What is menopause and at what age will I attain it?

Menopause is defined as permanent cessation of menstruation due to loss of ovarian follicular function and hence lack of ovarian hormones. Menopause that occurs due to surgical removal of uterus and ovaries is called surgical menopause. Menopause can also occur in certain conditions when one undergoes radiation or chemotherapy for cancer.

Worldwide, menopause occurs in women between 45 and 55 years, but the evidence says that Indian women attain menopause about five years earlier, which means between 44 and 49 years.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms may be unpleasant or sometimes disabling. Hot flushes, irregular menstruation, painful intercourse, loss of urinary control, lower back pain, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, mood swings, depression, disturbed sleep, and even dryness of skin, loss of hair and tiredness are common symptoms, so be prepared.

How do I cope with menopause?

Menopause is physiological and not all women will require medical treatment. The idea is to navigate this period smoothly with certain lifestyle changes.

Habits: Reduce intake of alcohol / quit smoking.

Diet: Increase intake of green and orange-coloured fruits and vegetables; increase intake of proteins; and reduce fat content in your diet.

Exercise: Take to yoga and meditation. Aerobics, walking, jogging, swimming, muscle toning and joint-stabilising exercises, and pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercises are recommended.

Cosmetic: Take good care of your skin and hair with regular facials and massages which will improve blood circulation.

What kind of medical treatment will I need?

a) Regular supplement of B complex, multivitamins and calcium 1000 mg per day.

b) Phytoestrogens, that is plant products that give rise to estrogen-like effects. For example, soya, Bengal gram, chick pea, moong beans, whole grains, sesame, sunflower seeds.

Hormone replacement therapy: This is nothing but replacing the lost hormone estrogen. When the symptoms are leading to disturbance in daily routine then one should opt for HRT. This is available in form of cyclic tablets to be taken under proper medical guidance only.

Why is it important to address the issue of menopause?

With advancing life expectancy in our population, a significant number of women will spend close to two decades or more of their life in menopause and the consequence of this would be an increase both in morbidity and mortality in this section of women. If adequate menopausal health service and awareness programmes are not available to these Indian women, the emotional and financial strain to the families, society and country would be significant. 

Dr Urvashi YavalkarGynecologist