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  35. Hot Flashes: Manage Without Medication?
  36. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do?
  37. Hot Stuff: What’s New About Hot Flashes?
  38. Infographic: Treat Your Heart As A House
  39. Information About Menopause [Multiply Languages] [Videos]
  40. Is It Too Late To Start HRT At 60? | Ask Dr Jean
  41. Lifestyle and Behaviour Changes for Menopausal Symptoms
  42. Lifestyle and Behavioural Modifications for Menopausal Symptoms
  43. Maintaining Your Weight and Health During and After Menopause
  44. Making Sense of Menopausal Hormone Therapy Means Understanding the Benefits As Well As the Risks
  45. Making the Invisible Visible
  46. Managing Menopausal Symptoms After Breast Cancer – A Guide for Women [Booklet]
  47. Managing Menopause: Don’t Let Symptoms of Menopause Reduce Your Quality of Life
  48. Mayo Clinic Q and A: New Shingles Vaccine Recommended for Most Adults Over Age 50
  49. Mayo Mindfulness: Self-Awareness, Mindfulness and Self-Management Can Impact Chronic Diseases
  50. Menopause
  51. Menopause
  52. Menopause & Herbs
  53. Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What is postmenopause?
  54. Menopause FAQs: Your Health After Menopause
  55. Menopause Hormone Therapy: Who Shouldn’t Take It?
  56. Menopause Map: Postmenopause [+ En Español]
  57. Menopause Matters: So is MHT safe? and should women stop MHT because of a paper published in the Lancet in recent weeks?
  58. Menopause and Heart Disease
  59. Menopause and Women’s Health In Later Life
  60. Menopause – How will it Affect My Health? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  61. Menopause – Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT) Safe? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  62. Menopause – Will It Affect My Sex Life? [Multiply Languages] [Video]
  63. Menopause, Perimenopause, and Postmenopause: Can I Get Pregnant If I Am Postmenopausal?
  64. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  65. Menopause: Getting Older [Video Interview Stories]
  66. Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
  67. Menopause: Overview [Video Interview Stories]
  68. Menopause: Profiles – Postmenopausal [Video Interview Stories]
  69. Menopause: Questions for the Doctor
  70. My Life Check | Life’s Simple 7
  71. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
  72. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopause
  73. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Understanding Drug-Supplement Interactions
  74. Natural Therapies & SupplementsPostmenopause
  75. Non-Hormonal Treatment Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  76. NonHormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  77. Osteoporosis Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  78. Risks and Benefits of MHT/HRT
  79. Severe Postmenopausal Symptoms Decrease Quality of Life, But Can Be Treated
  80. Sex & Relationships: 5 Things To Know About Sex In Later Life [Video]
  81. Sex and Menopause: Treatment for Symptoms
  82. Sexual Difficulties In the Menopause
  83. Urogenital Problems
  84. Vaginal Dryness
  85. Vaginal Dryness
  86. Vaginal Dryness Alternative Treatments
  87. Video Series-2019 – Cardiovascular Update: What Women Need To Know
  88. Video Series-2019 – What Is New In Hormone Therapy?
  89. Video Series-2020 – Bone Health What You Need To Know
  90. Vulvovaginal Symptoms After Menopause
  91. Wear Red Today: National Wear Red Day Is Friday, February 7, 2020 [United States] National Wear Red Day
  92. What Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) and Is It Safe?
  93. What It Means To Go Red for Women [+ Video]
  94. Women’s Wellness: Bladder Control Problems
  95. Women’s Wellness: Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Happen After Menopause
  96. Women’s Wellness: Treating Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Without Hormones [+ Video]
  97. Women’s Wellness: Mindfulness May Ease Menopausal Symptoms
  98. Women’s Wellness: Painful Sex After Menopause
  99. World Menopause Day: World Menopause Day 2018 – Patient Information Leaflet: Sexual Wellbeing After Menopause
  100. World Menopause Day: World Menopause Day 2019 – Patient Information Leaflet: Testosterone for Women At Midlife [Multiply Languages]

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted above?

You may find the Sources at:

Sources

  1. About Menopause: The Stages of Menopause – Postmenopause. Last Updated 13 December 2019 — Last Reviewed 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause/ Accessed: 31 January 2020
  2. Menopause Terminology: Definitions. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/menopause_terminology.php Accessed: 31 January 2020
  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: 31 January 2020
  4. What Is Menopause? Content Updated February 2016. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/185-what-is-menopause Accessed: 31 January 2020
  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/downloads/world_menopause_day_2014/white_paper/wmd_white_paper_english.pdf Accessed: 31 January 2020
  6. About Menopause: The Stages of Menopause – Postmenopause. Last Updated 13 December 2019 — Last Reviewed 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause/ Accessed: 31 January 2020
  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/downloads/world_menopause_day_2014/white_paper/wmd_white_paper_english.pdf Accessed: 31 January 2020
  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/downloads/world_menopause_day_2014/white_paper/wmd_white_paper_english.pdf Accessed: 31 January 2020
  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/downloads/world_menopause_day_2014/white_paper/wmd_white_paper_english.pdf Accessed: 31 January 2020
  10. Maintaining Health and Preventing Disease After the Menopause. 2014:2. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/downloads/world_menopause_day_2014/booklets/ims_wmd_booklet_2014_english.pdf Accessed: 31 January 2020
Topic Last Updated: 31 January 2020 – Topic Last Reviewed: 31 January 2020
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