What is Menopause?
Menopause signals the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle, when she has no menstrual period after 12 consecutive months. On average, this occurs at the age of 50, leading to low hormones level. While a natural part of ageing, the changes to hormone levels can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as hot flashes. In some cases, menopause can also be induced through surgery, specific treatments, or certain medical conditions.
Menopause can potentially affect some women earlier. If it happens around age 45, it is considered early menopause. If it occurs at age 40, it is called premature menopause.
The Stages of Menopause
Menopause typically progresses in three stages:
- Perimenopause is the transition stage that may start as early as 5-10 years before menopause. Your ovaries begin producing fewer reproductive hormones. You may also experience menopause symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings.
- Menopause is when you no longer experience menstruation for one full year and experience additional symptoms like vaginal dryness.
- Postmenopause occurs once you reach menopause, where symptoms slowly ease up but may still occur for some time. You may be at risk of other health conditions due to lower oestrogen level.
Causes of Menopause
The reproductive cycle functions as early as puberty and gradually “winds down” as we age. As this happens, the ovaries, which produce reproductive hormones and regulate menstruation and ovulation, gradually stop functioning. This causes menstrual cycle changes, slowly becoming regular before finally ceasing.
Your body also undergoes changes during menopause occurs, so your menstrual periods may feel longer or shorter than usual.
Signs of Menopause
You may experience any of these symptoms during menopause:
- Irregular periods
- Heavier periods
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Vaginal dryness
- Insomnia
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Dry skin
- Infrequent headaches or joint aches
- Vaginal bleeding
Diagnosing Menopause
Keeping track of your periods is ideal to determine when you have menopause. Experiencing some menopausal symptoms before then may also indicate you are going through perimenopause.
If necessary, your doctor may perform blood tests to determine your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. An increase in FSH corresponds with a decrease in oestrogen, but since hormone levels often fluctuate, blood tests may not always give an accurate assessment. This is especially during the perimenopause stage.
Can You Treat Menopause?
Menopause treatment may be helpful in managing symptoms effectively.
Hormone Therapy for Menopause
Oestrogen therapy (OT) provides oestrogen in pill form or delivered by other means, such as topical applications (like gel). OT is commonly prescribed to those who have had their ovaries surgically removed to alleviate certain menopausal symptoms.
Your doctor may also consider combined menopausal hormone therapy, which uses oestrogen and form od progestogen (natural progesterone or synthetic progestin). It is recommended if you still have your womb, as progestogen can reduce the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer.
There is also tibolone therapy that is provided as a tablet. It is recommended for post-menopausal women experiencing in menopausal symptoms a year after their last period, or for those who underwent a hysterectomy.
For those with early or premature menopause, hormone therapy is also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as it replaces the lost hormones your body cannot replace on its own. While effective, hormone therapy does lead to side effects, so be sure to discuss with your doctor first before starting hormone therapy.
Living With Menopause
The good news is that you can still live a fruitful life while effectively managing menopausal symptoms. Lifestyle modifications can maintain your well-being and prevent symptoms from interfering with your daily life.
- Certain factors can trigger hot flashes, so it helps to identify these triggers early.
- Stay cool and dress in layers of breathable fabrics.
- If experiencing vaginal dryness or pain, use over-the-counter vaginal creams or lubricants.
- Cut down on caffeine, alcohol, red meats, and spicy foods.
- Quit smoking to reduce other risk factors that affect your health.
- Stay hydrated as often as possible, and splash your face with clean water regularly.
- Enjoy nutritious and well-balanced meals daily, and include more fruits, nuts, and vegetables in your diet.
- Exercise regularly, ideally for 20 minutes three times a week.
- Ensure you get at least eight hours of sleep daily and make time to rest.
At O&G The Women’s Specialist
Looking after your health starts with early screenings, and here at O&G The Women’s Medical Specialist, we are ready to support your journey with a full range of fertility care services dedicated to your well-being.
Dr Tan Thiam Chye, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
O&G The Women’s Medical Specialist is helmed by Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Tan Thiam Chye. Dr Tan was the immediate former Head and Senior Consultant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Urgent O&G Centre, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He is adjunct Associate Professor in Duke-NUS medical school. Dr Tan has received numerous awards as clinician and educator. He co-authored the book “Practical O&G Handbook for the Clinician and General Practitioner”, which won the British Medical Association Book Award in 2015. In 2016–2017, Dr Tan co-developed the HealthHub Pregnancy Track, a new web portal and mobile app, with the Health Promotion Board.
O&G The Women’s Medical Specialist provides a full range of fertility care from pre-conception check to follicular tracking and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Many women also consult us for pregnancy care including prenatal, delivery and postnatal needs. The clinic caters to gynaecological problems such as ovarian cysts, fibroids and menstrual issues. Gynae screening packages and vaccinations are available for women to be in touch with their health and well-being.
