Menopause After 40

Menopause is the stage in a woman's life that signals the end of her reproductive years. Leading up to this time, levels of the hormone estrogen, which is responsible for proper ovarian functioning, begin to decline. This gradual decline causes the menstrual cycle to become irregular, and then stop completely. This transition usually occurs in women in their 40s or 50s, although in special circumstances it may happen sooner; this is called premature menopause. Premature menopause usually occurs due to the ovaries being removed during a surgical procedure, chromosomal abnormalities at birth, or genetics. However, menopause typically occurs after 40.

Stages of Menopause

• There are three stages of menopause; perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Perimenopause is the transitioning stage, occurring two to eight years before the onset of menopause. In this stage, women still menstruate, but the menstrual cycle is highly irregular. Due to lowering levels of estrogen, the cycle may become heavier or lighter, longer or shorter in duration, or sporadic. During perimenopause, a woman can still become pregnant. Between the ages of 45 and 55, menopause begins. During menopause, the levels of estrogen are still on the decline, and the menstrual cycle becomes lighter, more sporadic, or stops completely. At this stage, you may begin to feel classic symptoms of menopause, caused by the irregular estrogen level. Post-menopause begins when you have gone 12 months without a menstrual period. This is the final stage of menopause.

Symptoms of Menopause

• Women in stages as early as perimenopause may begin to feel symptoms associated with menopause. These symptoms include hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, insomnia, heart pounding or racing, irritability, vaginal dryness, decreased sexual desire, and urinary incontinence. Some women also find that they bleed very lightly (spotting), after sexual intercourse; this may be accompanied with, stinging, itching, and burning. This is due to vaginal dryness caused by the drop in estrogen, as estrogen is responsible for the production of vaginal lubrication.

Symptom Relief

• For irregular menstrual bleeding during perimenopause, low-dose birth-control pills are a common treatment. These low-dose pills contain a small amount of estrogen, which is just enough to replenish what's lacking. Replenishing this level, helps to alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes, and mood swings as well. For women who are menopausal or post-menopausal, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a general treatment for symptoms associated with menopause. Hormone replacement therapy, works very much in the same way that low-dose birth control pills do for perimenopausal women, causing the levels of estrogen to regulate. This helps to stave off some of the symptoms of menopause. In addition to replacing estrogen, a small dose of progesterone may help in women who have not had a hysterectomy (operation to remove reproductive organs); this is called combined HRT. There are risks associated with taking HRT, which include, breast cancer, breast growths, heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, and blood clots.

Increased Risks

• Osteoporosis and coronary heart disease risks are raised during menopause. Due to the decrease in estrogen, bones may become thin or lose density, this can form a disease known as osteoporosis. With osteoporosis, the bones become lose density, causing them to be brittle, and fracture easily. To prevent this condition, you should take a calcium supplement along with Vitamin D to lower your risk. A bone density exam will be able to show early signs of this condition. Coronary heart disease is a condition that causes the blood vessels to swell, which causes decreased blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Plaque and fat buildup, are the usual triggers for this. This happens due to the changes in cholesterol levels caused by menopause. Eating a diet that's low in cholesterol and saturated fat, can help to reduce this risk.

Warnings

• It is very common to experience bleeding during menopause. This bleeding can be light in volume; and pink, red, or brown in color. Any instance of bleeding during menopause however, is not normal and must be checked up with your physician. Besides the slight bleeding due to vaginal dryness, bleeding can also indicate, uterine polyps, uterine atrophy (overgrowth of uterine tissue), and in rare cases ovarian, cervical or uterine cancer.