PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to address the difference menopausal symptoms according to sasang constitution and menopausal status among perimenopausal women. METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study was collected by administering questionnaires that elicited general information. The menopause rating scale (MRS) and Questionnaire for the Sasang Constitution Classification II (QSCC II) was given to 284 perimenopausal women who met the eligibility criteria and agreed to participate in the study. RESULTS: The study subjects were composed of 27.5% so-yangin, 24.6% so-eumin, 18.7% tae-eumin, and 29.6% undefined category. The total MRS and all subscales were significantly higher for postmenopausal women in comparison to premenopausal women. Especially, so-eumin and tae-eumin displayed significantly higher scores in urogenital symptoms. The MRS score in postmenopausal women who belonged to the group of tae-eumin and so-eumin was significantly higher than those for premenopausal women. However, so-yangin displayed higher scores in psychological and urogenital symptoms than tae-eumin for premenopausal women. So-eumin presented significantly higher scores in urogenital symptoms in comparison to the undefined category for postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that sasang constitution could be an important factor in understanding the woman's menopausal symptoms and identify the best treatment.
Constitution and Bylaws ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: Menopause is a life period that involves various somatic and psychological symptoms. Attitudes toward menopause have been influenced by both time and culture, and play a crucial role in experiencing this period. The purpose of this study was to investigate Korean middle-aged women's attitudes toward menopause and to investigate correlations between attitudes toward menopause and menopausal symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-one gynecological patients, 35 psychiatric patients, and 42 normal controls who were middle aged women(40-59 years old) were selected. The attitudes toward menopause was examined. According to menstrual status, premenopause, perimenopause and postmenopause groups were separated and examined. Then, correlations between sociode-mographic factors and attitudes toward menopause, correlations between attitudes toward menopause and 34 menopausal symptoms, and correlations between sociodemographic factors and menopausal symptoms were examined. RESULTS: 1) Overall attitudes toward menopause was neutral. According to treatment group, normal controls showed more positive attitude than gynecological group and showed no significant differences in negative and neutral attitudes. According to menstrual status, there were no significant differences across premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause groups. 2) There was positive correlation between pregnancy number and negative attitude. 3) Both gynecological and psychiatric groups showed more menopausal symptoms than normal controls. Psychiatric group showed significantly more symptoms than normal control in all menopausal symptoms. Psychiatric group showed significantly higher score than gynecological group in anxiety, depressive, sleep, and sexual symptoms. Gynecological group revealed significantly more vasomotor symptoms than normal controls. According to menstrual status, postmenopausal group showed significantly more sexual symptom than premenopause group. 4) Education level had negative correlations with somatic symptoms, anxiety, and sleep problems, and showed positive correlations with depression, vasomotor, and psychological symptoms. There was a positive correlation between self-assessment of health status and all of menopausal symptoms. 5) Negative attitudes toward menopause had positive correlations with somatic, anxiety, depressive, and vasomotor symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the method to correct women's negative attitudes toward menopause will be helpful to overcome menopause and to improve menopausal symptoms.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause ; Pregnancy ; Premenopause ; Self-Assessment

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal status is associated with a 60% increased risk for metabolic syndrome. It is thought to be associated with decreased estrogens and increased abdominal obesity in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between metabolic syndrome components and menopausal status. METHODS: A total of 1,926 women were studied and divided into three groups according to their menstrual stage (premenopausal, perimenopausal or postmenopausal). The presence of metabolic syndrome was assessed using the National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 7.1% in premenopause, 9.8% in perimenopause, and 24.2% in postmenopause. The strong correlation was noted between the metabolic syndrome score and waist circumference in postmenopause (r = 0.56, P < 0.01) and perimenopause (r = 0.60, P < 0.01). Along the menopausal transition, the risk of metabolic syndrome increased with high triglyceride after the age-adjusted (odds ratio (OR) 1.517 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.014~2.269] in perimenopausal women and OR 1.573 [95% CI 1.025~2.414] in postmenopausal women). In addition, the prevalence of metabolic syndromeincreased in accordance with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels. CONCLUSION: Triglyceride and waist circumference were important metabolic syndrome components, though ALT and GGT may also be related for predicting metabolic syndrome during the transition to menopause.
Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; Cholesterol ; Estrogens ; Female ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Humans ; Menopause ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Prevalence ; Waist Circumference

