CHANGES IN AUSTRALIAN WOMENS PERCEPTION OF THE MENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS BEFORE AND AFTER THE CLIMACTERIC

The symptoms and perceptions of menopause of 60 Australian women were studied, by questionnaire, when they were premenopausal and 10 years l ater when they were postmenopausal. Menopausal symptoms expected and e xperienced by the women were compared, fewer women experiencing hot fl ushes, headache, depression and nervousness and more experiencing inso mnia, increase in appetite, abdominal fullness, numbness and muscular problems. The symptoms women thought were due to hormonal changes at m enopause were compared. In 1993 more women cited osteoporosis, insomni a, loss of libido, obesity and loss of muscle tone as due to hormone c hange while fewer cited depression. The premenstrual symptoms and thei r severity experienced by a woman when she was premenopausal significa ntly predicts the type and severity of the menopausal symptoms experie nced by the woman. The expected menopausal symptoms and their severity cited by a woman also significantly predicts the type of severity of the menopausal symptoms experienced. More premenstrual symptoms predic t the menopausal symptoms than those menopausal symptoms the women exp ected. The expectation menopause will be 'a relief or 'a nuisance' sig nificantly predicted the overall menopause experience described by the women. Their negative attitudes about doctors' understanding and info rmation available about menopause remained unchanged but they forget m enstrual cycle problems over the 10 years. The results suggest a possi ble physiological basis for premenstrual and menopausal symptoms. Assi stance for women with their premenstrual and menstrual cycle symptoms may improve their quality of life at menopause.