Climax

Menopause – the age during which a woman lives a large part of her life. To preserve the quality of life and its duration during this period, the presented material will provide invaluable assistance. The choice is up to the women themselves, and our task is to present the information in an accessible manner.

The median age is 45–46 years.

There are three stages of climacteric development:

Perimenopause. On average, the duration of the initial stage is four years. During this period, a woman experiences menstrual cycle irregularities and the first signs of menopause.

Menopause. The second stage occurs 12 months after the last menstrual period. Its peak falls at the age of 50 to 52 years. Climacteric symptoms are most pronounced.

Postmenopause. At the final stage, a woman's reproductive function ceases and the aging process begins. Pronounced menopausal symptoms are absent in this case. Pregnancy during this period is impossible.

Perimenopause is the initial stage of menopause. Its development is accompanied by changes in the nature and frequency of menstruation. The decline of reproductive function occurs individually. The rate of onset of perimenopause depends on a combination of factors. These include the following:

- lifestyle (smoking and alcohol consumption bring menopause closer);

- rate of puberty during adolescence;

- neurological disorders;

- endocrine system disorders;

- heredity;

- infectious diseases;

- having children (childless women experience menopause earlier);

- chronic diseases of the reproductive system;

- radiation exposure (work in hazardous industries, cancer treatment, etc.).

Menstrual cycle irregularities during this period are caused by hormonal changes. Progesterone and estrogen levels gradually decrease, while follicle-stimulating hormone increases. The number of androgens in the body decreases, but much more slowly. Such an imbalance leads to male hormones exceeding female ones.

Hormonal changes affect a woman's physical and psychological health.

Menstruation becomes chaotic, with intermenstrual bleeding observed. However, the opposite situation is also possible, when menstruation becomes scanty and infrequent.

Symptoms of perimenopause.

Changes in the reproductive system are accompanied by a number of characteristic signs. Each woman experiences a different intensity of their manifestation. The main symptoms of perimenopause include:

During this period, a woman experiences sudden mood swings, decreased performance, and anxiety.

If symptoms are ignored, psychosomatic diseases may develop. Consequences of this condition include problems in communication with close people.

Irregular periods.

Menstrual cycle irregularities are caused by hormonal decline. During perimenopause, periods are chaotic in nature. They can be both scanty and heavy. The duration of the menstrual period extends to 50–60 days. Anovulatory cycles occur more often than ovulatory ones.

Hot flashes.

A specific sign of the onset of menopause is hot flashes. They occur as a result of thermoregulation disturbances due to decreased estrogen levels. These sensations can occur at any moment. They are accompanied by facial skin redness, sweating, and chills. This condition affects a woman's mood and performance.

Headaches.

The cause of this symptom is considered to be sharp fluctuations in blood pressure. They are provoked by blood accumulation in certain areas of the brain. This is due to water-salt imbalance against the background of hormonal changes. This condition may be accompanied by arrhythmia and other signs of cardiovascular disorders.

Osteoporosis.

Estrogens have a direct and indirect effect on bone tissue. Direct effects are confirmed by the presence of specific receptors on osteoclasts, osteocytes, trabecular active and inactive osteoblasts, as well as bone endothelial cells. The function of estrogens includes the regulation of cytokine activity involved in bone resorption processes (interleukins 1 and 6, tumor necrosis factor).