Around the age of 50, a woman’s body goes through a major stage in her life: menopause. Between hot flashes, weight gain and depression, there are many symptoms that often accompany this hormonal change.
Menopause begins when you approach fifty, between 45 and 55 years old. It is the natural cycle of the woman: “It is the nature of the woman genetically to have several phases in her genital life, i.e. puberty, then the period between this and menopause and finally menopause“, details Olivier Chevallier, gynecologist specializing in the physiology and diseases of the female genital system. Menopause results in “thestoppage of ovarian function” so “ovaries no longer functioning, the woman sees her menstrual cycles disappear gradually, then definitively“.
While some women experience little or no symptoms related to menopause, others can live very difficultly. the consequences of these hormonal changes. But then, what happens in the body of women? What are these changes due to? Gynecologist Olivier Chevallier answers.
Hormonal changes related to menopause
Menopause sets in when there are less than 1000 ovarian follicles left in the uterus. The ovaries therefore stop producing estrogen:So there is a hormonal deficiency that sets in with more or less variable manifestations and visible in women. But there are obviously consequences linked to the absence of ovarian secretions.“. Symptoms therefore appear. Among which are hot flashes. Up to 80% of postmenopausal women report suffering from them. sweating, insomnia, genitourinary disorders (urinary tract infections, incontinence) may also appear. Two-thirds of women are affected by these symptoms, to varying degrees.
“Estrogens act in women from the hairline to the tips of the toes“, continues the gynecologist. “The repercussions are seen on the skin, on the cardiovascular system, on the genital system, on the digestive system, on the bone system, on the psyche… It affects the woman as a whole“.
“At the very beginning of menopause, women have no noticeable bodily changes other than possibly gain a little weight in the abdomen and find it difficult to lose“. The woman’s mood is also affected. Heightened emotionality, anxiety, fatigue, depression and irritability… 40% of women are affected by these disorders. “The number 1 consequence of menopause is the alteration of a woman’s quality of life, i.e. her ability to face her life with all its constraints and all its obligations, but also its pleasures and hobbies.“recalls Olivier Chevallier.
Sexuality disrupted by menopause?
“Sexuality is a multifactorial activity, therefore sexuality does not only depend on menopause. However, menopause can negatively affect sexuality, if only through vaginal dryness which makes sexual intercourse uncomfortable and which can lead the woman to avoid it for fear of having pain or because she does not has more fun. This leads to a decrease in libido. But menopause is not a major factor in libido disorder“, explains the gynecologist.
Menopause, a period not taken seriously enough?
Experiencing menopause is therefore not easy, far from it. This natural phenomenon, which affects all women in the world, can affect the quality of life. “Menopause is not always taken seriously“, outbids the gynecologist and for good reason: “In the modern world, a woman who is menopausal does not have the right to the rest and consideration she deserves. She must continue to meet her obligations, that is to say, the mental load at home and at work. It’s very complicated when you’re suffering from fatigue or hot flashes. Today’s society does not support them”.
Offering treatments adapted to postmenopausal women would therefore be life-saving for them. What about hormone treatment? Many gynecologists advise against it, yet it seems to have health benefits. The use of natural estrogen (administered through the skin) and progesterone can calm feelings of hot flushes, sweating, mood disorders. To have access to this treatment, it is recommended to consult your gynecologist.
Marion Mancho
As a social journalist, I work on all subjects related to feminism, news items and the fight against discrimination. Equally affected by the crises that follow…