What is Hormone Replacement Therapy and how can it help Manopause?
Menopause is the physiologic cessation of menses due to decreasing ovarian function. It presents as hot flushes, atrophic vaginitis which means dryness of the vagina including the surrounding area and osteoporosis. Diagnosis is made by absence of menses for 1 year. Symptoms can be treated with hormone replacement therapy or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) which are antidepressants used to treat anxiety and depression. Physiologic menopause is established when menses have been absent for 1 year. The average age of menopause is 51. Perimenopause refers to the years before and 1 year after the last menses. Perimenopause is an increase in frequency of menses, followed by oligomenorrhea which means very light periods. Conception is possible during perimenopause. Premature menopause is cessation of menses due to noniatrogenic ovarian failure before age 40. Premature menopause may be caused by smoking and undernutrition.
