Postmenopause
What is postmenopausal period?
Postmenopause is the time after menopause has occurred, starting when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.1 The postmenopausal stage is the third stage of menopausal transition which brings about a number of physical and emotional changes.2
How do the hormones change during postmenopause stage?
Before the menopause, a woman's ovaries produces most of the estrogen hormones (in the form of estradiol) in her body. During the perimenopause, her estrogen levels fall.3
In the postmenopause, estrone is quantitatively the most important circulating oestrogen hormone in her body. It is formed through the conversion of the hormone androstenedione (produced by her adrenal glands), to estrone.4
During the postmenopausal stage, some of the symptoms may improve or disappear. However, they may persist in some women. The common symptoms that can be seen in a postmenopausal woman are:4
What are the risks associated with the postmenopausal stage?
A decrease in the hormone estrogen is related to various morbidities associated with menopause and the postmenopausal period. The incidence of certain conditions and disease such as oesteoporosis and cardiovascular disease is increased in postmenopausal women.4,5
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