A Study to Assess the Menopause and Menopausal Symptoms Among Women Attending at Mahila mandal Bagalkot, Karnataka

Introduction: Menopause is a physiological event, experienced by every woman in her lifetime. World Health Organization (WHO) defines it as the time there has been no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months and no other biological and physiological cause can be identified. It is the point in time when menstrual cycles permanently cease due to the natural depletion of ovarian follicle from aging. It marks the permanent end of fertility. Menopause usually starts between the ages of 40 -58 years in developed countries, and the average age is 51 years. Sometimes, it will occur earlier due to a medical condition or treatment, such as the removal of the ovaries. (Carlolyn Key 2020). As menopause approaches, the remaining eggs become more resistant to FSH, and the ovaries dramatically reduce their production of estrogens hormone. Loss of estrogen can cause of many symptoms associated with menopause. Estrogen affects many parts of the body, including the blood vessels, heart, bone, breasts, uterus, urinary system, skin, and brain. (Traci C. Johnson2020) There are some changes can be noticed at midlife of women. Some may be the part of aging rather than directly related to menopause. Even though majority of the women have undergone at least one or more symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, irregular vaginal bleeding, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, weight gain, mood swings and urinary incontinence. More than 80% of women above 45 years of age, experience these symptoms in the transition period leading to menopause. Methods: The dates of the descriptive study were MARCH 21, 2025 to APRIL22, 2025. Using the stratified random sample procedure, 120 study participants were chosen. The research was carried out in ahila mandala, Bagalkot. The study involving 120 menopause women. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire and variables including socio demographic characteristics.