What happens to your body
The menopause, the permanent pause of menstruation, for a period of at least one year, marks the transition from the reproductive years into the non-reproductive in a woman’s life.
Each woman is born with a specific number of eggs which are stored in the ovaries and are released each month, at the menarche. When a woman is approaching the stage of menopause, her body goes through an adjusting period, which usually lasts from 1 to 2 years. This phase is called the “perimenopause”. During that period, the ovaries gradually stop releasing eggs and until it is completed, there can be symptoms such as:
- Cycle irregularities (shortercircle, prolonged menstruation, greater loss of blood, longer cycles etc.).
- Hormonal disturbances (that can cause hot flashes, night sweats ).
As the menopause is a natural biological procedure and isn’t due to medical treatment or illness, it usually occurs around the age of 50. Should any form of blood flow appear after the period has stopped for longer than 6 months, it must be immediately evaluated further.
The menopause is a very important landmark in every woman’s life, which however isn’t treated positively. Both the changes in mood, usually caused by the menopause, as well as all the other changes that usually occur in a woman’s life at this age (i.e. retirement, children leaving home, becoming grandparents etc.) will probably have a negative impact on them, so they tend to believe that something beautiful comes to an end.
Of course that couldn’t be further from the truth!
The perimenopause is a new chapter in every woman’s life, full of new challenges and events. It is reasonable to be scared by all these changes, however we should not forget that a mature woman is much calmer, more decisive and self-confident. Moreover, she now has the chance to make more time for herself to do all that she has ever wanted and couldn’t in the past because of her life obligations… see her friends, travel, read a book etc. This new period is the perfect moment for her to enjoy all the things she has worked for in the past years. This is not the end, but a wonderful new beginning.
In collaboration with Dr Olga. E. Bikou, Obstetrician-Surgeon-Gynaecologist
