Understanding World Menopause Day: A celebration of awareness & support

Every year on 18 October, World Menopause Day is observed, a powerful reminder of the importance of raising awareness about menopause and the support available for women navigating this natural phase of life

What is World Menopause Day?

World Menopause Day aims to educate and inform women about menopause, its symptoms, and the treatment options available. It aims to highlight the need for awareness and support for women experiencing menopause, to break the silence surrounding menopause and to empower women to seek the help they need. It’s a day to celebrate the strength of women and to encourage open conversations about a topic that has often been shrouded in stigma.

Menopause is a natural biological process caused by a decline in oestrogen levels, typically occurs in women in their late 40s to early 50s. It’s defined as the absence of a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months, marking the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The absence of periods can be liberating for some women who have gone through cycle-related symptoms like PMS, menstrual migraines and painful heavy periods. However, a significant proportion of women experience menopause symptoms that can last for up to 5 to 10 years.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Over decades, the topic of the menopause has been plagued by various controversies and polarisation of views about management. This has led to women being denied effective treatment to help them navigate their personal, social and professional lives.

Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) or also known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) covers a range of hormone treatment that can reduce symptoms. These symptoms can be at times distressing, affecting many aspects of life. Hot flushes, insomnia and vaginal dryness are examples that respond well to MHT.

MHT should however not be regarded as an anti-aging strategy, nor should it be used to prevent cardio-vascular disease or dementia.

The mainstay of MHT is oestrogen replacement. There are different types of oestrogen preparations available – from oral tablets to transdermal gels and patches. Most women will also be prescribed a progesterone preparation if they still have a womb. Progesterone is used to prevent thickening of the inner lining of the uterus, which is also known as the endometrium.

The best time to initiate MHT is in the menopause/late perimenopause phase. Doses prescribed should be the lowest possible in order to achieve maximum benefit. The risk for blood clots, stroke & breast cancer while taking topical MHT is very low. However, initiating treatment in a woman over the age of 60 may be associated with increased risks of blood clots and stroke. Therefore, a personalised approach should be adopted when deciding on the duration of treatment.

There may be situations when a woman prefers not to do hormone therapy due to insufficient relief of symptoms with MHT or medical reasons why MHT is inappropriate. In these cases, a discussion about other options of treatment should be offered.

Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, smoking cessation and reducing alcohol consumption may be beneficial. SSRI/SNRI (anti-depressants) as well as hypnotherapy/CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) can play a role in mitigating symptoms.

A new non-hormonal drug was FDA approved in 2023 for use in moderate to severe hot flushes and night sweats. It works by blocking a neuroreceptor in the brain’s regulation of body temperature, and has been proven as an effective alternative for some women, but it has yet to be approved outside of the U.S, including Singapore.

It is crucial that you choose a healthcare provider who is able to provide a supportive, informative and non-judgemental environment where you can freely discuss the menopause, express concerns and priorities, while receiving personalised care to optimise your health and wellbeing.

This article is written by Dr. Vinu Sahlén who is tri-lingual and also speaks German and Swedish. Dr Sahlén is based in IMC Camden. Book online at www.imc-healthcare.com, email camden@imc-healthcare.com or call + 65 6733 4440 (ext 1).

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