This study was alone to identify the meaning and the essence of the menopause experience by means of the Colaizzi's phenomenological method. The participants were eight women, 48-60 years old, who were experiencing perimenopause or postmenopause. They were selected using a theoretical sampling technique. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from April 6 to May 20, 1999. The interviews took from 40 to 90 minutes. Interviews were tape- recorded and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Significant statements from data were extracted. From these formulated meanings, 18 themes, 8 clusters of themes and 3 catagories were constructed. Final descriptions were found to be valid through the interviewee validation process. Essential themes of the menopausal experience which emerged were "coming of change", "inclined to deny the in mind", and "adapted life". Menopause, as coming of change was the turning point in the women's life cycle acompaning changes, in body and mind and marital life changes. Especially, the unpredictable menopausal changes were an opportunity to hide the fact of menopause and not to talk with anybody. Such a phenomenon reflected on the psychological attributes of menopausal woman such as an inclination to deny in the mind. Their experiences of menopause as adapted life were generally regarded as signalling the end of fertility and were interpreted as a natural developmental process that indicates a life transition. In conclusion, participants depicted the menopause as a natural stage in the life cycle. In order to help women have a positive life change and self accomplishment, nurses need to understand the essential themes of the menopausal experience. Thus, the importance of an open approach in eliciting the phenomena of menopause cannot be overemphasized. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that exercise program is one of the effective interventions to improve the self-efficacy and also to lower the fatigue in the sample of female college students.
Climacteric ; Fatigue ; Female ; Fertility ; Humans ; Life Cycle Stages ; Menopause ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause

Objective: This study evaluated the knowledge, attitude and practice of Filipino gynecologists towards hormonal therapy for menopausal symptoms. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among practicing Filipino gynecologists in different regions of the Philippines from April to October 2018. A self-administered questionnaire was used to identify the current knowledge, attitude and practice of gynecologists regarding the use of hormonal replacement therapy. Results: There were 369 respondents included in the study. Our findings indicate that the most common indication for MHT are vasomotor symptoms and vaginal dryness. Almost all Filipino gynecologists participating in this study were aware that MHT will improve vasomotor and urogenital symptoms, sexual dysfunction and mood. Majority of them correctly agreed that MHT will decrease the risk of osteoporosis and coronary artery disease. On the other hand, at least half of the respondents falsely believed that MHT can decrease the risk for cognitive dysfunction, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and vascular thrombosis. Only 68% of the respondents agreed that they have adequate knowledge about the treatment options for postmenopausal symptoms and as much as 32% of them are still not confident with their knowledge. Majority (65%) of Filipino gynecologists do not routinely recommend or offer the use of MHT to every postmenopausal woman. Conclusion The knowledge and attitude of gynecologists on hormonal therapy play an important role in the decision making of a woman during her climacteric period. Basic knowledge on menopausal symptoms and indications for hormonal therapy are known to the respondents but these knowledge do not translate to practice.
Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Menopause ; Postmenopause

Introduction: Honey postulated may have an estrogenic effect on the retinal estrogenic receptors. The aim of the study is to compare the mean macular thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters with and without honey cocktail supplement in post-menopausal women. Methods: A randomised interventional study was conducted from March 2014 to July 2015. A total of 60 post-menopausal women were selected and randomised into 2 groups: honey cocktail (20 mg/day) and control. Macular thickness, RNFL thickness and ONH parameters were measured using optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 3 months post honey cocktail supplementation. Results: The mean global macular thickness and RNFL thickness were significantly thicker in post-menopausal women with honey cocktail at 3 months post supplement (p = 0.002 and 0.033 respectively). There was a significant increase in the mean change of global macular thickness and RNFL thickness in honey cocktail group at 3 months post supplement (p < 0.001 and < 0.001 respectively). Although there was no significant difference in the ONH parameters at 3 months post supplement between the two groups but there was significant increase in the mean change of rim area (p = 0.003), and significant reduce in the mean change of cup area (p = 0.001) and cup-disc-ratio (p <0.001) in honey cocktail group at 3 months post supplement. Conclusion: Honey cocktail supplement showed structural changes in the macular thickness, RNFL thickness and OHN parameters of post-menopausal women.
Menopause

