Session 1: What are we are talking about?

Introduction

According to the British Menopause Society (2020), menopause is ‘a major life event affecting all women in a variety of ways, both short and long term’. So, what is menopause?

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A wordcloud image with lots of different terms related to menopause. The terms include:

• perimenopause
• irritability
• estrogen level
• cramps
• stages
• symptoms
• mеnоpause
• nausea
• night
• insomnia
• mood swings
• irregular periods
• hot flushes
• menstruation
• sweats
• vaginal dryness
• symptoms
• night sweats
• vaginal discomfort
• breast
• osteoporosis
• cancer
• age
• actions
• loss
• depression
• disease
• irregular periods
• hot flashes

The word ‘menopause’ simply refers to the end of the menstrual cycle, which is caused when the ovaries stop producing eggs. The term comes from the Greek terms menos (meaning month) and pausos (meaning ending) (Hillard et al., 2017).

Activity 1 Introduction to menopause

Timing: Allow 10 minutes

By way of introduction, watch Video 1, where members of the public are asked about their understanding of the menopause.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1 What is the menopause?

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Transcript: Video 1 What is the menopause?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[TEXT ON SCREEN: What is the menopause?]

SPEAKER 1

A lot of women call it the change. And I think it is a change, when your sort of fertile life, periods, ends, and you go into the next stage of your life really.

SPEAKER 2

I think menopause, what it means to me is when someone who of a certain age gets more severe mood swings, as well as more drastic change within their bodies.

INTERVIEWER

Yeah. Why do you think we should be concerned about the menopause?

SPEAKER 2

Because I think if it's not treated early on, then that person could become more isolated and lonely. And then that can affect their surrounding families and friends. And then it's obviously not good for their mental and physical health as well.

SPEAKER 3

It’s the reduction of hormones, isn't it? So it would be maybe feeling very tired, mood swings, things like that.

INTERVIEWER

Are there any other symptoms that typically relate?

SPEAKER 3

I think hair loss, weight gain, hot flushes, mood swings. These are all part of the menopause.

SPEAKER 4

I see it like the opposite of puberty, if it makes sense. (GIGGLING)

[MUSIC PLAYING]

End transcript: Video 1 What is the menopause?

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Video 1 What is the menopause?

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Now compare your own perceptions of the menopause to those of the people interviewed in the film.

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Discussion

Different people will have a different understanding of the menopause but seeing it as the change is useful as hormone levels change so how the person feels changes and this can affect what they do and how they behave around other people. Also, looking at the menopause as ‘puberty in reverse’ is interesting as those hormones whose levels rose during puberty are now falling causing unpleasant symptoms.

By the end of this session, you should be able to:

• explain what happens during the menopause and the impact this has
• identify the different types of menopause
• identify when the menopause happens and its different stages
• appreciate the hormones involved the roles they each play.