Objectives: i) To assess the emotional health status and oral manifestations in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. ii) To evaluate the correlation between emotional health status and oral manifestations in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. iii) To assess the oral symptoms and emotional state of women in relation to the duration after cessation of menstruation. Methods: A total of 68 women were included and categorized into pre-menopausal (n = 34) and post-menopausal (n = 34) groups. postmenopausal women were further subdivided into three groups based on the duration of cessation of menstruation. After the women provided written informed consent, a questionnaire with binary (yeso) response options was used to document their emotional health, followed by a detailed case history and clinical examination to assess oral signs and symptoms. Results: A statistically significant (P < 0.05) correlation was detected between women’s menopausal status and emotional health status. Burning mouth syndrome was more prevalent among post-menopausal women, with the highest prevalence in Group 2 (33.30%), whereas Group 3 had the highest mean periodontal index and number of missing teeth. Conclusions Post-menopausal women frequently experience oral discomfort, including xerostomia, burning mouth, gustatory changes, and hyposalivation, which are associated with changes in emotional health. The early diagnosis of oral alterations is crucial and should be evaluated alongside other systemic changes. This study aimed to enhance interspecialty cooperation and understanding to improve the health of post-menopausal women.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the sexual health problems of menopausal women and the sexual health services required to promote their well-being and provide recommendations that could help improve sexual health during menopause. Methods: A concurrent mixed-method design was used. Data were collected from menopausal women aged 40–65 years using a structured questionnaire (n = 420) and an in-depth interview guide (n = 20). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, whereas qualitative data were subjected to content and thematic analysis. Results: The mean ages at menopause among the quantitative and qualitative participants were 47 ± 4.22 and 45 ± 3.38 years, respectively. Quantitative and qualitative findings indicated that participants most commonly experienced vaginal dryness, reduced sexual desire, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, and pain during intercourse. Across both data strands, women also expressed similar needs, which included access to accurate and helpful information to navigate the menopausal period, improved sexual satisfaction, and the availability of contraceptive services to support safe sexual practices during this period. Conclusions The study provides insight into the sexual problems and needs of menopausal women, which may guide healthcare providers and policymakers in developing appropriate strategies aimed at enhancing the sexual health of this demographic.

Menopause is a normative midlife transition characterized by profound endocrine remodeling and a high burden of symptoms and functional change. Accumulating epidemiologic and translational evidence links menopausal transition with shifts in cardiometabolic risk, musculoskeletal health, sleep, mood, and perceived cognitive function. However, most data support association rather than definitive causal acceleration of aging independent of chronological time. This narrative review proposes a menopause-centered healthspan framework that integrates biological, neurocognitive, and psychosocial domains and translates evidence into pragmatic clinical pathway tools. To inform topic selection and prioritize higher-level evidence, including guidelines, randomized trials, meta-analyses, and large cohort studies, a structured evidence scan utilizing PubMed and targeted citation tracking was performed. The evidence scan identified 256 citations. After duplicate removal, titles/abstracts of 162 unique records were reviewed, of which 102 citations informed the final narrative synthesis. The results emphasize that menopausal hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms and an evidence-based option for reducing fracture risk in appropriate candidates. However, it is not indicated for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia. Absolute risks and benefits vary by age, time since menopause, and formulation/route. The neurocognitive section distinguishes common, often transient midlife cognitive complaints from long-term neurodegenerative outcomes, highlighting that menopause is not established as an independent dementia risk factor in the general population. Overall, the framework aims to support individualized, equity-informed care during menopausal transition.

Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent during menopausal transition and postmenopause; however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Epidemiological cohort studies demonstrate a sharp increase in the occurrence of insomnia symptoms in midlife coincident with declining estradiol levels, vasomotor symptoms (VMS), and increased susceptibility to depression and anxiety.These psychological factors interact bidirectionally with insomnia, amplifying its adverse impacts on health-related quality of life.Additional contributors—including lower urinary tract symptoms, musculoskeletal pain, reduced muscle mass, and sleep‑disordered breathing—emphasize the multifactorial nature of menopausal insomnia. Management includes hormonal, pharmacological, and nonpharmacological strategies. Although menopausal hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for VMS, its benefits for sleep are inconsistent and largely limited to subjective improvement. Randomized trials suggest that non-benzodiazepine hypnotics can enhance sleep initiation and maintenance; moreover, traditional herbal formulas (e.g., Kampo) may benefit selected women, although the evidence is limited. Newer dual orexin receptor antagonists, such as suvorexant, daridorexant, and lemborexant, have shown efficacy with regard to sleep onset and maintenance in adults, including women in their midlife. By integrating epidemiological findings, mechanistic insights, and comparative treatment data, this review emphasizes individualized care tailored to symptom profile, risk factors, and patient preference. Future research should bridge gaps between subjective and objective evaluations and delineate biological pathways (neuroendocrine, circadian, orexin, and inflammatory/myokine) to guide targeted therapies.

Menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) represent a significant public health burden, necessitating safe and effective nonhormonal treatments. The recent US Food and Drug Administration approval of elinzanetant, a first-in-class dual neurokinin-1 (NK1) and neurokinin-3 (NK3) receptor antagonist, represents a major shift and warrants a critical assessment of its role. VMS pathogenesis centers on the hypothalamic KNDy neuron network and is primarily mediated by Neurokinin B acting on the NK3 receptor. Elinzanetant’s distinctive dual mechanism, simultaneously blocking NK3 (VMS control) and NK1 (mood and sleep modulation), translates into improved patient outcomes as demonstrated across the OASIS Phase 3 program. Specifically, elinzanetant achieved a 65.2%–67.0% reduction in VMS frequency by Week 12 (OASIS 1/2) and produced clinically meaningful improvement in the PROMIS SD-SF 8b sleep disturbance score. While indirect cross-over study comparisons with fezolinetant (NK3 antagonist) suggest a numerical advantage in sleep quality for elinzanetant, head-to-head trials are required for confirmation. The drug demonstrated sustained efficacy and a favorable long-term liver safety profile, making it strategically important for the general population. Elinzanetant represents a major shift in the nonhormonal treatment approach, offering a safe and sustained alternative for managing menopausal symptoms.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the possible association between vitamin D and adiponectin, a biomarker of insulin resistance, in pre- and early postmenopausal women with obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 118 obese women aged 45–55 years (60 premenopausal and 58 postmenopausal women). Anthropometric measurements were obtained. Body fat percentage and visceral fat were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Serum adiponectin and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were analyzed using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Results: Serum adiponectin levels were higher in the postmenopausal group (7.7 ± 3.8 µg/mL) than in the premenopausal group (5.6 ± 3.8 µg/mL) (P = 0.003). Serum 25(OH)D levels were lower in the postmenopausal group (15.4 ± 6.4 ng/mL) than in the premenopausal group (20.2 ± 4.7 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between serum adiponectin and 25(OH)D in either group (r = −0.008, P = 0.949 in the premenopausal group; r = −0.135, P = 0.312 in the postmenopausal group). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that, after controlling for age, waist circumference, and serum vitamin D levels, adiponectin levels increased by an average of 0.208 units for each 1-cm increase in hip circumference. Conclusions Serum vitamin D levels were not correlated with adiponectin levels in obese pre- and early postmenopausal women.Further studies are needed to investigate factors influencing adiponectin and determine whether vitamin D supplementation provides benefits for obese middle-aged women.

