In France, nearly 17% of women use the IUD as a means of contraception. The hormonal IUD reducing the periods even putting in amenorrhea, it is sometimes difficult to know if one is menopausal or not. To see more clearly, your gynecologist can prescribe a blood test to assess the hormonal activity related to your ovaries (FSH).
Menopause: what are we talking about?
The term menopause – menopausis in Latin – designates the end of menstruation, in other words of cycles. “Preceded by a phase of hormonal heckling – called peri-menopause, pre-menopause or menopausal transition – menopause is not considered final until after a full year of no menstruation“, specifies Dr. Odile Bagot.
At birth, the ovaries have a definite stock of follicles which contain the eggs. During puberty, the hypothalamus, located at the base of the brain, sends the signal to start the ovulatory mechanism, resulting in the expulsion of the oocyte (egg) from its follicle every month. But with age, ovarian reserve declines. When it reaches exhaustion, it is menopause. “Before that fateful year without a period comes, most women are anxious to know where they stand. Unfortunately, there is no reliable biological test to confirm or rule out menopause. THE FSH test allows at most, beyond a rate of 25 UI / L and if you are over 50 years old, to do without contraceptives.“
At what age does it occur?
In France, the average age of menopause is 51 years old. “It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Between the ages of 50 and 54, 83% of women are menopausal“, specifies the specialist
What are the signs of menopause?
Menopause is characterized by a absence of periods for a year. “For the youngest, between 45 and 50 years old, wait two years without rules to open the champagneadvises the gynecologist. Once your menopause is confirmed, despite the gossip and other anxiety-provoking talk, it’s party time! No more “off” weeks due to periods, no more sore breasts, no more premenstrual syndrome. And of course, no more worrying about contraception, you can splurge on your body without the risk… of a baby!“
The other side of the coin: the entry into menopause is manifested for the vast majority of women by symptoms that are not always very pleasant, such as:
Inconveniences that can be relieved – if you wish and in the absence of contraindications – by hormonal treatment of menopause.
How do you know if you are postmenopausal on contraception?
Beyond the age of 50, after a year without menstruation, we know that we are menopausal. But, when you are on contraception (pill or hormonal IUD) which puts you in amenorrhea, how do you know? “We will use the dosage of FSH, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland which controls the development of the follicle to lead to ovulationexplains Dr. Odile Bagot. Its rate increases gradually from the forties, and, once in menopause, it remains very high. After age 50, if the FSH level is greater than 25 IU/L, contraception is useless, even if there are still periods. If the patient is on the progestogen pill of the Cerazette, Optimizette or Slinda type, we stop it and see what happens: if the patient has no more periods for a year, it means that she is menopausal; if she has her period three times a year and it’s not bothersome, it’s not a problem. On the other hand, if she has regular periods and it bothers her, she takes her pill again, if only for comfort!“
Should I have my IUD removed?
The copper IUD does not contain hormones, patients retain their natural cycle and realize more quickly that they no longer have their periods. On the other hand, for women on a hormonal IUD (Mirena), it is a little more complicated. Should it be permanently removed or changed one last time? “We are not going to remove the IUD and then put it backsays the gynecologist. If the FSH dosage is not very high, the IUD can be left in place to protect the patient from heavy periods and the situation re-examined after one year. On the other hand, if the FSH is higher than 25 and the IUD expires, it is removed and we see what happens. If the periods return and this bothers the patient, she can always be prescribed a progestogen pill.“
Read also:
⋙ How does pre-menopause feel under contraception?
⋙ Less toned perineum: how to take care of it during menopause?
⋙ Menopause: how to avoid gaining weight from perimenopause, according to this doctor