Menopause Flashcards
Define premenopause
Entire reproductive period up to final menses
Define perimenopause
Time before menopause (3 to 5 years) but is associated with gradual endocrine changes
Define Menopause
12 months or longer cessation of menstruation associated with reduced hormonal production
Define climacteric
Ageing process of women during which transition from reprodcuctive to non-reproductive stage occurs
What is the average age of menopause?
49 to 51
What age does premature menopause occur at?
<40 yrs
What age does early menopause occur
<45 years
What is the physiology of menopause?
Ovarian follicles degenerate over time, remaning follicles have reduced sensitivity to FSH and LH
PERIMENOPAUSE: Few functional follicles leading to anovulatory cycles and therefore irregular periods.
Reduced functional follicles means reduced oestrogen and progesterone from granulosa and theca cells
This reduces inhibition on hypothalamus and pituitary causing high levels of GnRH and therefore FSH and LH
Erratic FSH and LH production results in clinical features of menopause and eventually 12 month cessation of menstrual period
What are the factors causing early onset of menopause?
Family history Smoking (2 years earlier) Blindness Abnormal chromosome karyotype Precocious puberty Left-handedness Poor nutrition Nullipara Low socio-economic status Prior hysterectomy
What factors cause late onset of menopause?
Obesity
High socio-economic status
Why is obesity associated with later onset of menopause?
Peripheral adipocytes govern the conversion of androstenedione (from ovary and adrenals) into E1 and then to E2.
Thus, obese women produce more oestrone (E1).
What is the risk of unopposed oestrogen?
Endometrial cancer
List the phases of change during the climacteric
Phase I - hypothalamic and pituitary hyperactivity
Phase II - Ovulation and corpus luteum
Phase III - Ovarian follicular failure
Which hormones are raised during phase I of climacteric
FSH and later LH
Increased follicular resistance to gonadotrophins
Which phase of climacteric causes DUB, endometrial hyperplasia and Ca? Why?
Phase II
Infrequent, deficient/absent ovulation, Low progesterone