Facts to Know

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1. Before they turn 50, women are less likely to have a heart attack than men. Ten years after menopause, however, their heart attack risk is close to men's. Women can protect themselves against heart disease by not smoking, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.

2. Osteoporosis—a disease in which bones become thin, brittle and more likely to fracture—affects one in four women after menopause.

3. In a 1998 Gallup survey sponsored by the North American Menopause Society, more than half (51 percent) of American women between the ages 50 and 65 who had reached menopause said they were happier and more fulfilled than when they were in their 20s, 30s or 40s.

4. The same Gallup poll revealed that 16 percent of women surveyed said their sexual relationship had improved since menopause, while 17 percent said it had gotten worse and more than half (51 percent) said it had remained unchanged.

5. Most women in the 1998 Gallup poll said they discussed menopause with a friend or someone from their own generation, compared to a smaller percentage who said they discussed it with someone from their mother's or daughter's generation.

6. Some studies find a diet high in soy products can reduce postmenopausal hot flashes.

7. Some women continue to experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms as they approach menopause. These symptoms can include swollen or tender breasts, bloating, nausea and moodiness.

8. Fertility decreases gradually as menopause approaches. However, you can still get pregnant, even if your periods are irregular. The second highest unintended pregnancy rate is for women between the ages of 40 to 44. Thus, the need for reliable contraception remains important.

9. As estrogen levels decline, vaginal tissue and tissue in the lower urinary tract become thinner, drier and less supple, which can cause painful intercourse and more frequent urinary tract infections. Osteoporosis and heart disease are other consequences of declining estrogen levels in the decades following menopause.

10. As you approach menopause, you may notice that you feel more irritable and moody than usual. Some researchers believe this moodiness is due to the changes in your estrogen levels, but others think it may be more the result of the other symptoms that accompany menopause, such as hot flashes and fatigue, coupled with other stressors that often plague women in middle age. Severe depression, however, is not a symptom of menopause.