Most people have a general understanding of what menopause is, but not why it happens or all the different ways that it can impact a woman’s body. Unfortunately, even scientists and medical professionals don’t have a complete understanding of menopause, which often means that it is not treated properly.
Menopause is generally defined as the time when a woman’s menstrual periods stop because their ovaries are no longer releasing eggs. Due to this, the levels of hormones including estrogen and progesterone also drop, which can impact many aspects of one’s life.
The time leading up to menopause, often called perimenopause, can last for months, or even years, and while the person experiencing it can still have periods, they may experience a variety of symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, changes in mood, and much more.
So, it seems that menopause is more of a process than a single event.
To make it even more complicated, some other mammals also experience menopause. Whales, for example, have been confirmed to go through it. According to a 2023 study, chimpanzees also experience menopause, though it is quite rare because wild chimps often don’t survive to the age where they go through it.
One thing that is clear is that there has not been enough research into an inevitable condition that half the world’s population faces.
A review of the current field of menopause research that took place in 2023 makes this clear. The review stated:
“Despite decades of research pertaining to menopause, more work is needed. Further research, including studies of perimenopausal women, is needed to close knowledge gaps and achieve better care.”
There have, however, been some recent studies on the subject that are providing important insights that can help experts to better understand what it is, why it happens, and how to treat the symptoms.
One study, for example, found that menopause may cause more heart issues due to accelerated plaque buildup. Knowing this can help doctors to monitor heart health more closely in postmenopausal women.
Let’s hope that more research is coming.
If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a second giant hole has opened up on the sun’s surface. Here’s what it means.
