A study to assess the severity of sign & of symptoms of menopause and their effect on quality of life among menopausal women

Prof. Venice Mairya. David

Volume : VIII, Issue : XII, December - 2019

A study to assess the severity of sign & of symptoms of menopause and their effect on quality of life among menopausal women

Prof. Venice Mairya. David

Abstract :

Introduction: Since the baby boom generation started to enter midlife, midlife women account for a rapidly growing proportion of the world’s population. Nevertheless, health of midlife women is less understood when compared to health of women during other periods of the lifespan, except the old age (Sowers, 2000) 60. Like another developmental phase of a women’s life, the midlife period is accompanied by several bio–psycho–social changes. One of the unique aspects of the midlife period for women, which has been a center of scientific study for decades, is menopause. Menopausal transition has been identified as a critical period of midlife partly because several health concerns and problems have been recognized and understood in relation to menopause. Menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of menstruation, normally between the ages of 45 and 55, or the period during which this occurs; female climacteric, or change of life (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1966) 4. At an early period of research on menopause, menopause was purely viewed as a physiological event involving an aging process of the reproductive organs, especially ovaries. As a consequence of this aging process, the functional ovarian hormone production declines. The decline in ovarian function has been used as a primary explanation for multiple health risks and for symptoms experienced during this period of life. It is estimated that about 70% of women experience vasomotor symptoms (Kendig, 2007) 41. These symptoms are hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations, and headaches. It is unclear why psychological symptoms occur at menopause, and they may well have little to do with hormonal fluctuations. Life stresses at this age, as well as past problems, are an obvious causative factor (Kendig, 2007) 41. Falling estrogen levels in post–menopausal women lead to a marked drop in vaginal and vulval capillary blood supply. The vaginal mucosa appears red and dries (atrophic vaginitis). Additionally there is a loss of collagen from the underlying tissues. These two factors cause the vaginal epithelium to become thinner and less elastic and the vagina narrower and shorter. As secretions lessen, the vagina becomes more susceptible to infection (atrophic vaginitis). Other major menopausal symptoms are urinary symptoms and other physical changes