PURPOSE: Female gonadal hormones are implicated in the psychopathology of the depression. Menopausal state may affect the response to antidepressant medication but treatment options for menopause have not been investigated extensively. Thus, the authors explored the differences in therapeutic response between pre- and post-menopause female patients with depression by evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of mirtazapine treatment during 4 weeks. METHODS: Seventy-five female patients with depression were included. 46 patients were assigned to postmenopause group or 29 patients to pre-menopause group. Efficacy was assessed with twelve's 7-point scales modified from subscales in HAM-D-17 and with Clinical Global Severity Scale, and tolerability was assessed from adverse events. Mirtazapine was administered at the flexible dose from 7.5 to 30 mg during 4 weeks. RESULTS: The post-menopause group showed significantly more reduction in scores on somatization scale (p=0.029) and shows a decreasing tendency in scores on anxiety/agitation scale (p=0.071). Significant differences between two groups were shown in the proportion of patients classified as responders (50% decreased from baseline) in anxiety/agitation (p=0.031) scale. Even though it is not statistically significant, the post-menopause group showed to be more the proportion of responders compared with the pre-menopause group in and somatization symptoms (p=0.084) scales. The proportion of responders (score <1 or 2) in CGI-S was not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSION: Somatic symptoms and anxiety/agitation in postmenopause female patients with depression would be more likely susceptible to treatment with mirtazapine. Some symptoms of depressive disorder could differently respond to antidepressant medication between pre- and post-menopause patients, which implicated that optional treatment is required in female patients with depression.
Depression* ; Depressive Disorder ; Female ; Gonadal Hormones ; Humans ; Menopause ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Psychopathology ; Weights and Measures

Premature menopause is due to ovarian dysfunction. Premature menopause is characterized by arrested folliculogenesis before 40 years of age. Premature menopause is associated with health problems. The impact of estrogen deficiency tends to be chronic problems rather than acute. We have managed a case of recurrent non-vertebral fractures due to falls after premature ovarian dysfunction. We present this case with a brief review of the literature.
Estrogens ; Female ; Menopause, Premature

OBJECTIVES: Midlife women's knowledge, positive attitudes and management toward menopause may improve the quality of peri and post-menopause life. This study was to identify correlations of the knowledge, attitude, symptoms and management toward menopause in middle-aged women. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional questionnaire study applying to 231 perimenopausal and menopausal women aged from 40 to 59 years old. The completed data of 189 perimenopausal and menopausal women were analyzed through t-test, ANOVA and pearson's correlation coefficient using the SPSS statistical programme. RESULTS: The menopausal women showed significantly higher physical symptoms than perimenopausal women. The menopausal women showed significantly higher psychosomatic symptom than perimenopausal women. There was a significant correlation between the menopausal attitude and management. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the fundamental data of developing midlife women's symptom index (MSI) and providing menopause management could be a strategy to encourage successful menopausal transition in middle-aged women.
Female ; Humans ; Menopause* ; Postmenopause ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To compare the women who use postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy to never user for the serum leptin level and degree of obesity, then evaluate the precausing factor of postmenopausal obesity. METHOD: We checked the serum leptin level, blood chemistry and body composition in three groups, two groups are postmenopause groups which is HRT user (n=125) and HRT never user (n=194), and the other is premenopause groups(n=82). We used SPSS and Excel for analyzed the difference between the groups. RESULT: BMR is decreased after menopause, body fat ratio, abdominal fat ratio, BMI, leptin, sugar, and cholesterol level are increased after menopause. There is no difference between the postmenopausal HRT group and non-HRT group in body fat composition, abdominal fat ratio, BMI,BMR,AMC and leptin levels. Serum sugar level shows positive correlation with the leptin level in pre and postmenopausal women after exclude the effect of body fat ratio. Serum estradiol and leptin level shows positive correlation.(correlation coefficient 0.68 in postmenopausal non-HRT group and 0.735 in postmenopausal HRT group). CONCLUSION: Serum estradiol and sugar level have some correlation with leptin level and leptin resistance in postmenopausal women, and decreased estradiol level caused obesity through increased leptin resistance.
Abdominal Fat ; Adipose Tissue ; Body Composition* ; Chemistry ; Cholesterol ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Menopause ; Obesity ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause