Letter of the Day | Life doesn’t end with menopause

THE EDITOR, Madam:

“So many women I’ve talked to see menopause as an ending. I’ve discovered that this is your moment to reinvent yourself after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else.” – Oprah Winfrey.

Menopause affects half the world’s population, yet the issue remains shrouded in secrecy, including in the workplace. The United Nations Population Fund adds that menopause affects more than one in five members of the global workforce, yet menopause is often dismissed, stigmatised and misunderstood, leaving many women to endure this phase in silence.

This discrimination many women face is further rooted in the medicalisation of women’s bodies. This patriarchal process is one in which women’s bodies have been claimed and redefined by medicine. Unfortunately, during this phase women are rendered powerless over their own bodies.

The medicalisation of women’s bodies includes their reproductive, biological and natural functions such as ageing, premenstrual symptoms (PMS), menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, parturition, and lactation that are seen as pathological and relating them with “illness” or “disease”.

World Menopause Day, held every year on October 18, is set aside to raise awareness of menopause and highlight the support options available for those experiencing it. The theme this year is ‘Menopause Hormone Therapy’. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that for most women menopause is marked by the end of monthly menstruation (also known as a menstrual period or ‘period’) due to loss of ovarian follicular function. This means that the ovaries stop releasing eggs for fertilisation. The regularity and length of the menstrual cycle varies across a woman’s reproductive life span, but the age at which natural menopause occurs is generally between 45 and 55 years for women worldwide.

The WHO further states that natural menopause is deemed to have occurred after 12 consecutive months without menstruation for which there is no other obvious physiological or pathological cause and in the absence of clinical intervention.

Some women experience menopause earlier (before 40 years of age). This premature menopause may be because of certain chromosomal abnormalities, autoimmune disorders or other unknown causes.

It is not possible to predict when an individual woman will experience menopause, although there are associations between the age at menopause and certain demographic, health and genetic factors.

Symptoms associated with menopause include hot flushes and night sweats. Hot flushes refer to a sudden feeling of heat in the face, neck and chest, often accompanied by flushing of the skin, perspiration (sweating), palpitations and acute feelings of physical discomfort which can last several minutes; changes in the regularity and flow of the menstrual cycle, culminating in cessation of menstruation; vaginal dryness, pain during sexual intercourse and incontinence, difficulty sleeping, changes in mood, depression and anxiety.

Pregnancy is still possible during perimenopause. Contraception is recommended to avoid unintended pregnancy until after 12 consecutive months without menstruation. Pregnancy after menopause is unlikely without fertility treatment that involves the use of donor eggs or previously frozen embryos.

A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT NEEDED

It is not uncommon for some menopausal women to enter into depression as they navigate this stage of their lives. It is therefore critical that a community of support be available to scaffold our sisters.

We ought not to discount the religious aspect of support, as in many churches the women’s ministry is quite active.

Let us advocate for menopause-friendly workplace policies, such as flexible working hours, accessible health resources and a comfortable work environment, which are key to addressing the unique challenges women may face. This support benefits not only women workers, but also their families, colleagues and communities, contributing to better workplace morale and societal health.

Men also need to be more sensitive to the needs of their partners and spouses during this phase and give meaningful support.

In the words of Dame Helen Mirren, life doesn’t end with menopause; it’s the beginning of a new adventure. Strap in and enjoy the ride!

WAYNE CAMPBELL

waykam@yahoo.com