The end of the child-bearing period is the menopause. This is the second time in a woman’s life when the workings of the sex organs are greatly modified and produce disturbing symptoms. The first time is at puberty. I imagine that most girls are elated to feel that they are really becoming women and no longer need to dress in their mothers’ old dresses and play “grown up.” Hence they bear with equanimity some unpleasant aspects.
Difficulties with menstruation, the unpleasant symptoms of the menopause, and a few other situations may call for the use of sex hormones, but the frequency of their use is generally in inverse proportion to the knowledge of the physician who is prescribing them. The psychic effect is particularly difficult to separate in these cases, but we may remember that over several generations, when these hormones were not in use, a large fortune was made and maintained by dispensing only vegetable compounds for female troubles. The vegetables were inert physiologically and safer than the powerful hormones.
Women at their menopause, the “change of life,” do have an upsetting of their endocrine balance.
In fact they have some upsetting at every menstrual period. Some have a great deal of disturbance every month, leading them to refer to the “curse.” But, at the time when these periods are ceasing and the whole hormonal system is readjusting, a woman is likely to have a lot of other things bother her, too. The menopause notifies her that she is losing her youthful charm – she is on the verge of becoming elderly. Naturally the psychic effect is bad. She is, in some cases, unnecessarily upset by the belief that she will soon lose her sexual attractiveness to her husband. This is not the case. She ceases to have a menstrual flow and to ovulate, but her other sexual functions and desires are unimpaired.
Along with the change of life other physical causes of discomfort become more common. X-rays demonstrate that practically everybody is then developing some arthritis, and arthritis often is uncomfortable. Pseudo-medical literature in modern abundance, and advertising, keep up the suggestion that the woman in the late forties is in for trouble. What Woman has not seen, in the advertising pages, photographs of her unhappy sisters who, she is told, look thus because of the change of life? It is a tribute to the female sex that, as far as a mere man is able to notice, most of them are able to show little change in their equanimity at this time.
The menopause is complete when the ovaries have ceased to perform their normal function. There are rare occasions when a woman may menstruate regularly for years and then abruptly cease for the rest of her life. Usually it is a gradual change, in reverse, to that which occurs at puberty. Most young girls do not immediately start into a normal menstrual cycle. They are irregular at first and it is well known that they are apt to have irritable, nervous symptoms as well as physical difficulties at that time. At the menopause the same irregularity and symptoms are the rule.
The age at which it may occur is variable. Not too uncommonly it appears at about thirty-five, and two of my gynecological friends have told me that they thought the average age is over fifty. It frequently is difficult to say with certainty when the menopause is fully completed. If I may use an arbitrary figure, I should therefore say that any woman, who has ceased to menstruate for six months and then appears to start up again, should have a careful physical examination, as there are numerous bad conditions which may simulate menstruation.
Women at their menopause, the “change of life,” do have an upsetting of their endocrine balance.
In fact they have some upsetting at every menstrual period. Some have a great deal of disturbance every month, leading them to refer to the “curse.” But, at the time when these periods are ceasing and the whole hormonal system is readjusting, a woman is likely to have a lot of other things bother her, too. The menopause notifies her that she is losing her youthful charm – she is on the verge of becoming elderly. Naturally the psychic effect is bad. She is, in some cases, unnecessarily upset by the belief that she will soon lose her sexual attractiveness to her husband. This is not the case. She ceases to have a menstrual flow and to ovulate, but her other sexual functions and desires are unimpaired.
Along with the change of life other physical causes of discomfort become more common. X-rays demonstrate that practically everybody is then developing some arthritis, and arthritis often is uncomfortable. Pseudo-medical literature in modern abundance, and advertising, keep up the suggestion that the woman in the late forties is in for trouble. What Woman has not seen, in the advertising pages, photographs of her unhappy sisters who, she is told, look thus because of the change of life? It is a tribute to the female sex that, as far as a mere man is able to notice, most of them are able to show little change in their equanimity at this time.
The menopause is complete when the ovaries have ceased to perform their normal function. There are rare occasions when a woman may menstruate regularly for years and then abruptly cease for the rest of her life. Usually it is a gradual change, in reverse, to that which occurs at puberty. Most young girls do not immediately start into a normal menstrual cycle. They are irregular at first and it is well known that they are apt to have irritable, nervous symptoms as well as physical difficulties at that time. At the menopause the same irregularity and symptoms are the rule.
The age at which it may occur is variable. Not too uncommonly it appears at about thirty-five, and two of my gynecological friends have told me that they thought the average age is over fifty. It frequently is difficult to say with certainty when the menopause is fully completed. If I may use an arbitrary figure, I should therefore say that any woman, who has ceased to menstruate for six months and then appears to start up again, should have a careful physical examination, as there are numerous bad conditions which may simulate menstruation.
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