Lay perceptions of a 'natural' menopause. Cross sectional study of the British Women's Heart and Health Study.
Health practitioners and researchers define a natural menopause as one not due to a hysterectomy or oophorectomy. In a large cross sectional study of postmenopausal women, we found that the majority of women who report that their menopause was not natural gave a gynaecologic reason. However, 3% gave a major life event, such as divorce or bereavement. Age at menopause for women who had had a hysterectomy/oophorectomy was the same as that of women who reported that their periods has stopped because of a major life event-on average six years younger than that of women who described their menopause as natural. We suggest that women whose periods stop 'naturally' (from a medical perspective) but at a relatively young age perceive this as unnatural and search for an explanation for the early cessation of their menses.
Lawlor
Debbie A
DA
Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
Adamson
Joy
J
Ebrahim
Shah
S
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010465:Perception; D011639:Public Opinion; D006113:United Kingdom