Approaching Menopause (But Not There Yet!): Caring for Women in Midlife

Abstract

iIn a study by Beyene, Gilliss, and Lee (2007), 40to 48-year-old women, when questioned about what they considered “middle age,” identified 45 to 60 years as “middle-aged.” Many women, although they may no longer consider themselves “young,” don’t consider themselves “old,” either. Rather, they look at their mothers and describe them as old (Im, Liu, Dormaire, & Chee, 2008). According to Shilling (2011), “Sixty is the new forty” is a common refrain and 45 no longer feels “old.” While it’s great to be young at heart, it’s still important for women to be aware of the health issues they may encounter as they enter middle age. Yet, many may not be thinking about the approach of menopause and its concomitant health changes until noticeable physical alterations occur (Im et al., 2008; Weismiller, 2009). Perimenopause and Menopause Menopause is a natural and normal part of a woman’s life, a transition to the part of life when she is no longer able to bear children. For most women, perimenopause, or the time period from the onset of menopausal signs and symptoms through the cessation of menses for greater than 1 year, usually begins around age 47, and is complete by age 55 (Weismiller, 2009; Zender & Olshansky, 2009). Many women see this as a positive time in their lives, with decreasing worries about contraception or menses; however, other women may see it as an end to their unique Approaching Menopause (But Not There Yet!)