- ATHENS OFFICE MED4WOMAN ATHENS
- VOLOS OFFICE MED4WOMAN VOLOS
Obstetrician-Gynecologist
PhD, University of Athens Medical School
Obstetrician-gynecologist Panagiotis Polyzos practices at the Institute of Life, the IVF Unit of IASO Maternity Hospital.
Menopause is the point in time when a woman's menstrual periods stop. Menopause happens because the ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
During the transition to menopause (perimenopause), your periods may stop for a while and then start again. Therefore, the only way to know whether you have reached menopause is if you have not had a period for one year. (It is not menopause if your period stops for some other reason, such as being ill.) The average age of menopause is 51, but for some women it happens as early as 40 or after 55.
Some women worry about menopause because it may cause unpleasant symptoms. However, there are many ways to treat these symptoms so you can remain active and strong.
Usually, menopause is a natural process. This means it will happen on its own and does not require medical treatment, unless your symptoms bother you. Sometimes, however, menopause is medically induced, which means it is caused by surgery or medication. If so, you should work closely with your doctor so that you feel comfortable and your health is looked after.
If you are still having periods, even if they are irregular, you can still become pregnant. Talk with your doctor about birth control. Keep in mind that most methods of birth control will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, is the time leading up to a woman’s final menstrual period. Periods may stop and then start again, so you are considered to be in perimenopause until one full year has passed since your last period. During perimenopause, a woman will experience changes in her estrogen and progesterone levels. These changes may lead to symptoms such as hot flashes. Some symptoms may last for months or even years after periods stop. There is no way to know in advance how long this transition will take. It could take anywhere from two to eight years.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell if you are in the menopausal transition. Symptoms, a physical exam, and your medical history can provide clues to your doctor. Your doctor may also check the levels of hormones in your blood. But because hormones change throughout your menstrual cycle, these tests alone cannot say for sure that you have reached menopause or that you are close to it. If there is no medical reason for the testing, doctors usually do not recommend it.
When menopause occurs before the age of 40, it is considered premature. Premature menopause may be caused by certain medical treatments, or it may simply happen on its own.
Medical treatments that can cause premature menopause include:
Sometimes menopause happens early on its own. Some possible causes include:
Many women today go through menopause, seeing it as an opportunity to gain maturity and freedom.
The cause of menopause is the permanent cessation of ovarian function. The reduction of ovarian follicles results in decreased production of hormones.
The hormones (estrogen and progesterone) produced by the ovaries help regulate the function of the uterus, vagina, and breasts, and they also affect the function of other organs as well as a woman’s psychological state.
Menopause affects each woman differently. Some women have no symptoms, while others experience changes in various aspects of their lives. It is not always possible to determine whether these changes are related to aging, menopause, or both.
Some changes that may begin in the years surrounding menopause include:
Estrogen deficiency can lead to osteoporosis and heart disease in a woman. The main treatment for severe symptoms is hormone replacement therapy, when there is no contraindication. It is given as oral tablets, transdermal patches or vaginal creams.
Changes in your body in the years around menopause increase your chances of developing certain health problems. Low estrogen levels and age-related changes increase a woman’s risk for heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.
There are several important steps you can take to protect your health in the years around menopause:
Hormone therapy is not the only option. For women who cannot or do not want to take hormones, for example after breast cancer or a blood clot, there are evidence-based alternatives:
Excess weight, alcohol, caffeine, warm rooms and smoking often trigger hot flashes. Cutting back on them helps, whatever treatment you choose.
If the transition is still in progress, with irregular cycles and first hot flashes, see the guide on perimenopause and its symptoms.
On average around 51. It is considered normal from 45 to 55.
On average seven years, with big differences from woman to woman.
For most healthy women under 60, or within the first ten years after menopause, the benefits outweigh the risks. The decision is individualized.
Yes, as long as you still have periods, even infrequent ones. Contraception continues until one year after your last period.
Any vaginal bleeding after menopause needs a prompt gynecological examination.
Usually not after 45. The diagnosis is based on not having had a period for 12 months and on your symptoms. Hormone tests, such as FSH, are needed mainly in women under 45 with suspected early menopause, or when periods cannot be assessed, for example after a hysterectomy.
The data on soy, red clover and black cohosh are conflicting, and the benefit, when there is one, is small. Herbal products are not regulated like medicines, and some interact with other treatments. Tell your doctor before starting them.
The drop in estrogen mainly changes how fat is distributed, with more of it collecting around the belly. Weight gain is largely due to age and loss of muscle mass. Strength training and adjusting your calories help more than any “menopause diet.”
