Search Results (6)

Perimenopause, the transitional phase leading up to menopause, affects millions of women worldwide, yet it remains poorly understood and under-addressed in healthcare. Despite the availability of treatment options like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal alternatives, the awareness and utilization of these options vary significantly among women. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional survey with 1000 adults, both men and women, from the United States and Canada. We evaluated the perceived familiarity of participants with the timing, duration, and symptoms of perimenopause, as well as their satisfaction with their treatment options and communication with their healthcare providers. We found that, in general, women and older people were more likely to feel familiar with perimenopause, although the youngest age group surveyed also reported relatively high familiarity. We also found that there is a disconnect between people reporting high familiarity with perimenopause and its symptoms but overall middling and lower familiarity with the age and duration of onset and satisfaction with treatment options. Our results suggest further investigation into where people obtain their information concerning perimenopause, as well as into how knowledge of perimenopause may vary based on demographics. Full article

Women’s knowledge about perimenopause plays a crucial role in shaping their perception of related illnesses, influencing coping strategies, treatment adherence, and the overall management of this life stage. This cross-sectional study assessed the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding perimenopause among 409 Saudi women attending primary healthcare centers. Participants completed a structured questionnaire addressing demographic data, awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to perimenopause. While 75.3% of the participants were aware of perimenopause, only 17.4% could identify more than 10 out of 20 perimenopause symptoms. Commonly recognized symptoms included menstrual irregularity (67.7%), mood swings (66.0%), and mood fluctuations (50.4%). Only 23.0% had optimal knowledge about perimenopause complications. Additionally, 73.3% had not consulted a doctor for perimenopause-related issues. An analysis of the overall knowledge score showed a mean (SD) = 14.82 (5.64) out of 34. The level of knowledge was independently associated with a higher educational level, more frequent perimenopause symptoms, and regular doctor visits. This study reveals high awareness but insufficient knowledge among Saudi women regarding perimenopause symptoms and complications associated with higher perimenopause morbidity and a lack of engagement with healthcare professionals. It underscores the need for early and continued education on perimenopause, improved doctor–patient communication, and specific interventions to boost knowledge and attitudes toward perimenopause. Full article

Osteoporosis, or bone loss, is a disease that affects many women globally. As life expectancy increases, the risk of osteoporosis in women also increases, too, and this will create a burden on the healthcare and economic sectors of a country. Osteoporosis was once thought to be a disease that would occur only after menopause. However, many studies have shown that osteoporosis may develop even in the perimenopausal stage. Due to the erratic levels of estrogen and progesterone during the perimenopausal stage, studies suggest that women are exposed to the risk of developing osteoporosis even at this stage. The erratic hormonal changes result in the production of proinflammatory mediators and cause oxidative stress, which leads to the progressive loss of bone-building activities. Tocotrienols, members of vitamin E, have many health-promoting properties. Due to their powerful anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, tocotrienols have shown positive anti-osteoporotic properties in post-menopausal studies. Hence, we propose here that tocotrienols could also possibly alleviate perimenopausal osteoporosis by discussing in this review the connection between inflammatory mediators produced during perimenopause and the risk of osteoporosis. Tocotrienols could potentially be an anti-osteoporotic agent, but due to their low bioavailability, they have not been as effective as they could be. Several approaches have been evaluated to overcome this issue, as presented in this review. As the anti-osteoporotic effects of tocotrienols were mostly studied in post-menopausal models, we hope that this review could pave the way for more research to be done to evaluate their effect on peri-menopausal models so as to reduce the risk of osteoporosis from an earlier stage. Full article

Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a common symptom in the female population, with an estimated prevalence of 10 to 30% in fertile age and up to 90% in perimenopausal women. In most cases, AUB is due to a benign cause. However, it can also be a symptom of atypical endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial cancer, a more common disease during menopause which can also affect women in their reproductive age. Considering the high prevalence of this symptom an appropriate diagnostic algorithm is needed. Concerns about the risks, pain, and stress associated with an endometrial biopsy and its impact on the healthcare system make the choice of AUB diagnostic strategy extremely relevant. Even if the scientific community agrees on the definition of AUB, International Guidelines show some differences in the management of women of reproductive age with AUB, especially regarding the age cut-off as an independent indication for endometrial biopsy. This study compared different diagnostic strategies to identify a diagnostic pathway with high sensitivity and specificity but low impact on the health system’s resources. The analysis was based on three diagnostic algorithms defined as part of the guidelines of leading scientific societies. Women of reproductive age with AUB (n = 625) and without risk of endometrial cancer were included in the study. Results showed that the best criterion to investigate AUB in women at low risk of endometrial cancer is not age cut-off but the presence or absence of focal endometrial pathology at the ultrasound and the response to the progestin therapy. This approach makes it possible to perform fewer outpatient hysteroscopic biopsies without excluding positive cases from the examination. Full article

The aim of the study was to specify prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms among middle-aged women and to understand the factors associated with women’s perimenopausal healthcare-seeking behavior in Shanghai, China. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out involving 3147 participants aged 40–60 years. A combination of stratified sampling and quota sampling was used. Out of the total 16 districts in Shanghai, 7 were purposefully selected in consideration of covering both central and suburban areas, population distribution, and willingness to participate. Two communities were randomly selected in each of six districts. Four communities were randomly selected in the 7th district considering the relatively low coverage of central population in the sampling frame. Eligible women were recruited continuously according to the house number and invited to participate in the study until 200 participants were recruited in each community. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect information including sociodemographic data, menopausal symptoms, and experiences in seeking perimenopausal healthcare. The severity of menopausal symptoms was assessed with the modified Kupperman menopausal index (mKMI). The mean age of all the participants was 51 years. 33.13% of the participants were premenopausal, 14.52% were perimenopausal, and 52.35% were postmenopausal. The total prevalence of menopausal symptoms was 73.8%, while among the perimenopausal women, the symptoms were the most common (81.70%). The top three reported symptoms were fatigue (38.08%), hot flushes and sweating (33.65%), and joint ache (28.81%). Perimenopausal and postmenopausal participants had a higher score of the mKMI than premenopausal women (p < 0.01). Of the women who had symptoms, 25.97% had sought healthcare. A logistic regression model revealed that employment, menstruation status, and the mKMI were significantly associated with healthcare-seeking behaviors (p < 0.01). We concluded that prevalence of menopausal symptoms was relatively high among middle-aged women, with perimenopausal women showing the highest level. However, only a small percentage of the participants sought healthcare. Carrying out health education may be a measure to improve the healthcare-seeking behavior. Full article

The menopausal transition, or perimenopause, is characterized by menstrual irregularities, vasomotor symptoms, sleep disturbances, mood symptoms, and urogenital tract atrophy. These changes can also affect the quality of life and one’s self-esteem. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is considered the best option to achieve therapeutic relief of different menopausal symptoms but is usually restricted to moderate or severe symptoms. Moreover, many women refuse HRT for a variety of reasons concerning the fear of cancer and other adverse effects. According to these considerations, new topics are emerging: Dissatisfaction with drug costs and conventional healthcare, desire for personalized medicines, and the public perception that “natural is good”. In this context, nonhormonal therapies are mostly evolving, and it is not unusual that women often request a “natural” approach for their symptoms. The aim of this study is to investigate nonhormonal therapies that have been identified to reduce the menopausal symptoms. Full article