Women reaching their 40's and 50's today can look forward to a vigorous, active and healthy life into older adulthood - particularly if they take responsibility now for the preventative healthcare that can help keep them in good physical and mental condition. This is especially important since most of today's women will live 25 to 30 years - one third of their lives - after menopause.
Menopause is the beginning of a new phase of life for women marked by the end of a woman's monthly menstrual period, a time of natural transition. Menopause, for most women, occurs between the ages of 50 and 52, although it is perfectly normal to stop menstruating anytime between the ages of 45 and 55. By the time a woman reaches her late thirties or early forties, only a fraction of the original number of eggs in her ovaries remains. Less and less of the female hormone estrogen is produced from those eggs to "tell" the body to menstruate. This entire "climacteric" period consists of three phases: perimenopause (the transition between fertility and the last menstrual period); menopause (when periods have actually ceased for a year); and postmenopause (the years after the end of menstruation). |
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| Menopause Symptoms |
| Early Symptoms |
Intermediate Symptoms |
Late Symptoms |
Hot Flashes
Night Sweats
Inability to Sleep
Irregular Periods
Anxiety
Emotional Instability |
Vaginal Dryness
Painful Intercourse
Urinary Symptoms
Wrinkled Skin |
Osteoporosis
Cardiovascular Disease |
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Good Health Practices at Menopause
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 Stop smoking |
| Continue to schedule a yearly exam |
| Eat a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and lower your red meat consumption |
| Maintain or begin a program of regular exercise |
| Take calcium 1,000-1,500 mg/day and vitamin D 400 IU/day |
| Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1-2 drinks per day |
| Discuss hormone replacement therapy with your healthcare provider |
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Cautions
Pregnancy in older women can pose health risks for mother and child. All women who have menstruated even once within the prior 12 months should continue to use contraception until one, even two, years have gone by with no menstrual period. In addition, the birth control method that a woman uses during her child-bearing years is not necessarily appropriate during perimenopause. All women should explore contraception methods with their healthcare provider to identify the most appropriate approach.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormone replacement therapy is successful in the symptomatic treatment of hot flashes, insomnia, depression, vaginal dryness, sexual difficulties and urinary problems experienced with menopause. It also decreases the development of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The decision to take hormones is an individual decision that should be made by a woman and her healthcare provider. The decision is usually based on the results of a physical exam, family history and considerations of the risks and benefits for each woman. Many women remain in good health for many years after menopause without taking hormones. Much depends on how you feel about the treatment and on your personal risk factors for heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis. You certainly get your greatest gains if you start therapy at menopause, though there's some evidence that HRT can also be beneficial if started later.
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