What You Should Know About Menopause
(NAPSI)-According to a new survey of female
executives, menopause is moving out of the shadows and into the
boardroom.
The
survey, conducted among members of the National Association for Female
Executives (NAFE), found that half of the respondents currently in
menopause (45 percent) said it was worse than expected, over one-fifth
(22 percent) said it was much worse than expected and three-quarters
(75 percent) are concerned their menopausal symptoms will occur at
inconvenient times.
Menopause is the natural stage in a woman's
aging process when her ovaries stop producing estrogens. Menopause can
occur naturally or may be induced by surgery, chemotherapy or
radiation. Since estrogens are largely responsible for developing and
maintaining the female reproductive system, reduced levels can cause
uncomfortable symptoms.
The survey revealed that 88 percent of
NAFE members surveyed have had some experience with menopause and two
thirds (67 percent) of this group have experienced menopausal symptoms
once a week or more.
• 95 percent of this group experience physical
symptoms-most commonly, hot flashes (80 percent) and night sweats (74
percent);
•
79 percent of this group experience symptoms that are emotional or
affect their mental functioning, such as forgetfulness or diminished
concentration (57 percent), irritability (53 percent) and mood changes
(53 percent).
According to the American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists (ACOG), the first wave of baby boomer women (born
1945-1960) are now entering meno-pause and another 20 million will
reach menopause in the next decade. These women must weigh the risks
and benefits of treating their menopausal symptoms with hormone
therapy.
A Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study, sponsored
by
the National Institutes of Health, found that there was potentially
increased health risk associated with use of estrogens with progestin
at higher doses or for extended periods of time.
According to
Diane DiLalla, age 56, "When I turned 50 I started having hot flashes
and they were very uncomfortable, especially at work. At first, my
doctor suggested I try some herbal remedies but they didn't work for
me. I was concerned about taking hormone therapy but my doctor told me
I could take Cenestin®, which is a plant based estrogen therapy, to
treat my menopausal symptoms."
Her doctor's viewpoint is echoed
by several professional organizations, including the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and North American Menopause Society (NAMS), which
recommend hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms at
the lowest doses for the shortest duration.
According to James
A. Simon, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, George
Washington University, Washington D.C., Medical Director, The Women's
Health Research Center® in Laurel, Maryland, and immediate past
president of NAMS, whether or not to use hormone therapy is a personal
decision. "A woman needs to weigh the impact of her menopausal symptoms
on her personal and work life with her individual health status and
history."
FPO
Plant based hormone therapy is becoming a popular
treatment for menopausal symptoms.
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