Menopause

Typically occurring between the ages of 40 and 55, menopause is literally defined as “month stop.” It is [Page 1103]the time in a female's life at which menstrual periods cease, signaling an end to fertility. The average age at which women enter menopause in Western countries is 51. The age at which women in developing countries enter menopause is currently rising in response to health and nutritional improvements. Contrary to popular belief, the age at which menopause begins is not determined by the age at which menstruation begins, the age at which women become pregnant, race, life style, or socioeconomic status. Some researchers believe that smoking, shorter than normal menstrual cycles, and tubal ligation may lead to early onset of menopause. Genetics, multigravidity (the number of pregnancies), and the use of oral contraceptives may be linked to latter onset of menopause. Premature ovarian failure is experienced by women who enter menopause before the age of 35 or who have experienced surgical menopause due to the removal of the uterus and one or both ovaries. Surgical menopause is abrupt rather than gradual, and there is some indication that women who undergo surgical menopause may experience more symptoms of menopause than those for whom the progression is natural.

Women's experiences of menopause may vary according to cultural norms, and reactions are often linked to individual and societal perceptions of women's roles. In the United States, African American women are more likely than Caucasians to view menopause with equanimity. Women from traditional cultures are more likely than others to express negative attitudes. A 1980 study comparing Japanese and Canadian women, for instance, revealed that 78 of Canadians but only 55.8 percent of Japanese women felt that menopause did not change women's lives significantly. The following year, a study of five Israeli subcultures examined attitudes on menopause among more than 1,200 women Israeli women who had mothered from two to eight children. The majority wholeheartedly welcomed menopause. Contrarily, those who came from Muslim Arab and Near Eastern Jewish backgrounds, which strictly defined women's roles, perceived menopause as a negative experience.