Menopause – Is it really a pause to health?

Menopause – Is it really a pause to health? Adjunct Assistant Professor Zhongwei Huang, Dr. Paula Benny and Ms. Hui Wen Tam emphasize the need for a shift in perspectives on menopause, which could improve public understanding of reproductive health and assist women in achieving a healthier longevity. In every woman’s health journey, the transition to menopause is gradual, universal, yet often misunderstood. Menopause is a natural part of ovarian ageing, in which the depletion of ovarian follicles over time results in a decline in ovarian function and a reduction in hormone (estrogen, progesterone) production. Menopause marks the end of the reproductive life stage and is diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without menstruation, typically occurring around the age of 50, and is a driver of age-associated disorders, including osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and metabolic diseases. (1) In this last article of a four-part series, we delve deeper into the importance of recognizing menopause as a natural physiological process rather than a pathological condition. (2-4) In addition, the conventional stereotype of reproductive health as solely associated with fertility is currently changing. It has been shown that reproductive health is tightly linked with overall health in both men and women. (5-10) This paradigm shift of viewing menopause as a normal life stage worthy of active health management would significantly improve personal and public perceptions of managing reproductive health towards healthy longevity.