Stressful life leads to early menopause: Dr. Sujata Sanjay

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Stressful life leads to early menopause: Dr. Sujata Sanjay

Dehradun, October 18

Every year October 18 is celebrated as World Menopause Day across the world. With the aim of spreading awareness about the symptoms and remedies of menopause in women as they grow older, Dr. Sujata Sanjay, Gynecologist and Obstetrician of Sanjay Orthopedic, Spine and Maternity Centre, Dehradun, while explaining about menopause, said that the meaning of meno means monthly and pause means to stop. That is, the stopping of the regular menstrual cycle of women is called menopause. It is also called menopause, that is, the stage when monthly menstruation stops, reproductive power ends and symptoms of old age start appearing. At the age of 40-45 years, the menstrual cycle of women becomes irregular and the release of eggs from the ovaries stops. After a few months or years, the menstrual cycle stops completely and female hormones stop being produced in the body, she explained.

Awareness of health problems among women because of menopause is low and depends on education. “In India, definitely, there is lack of awareness of problems related to menopause,” said Dr Sujata Sanjay, gynecologist, Sanjay Orthopedics, Spine & Maternity Centre.

Women without education are not aware that they should go to a doctor for menopause-related problems, she said. Menopause is a normal part of aging, but many women aren’t prepared for the changes that come with this new stage of life.

Researchers have generally tried to determine age at menopause and a few have explored psychosomatic problems experienced by them.

Abrupt changes in hormone levels among women generally bring out several physical infirmities which have hardly been the interest of research.”

“Onset of early menopause can be attributed to stress, change in lifestyle and also adulteration of food. This trend has become more pronounced in the last couple of years. I come across women who experience menopause as early as 40 while the incidence is generally seen between 45-52 years of age. Stress leads to hormone-based imbalances leading to menopause,” she said.

“More studies should be done in this field so that intervention can be done. People may not be aware that these symptoms are due to menopause. Awareness among general population is low regarding menopause, they don’t know. There is a need for research to find that there are health problems due to menopause; then comes awareness,” she added.

Menopausal women have to deal with hot flushes (periods of sweating and rapid heartbeats), irritability and heightened levels of stress on a daily basis. In the long run, they become susceptible to cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and cancer due to falling levels of oestrogen and progesterone hormones. These hormones help maintain healthy bones and protect the heart and veins by increasing levels of ‘good cholesterol’ (HDL or High Density Lipoprotein) and lowering ‘bad cholesterol’ (LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein). Plummeting levels of oestrogen trigger off increased blood flow to the face, neck, chest and back, resulting in hot flushes

Dr. Sujata Sanjay further said that differences across cultures do matter while studying menopause. For instance, he said, in India, nutrition levels among women are not ideal and menopause is reached earlier. Unlike the West, women do not form support groups in India and do not approach psychiatrists for problems such as depression and stress due to menopause, she said.

Dr Sujata sanjay said that it has to be remembered that menopause is not the end of the world but  just a normal stage of womanhood that all women must experience, but with information and empowerment, they can all survive this phase with as little sweat as possible.