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Menstruation is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized by the rise and fall of hormones. Menstruation is triggered by falling progesterone levels and is a sign that pregnancy has not occurred.
Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time when menstrual periods permanently cease, marking the end of reproduction. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, although the exact timing can vary. Menopause is usually a natural change. It can occur earlier in those who smoke tobacco. Other causes include surgery that removes both ovaries or some types of chemotherapy. At the physiological level, menopause happens because of a decrease in the ovaries' production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. While typically not needed, a diagnosis of menopause can be confirmed by measuring hormone levels in the blood or urine. Menopause is the opposite of menarche, the time when a girl's periods start.
The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that makes pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of eggs and the cyclic release of estrogen and progesterone. The uterine cycle governs the preparation and maintenance of the lining of the uterus (womb) to receive an embryo. These cycles are concurrent and coordinated, normally last between 21 and 35 days, with a median length of 28 days, and continue for about 30–45 years.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a disruptive set of emotional and physical symptoms that regularly occur in the one to two weeks before the start of each menstrual period. Symptoms resolve around the time menstrual bleeding begins. Different women experience different symptoms. Premenstrual syndrome commonly produces one or more physical, emotional, or behavioral symptoms, that resolve with menses. The range of symptoms is wide, and most commonly are breast tenderness, bloating, headache, mood swings, depression, anxiety, anger, and irritability. To be diagnosed as PMS, rather than a normal discomfort of the menstrual cycle, these symptoms must interfere with daily living, during two menstrual cycles of prospective recording. These symptoms are nonspecific and are seen in women without PMS. Often PMS-related symptoms are present for about six days. An individual's pattern of symptoms may change over time. PMS does not produce symptoms during pregnancy or following menopause.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a mood disorder characterized by emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms. PMDD causes significant distress or impairment in menstruating women during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The symptoms occur in the luteal phase, improve within a few days after the onset of menses, and are minimal or absent in the week after menses. PMDD has a profound impact on a person's quality of life and dramatically increases the risk of suicidal ideation and even suicide attempts. Many women of reproductive age experience discomfort or mild mood changes prior to menstruation. However, 5–8% experience severe premenstrual syndrome causing significant distress or functional impairment. Within this population of reproductive age, some will meet the criteria for PMDD.
Breast pain is the symptom of discomfort in either one or both breasts. Pain in both breasts is often described as breast tenderness, is usually associated with the menstrual period and is not serious. Pain that involves only one part of a breast is more concerning, particularly if a hard mass or nipple discharge is also present.
A menstrual disorder is characterized as any abnormal condition with regards to a woman's menstrual cycle. There are many different types of menstrual disorders that vary with signs and symptoms, including pain during menstruation, heavy bleeding, or absence of menstruation. Normal variations can occur in menstrual patterns but generally menstrual disorders can also include periods that come sooner than 21 days apart, more than 3 months apart, or last more than 10 days in duration. Variations of the menstrual cycle are mainly caused by the immaturity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, and early detection and management is required in order to minimize the possibility of complications regarding future reproductive ability.
The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) is a professional organization that generates, synthesizes, and disseminates nursing knowledge to contribute to health policy and practice for the benefit of the public and the nursing profession. Founded in 1973, the organization is an independent affiliate of the American Nurses Association (ANA). The organization publishes a bimonthly journal known as Nursing Outlook.
Nancy Coover Andreasen is an American neuroscientist and neuropsychiatrist. She currently holds the Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry at the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa.
Jerilynn C. Prior is a Canadian endocrinologist and medical doctor specializing in menstrual cycles and the effects of hormones on women's health. She has been called a leader in understanding and treating perimenopause and menopause. She was born in the USA and moved to Canada in 1976, and has taken citizenship there.
Estrogen dominance (ED) is a theory about a metabolic state where the level of estrogen outweighs the level of progesterone in the body. This is said to be caused by a decrease in progesterone without a subsequent decrease in estrogen.
Anne MacGregor is a New Zealand-born British medical researcher and clinician based in London. She is a leading researcher in the field of hormonal effects on migraine.
The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 35,000 members committed to promoting excellence in oncology nursing and the transformation of cancer care.
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), founded in 1989, is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization with the mission of promoting the health and quality of life of women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, NAMS has more than 2,800 members from 51 countries, with 88% of its members from North America.Its membership includes experts from many disciplines such as medicine, nursing, sociology, psychology, nutrition, anthropology, epidemiology, pharmacy, and education.
Michelle Ann Williams is a Jamaican-American epidemiologist, public health scientist, and educator who has served as the dean of the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health since 2016.
Linda Burnes Bolton is an American nurse and healthcare administrator. She is the vice president and chief nursing officer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and has served as president of the American Academy of Nursing, the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the National Black Nurses Association. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Nancy I. Williams is an American kinesiologist who is a professor at Pennsylvania State University. Her research considers the physiological mechanisms that underpin energy balance, exercise performance and bone health. She is a former president of the American Kinesiology Association and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Menopause in incarceration is a social and policy campaigning issue in which people work to raise awareness of the gender specific impact menopause symptoms can have on people in prison. Although women are a minority of those incarcerated, the age of women in the prison system is increasing across the world. As this happens it becomes necessary for inmates to be assessed for menopausal symptoms and offered the gender and age-specific services and support they need. Researchers have identified this as a gap in prison healthcare which leaves the needs of many people unmet.
Barbara Riegel is an American clinical researcher, clinical nurse specialist, academic, and author. She is a Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, a Professor Emerita at San Diego State University, and Co-Director of the International Center for Self-Care Research.
Menstruation can have a notable impact on mental health, with some individuals experiencing mood disturbances and psychopathological symptoms during their menstrual cycle. Menstruation involves hormonal fluctuations and physiological changes in the body, which can affect a person's mood and psychological state. Many individuals report experiencing mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and even depression in the days leading up to their menstrual period. This cluster of symptoms is often referred to as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). For some individuals, the psychopathological symptoms associated with menstruation can be severe and debilitating, leading to a condition known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is characterized by intense mood disturbances, cognitive, and somatic symptoms, which occur in a cyclical pattern linked to the menstrual cycle. In addition to PMDD, menstruation can exacerbate existing mental health conditions. The complex relationship between menstruation and mental well-being has garnered increased attention in both scientific research and public discourse.
References
- ↑ "Bio Wood" (DOC). Archived from the original on June 29, 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ↑ "Our Advisory Board". American Bone Health. July 2016.
- ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients Named for Penn's 249th Commencement". Penn Today. 28 March 2005.
- ↑ "Nancy Fugate Woods, PhD, RN, FAAN". University of Washington School of Nursing. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ↑ "Living Legends". American Academy of Nursing.
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