Menopause-associated estrogen deficiency has been implicated in cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis (OA) progression. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates evidence from human and animal studies. Five databases were searched until March 2025. Eligible studies included postmenopausal women or ovariectomized (OVX) animal models assessing cartilage degeneration, OA severity, or related biomarkers. Human and animal studies were analyzed separately. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted when outcomes were comparable. Eleven studies met the criteria (human, n = 6; animal, n = 5). Pooled human results for C-terminal telopeptides of type II collagen and magnetic resonance imaging-based cartilage thickness showed non-significant trends toward greater cartilage loss in estrogen-deficient women. OVX animal studies demonstrated significantly greater histological cartilage degeneration compared with controls. Hormone replacement therapy showed inconsistent but directionally protective effects. Estrogen deficiency is associated with cartilage degeneration, with strong supportive evidence from OVX models. Human evidence indicates similar trends but lacks statistical significance, highlighting the need for larger and more standardized studies.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study assessed the association between body composition characteristics and bone mineral density (BMD) across different menopausal transition stages. Methods: In total, 320 rural women aged 45–60 years were recruited. Body composition and BMD at different skeletal sites were evaluated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The BMD and bone mineral content of the entire hip, lumbar region, and left arm significantly decreased across most of the menopausal transition stages, which was confirmed by Tukey post hoc analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that BMD at the hip, lumbar region, and left arm were strongly and positively associated with weight. However, BMD was negatively associated with % total body fat (TBF) across all the four menopausal stages except for lumbar BMD at the late postmenopausal stage (Model 1). Lean mass was positively and significantly associated with BMD at all the skeletal sites evaluated except for some fluctuations in lumbar BMD (Model 2). Furthermore, waist circumference was significantly associated with BMD in the late postmenopausal stage (Model 3) . Conclusions Weight and lean mass are significant predictors of BMD during the menopausal transition and beyond. Furthermore, %TBF may be a negative indicator of BMD.

Sleep disturbances are common among women during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) using micronized progesterone (MP) may improve sleep, owing to its neurosteroid effects. Studies on the impact of oral MP on sleep quality in Japanese women are limited, given the recent introduction of MP in Japan. We conducted a single-arm, open-label study to examine the effects of HRT with estradiol (E2) and oral MP on sleep quality in 15 peri- and postmenopausal Japanese women who chose HRT to address their menopausal symptoms. The participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and menopausal symptoms questionnaires at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after HRT. The changes in PSQI scores were evaluated. Responders were defined as those with a ≥ 25% reduction in the PSQI global score at 1 month. The PSQI components and menopausal symptoms at baseline were compared between responders and non-responders. Initially, 86.7% of the participants were categorized as poor sleepers. The PSQI global score and sleep quality significantly improved at 1 and 3 months after HRT (baseline to 3rd month mean scores: from 7.8 to 6.1 to 6.5 and from 1.7 to 1.0 to 1.2, respectively). Responders (n = 5) exhibited poorer habitual sleep efficiency before treatment than the non-responders.However, menopausal symptoms did not differ significantly between the groups at baseline. The results indicate that HRT with E2 and MP is a promising treatment option for peri- and postmenopausal Japanese women experiencing sleep disturbances, especially those with poor sleep efficiency.

Objectives: This study aimed to achieve expert consensus on menopause management in the Asia-Pacific region, taking into account patient diversity, the latest evidence, and current treatment options. Methods: A focused literature search was performed to identify clinical practice statements on menopause management. Menopause experts were nominated by members of the Asia-Pacific Menopause Federation (APMF) society. A modified Delphi methodology, involving iterative rounds of anonymous surveys, was employed until consensus was reached for each statement. Consensus was defined as ≥ 70% of experts voting ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ for a given clinical practice statement. Results: A total of 39 participants from 14 different APMF member societies were involved. Eighty-five clinical practice statements reached a consensus. Based on the clinical practice statements, an algorithm was created as a tool to guide clinicians on menopause management. APMF experts agreed that, in addition to vasomotor symptoms, Asian women experiencing somatic or psychological symptoms may also benefit from treatment with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). MHT should also be considered for the prevention of osteoporosis in asymptomatic peri- and postmenopausal women. Conclusions This APMF consensus statement supersedes the previous one published in 2008. It provides guidance to gynecologists, endocrinologists, family physicians, and other healthcare professionals in delivering optimal care to menopausal women in the ethnically and culturally diverse Asia-Pacific region.