Menopause: the climax of female reproduction

Women reproduction

1. MENOPAUSE

2. PREMENOPAUSE
Occurs years before menopause
Ovaries start producing less estrogen
Lasts up until menopause
Signs and symptoms:
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Dryness
Tender breasts
Mood swings
More intense premenstrual
syndrome (PMS)
Hot flashes

3. MENOPAUSE
Period at which women’s menstrual periods permanently end
Natural part of life, not a disease or disorder
Average age for menopause onset is 51, but may start as early as
their 30s or as late as their 60s
Ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone

Women cannot become pregnant anymore

4. POSTMENOPAUSE
Symptoms for most women ease or disappear
completely
Women are at risk of a number of health conditions
such as osteoporosis and heart disease
May regain energy
Women are considered to be in postmenopause if they
have not had their period for 12 months/a year

5. SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Irregular periods: can be more often or less, last more days or
fewer, be lighter or heavier
Hot flashes: sudden feeling of heat
Trouble sleeping: difficulty sleeping at night
Vaginal and urinary problems
Mood changes
Changing feelings about sex: some women feel less aroused
while others feel more comfortable after menopause
Osteoporosis: state in which your bones get thin and weak,
can lead to loss of height and broken bones
Other changes: forgetfulness, difficulty focusing, waist might
become larger, could lose muscle and gain fat and joints
and muscles might feel stiff and achy

6. SIGNS &SYMPTOMS
•Depression and/or anxiety
•Memory loss
•Migraines
•Rapid heartbeat
•Itching
•Dryness
•Back, joint and muscle pain
•Breast tenderness and swelling
•Decreased elasticity of skin
•Irritability
•Skin thinning and becoming drier
•Intercourse maybe painful
•Trouble reaching orgasms
•Vaginal dryness
•Formication: itching, tingling,
burning, pins, and needles, or
sensation of ants crawling

7. CAUSES
Ovaries run out of functioning eggs
The drop in estrogen is believed to be the cause for
many of the symptoms since it is affects the blood
vessels, heart, bone, breasts, uterus, urinary system,
skin, and brain
There is also a drop in testosterone, the hormone
that is involved with the sex drive

8. MANAGEMENTS & TREATMENTS
Controlling Symptoms & Complications:
Regular exercise
Healthy diet
Stay at healthy weight
Quit smoking (if you are smoking)
Good mental health
Get more sleep
Decrease alcohol consumption
Look for positive ways to ease daily stress
Talk to friends and family
Therapy:
Hormone Therapy
Birth control pill
Patches
Sprays
Creams
Rings

9. MANAGEMENTS & TREATMENTS
Therapy:
• Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Good Effects Bad Effects
Estrogen relieves hot flashes,
vaginal dryness, irregular
bleeding, and helps prevent
osteoporosis
Progestin helps prevent cancer
Higher risk of developing
endometrial cancer
gallbladder disease, blood
clots, and maybe breast cancer
Other serious side effects
• Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
Pharmaceuticals:
• Prescription medications (such as antidepressants, epilepsy medicine, and
blood pressure medicine)
• Over-the-counter medicines (such as vaginal lubricants, vaginal moisturizer)

10. MANAGEMENTS &TREATMENTS
For specific symptoms
Hot flashes:
•Avoid spicy food, alcohol, caffeine, stress and hot places
•Take slow deep breaths
•Dress in many layers and take some off when hot flashes start
•If overweight try losing weight
•MHT
Troubles Sleeping:
•Be physically active, not before bedtime since it might make you more awake
•Avoid large meals, smoking, working and caffeine before bedtime
•Drink something warm before bed (caffeine free tea or warm milk, etc.)
•Keep bedroom dark quiet and cool
•Avoid napping

11. MANAGEMENTS AND TREATMENTS
For specific symptoms
Mood Swings:
•Getting enough sleep and staying physically active
•Avoid taking on too many duties
•Talk to doctor to look for signs of depression and/or anxiety
•See therapist
•Try support groups for women who are experiencing similar symptoms
•MHT
Memory loss:
•Women complain of memory loss or troubles focusing although studies suggest that
menopause has little affect on these functions
•Physical exercises
•Mental exercises

12. CONNECTIONS
In the novel Evelyn Couch is going through
menopause
Evelyn is experiencing many of the symptoms

She does not know how to handle them
Evelyn becomes frustrated with herself
Evelyn thinks, like many women, there is something
wrong with her

13. CONNECTIONS
Evelyn develops throughout the novel learning how to cope with
the symptoms
Evelyn seems to be a very emotional woman at the beginning of
the novel
There seems to be no apparent reason for her mood swings
One of the ways that helped Evelyn with her symptoms was
through listening stories of whistle stop
Also talking to Mrs. Threadgood helped her ease her symptoms

14. Stöppler, Melissa Conrad. “Medicine Net.” Menopause. May 3, 2013. Web. Oct. 26, 2013 <http://
www.medicinenet.com/menopause/article.htm >.
U.S Department on Health and Human Services. “Office on Women’s Health.” Menopause. Sept. 24, 2010. Web. Oct.
26, 2013 <http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause /> .
“WebMD.” Premenopause.” Jun. 11, 2012. Web. Oct. 27, 2013 <http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/guide-
perimenopause?page=2>.
Watson, Stephanie. “Health Line.” Menopause. 2005-2013. Web. Oct. 26, 2013 <http://
www.healthline.com/health/menopause/causes-early >.
Help For Menopause." Pamphlet by: Food and Drug Administration. U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 2000. 0COV.
Academic OneFile. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
WORKS CITED