Stating that the average age of menopause in Turkey is 47 years old but the process is reduced to 40 years old due to some factors, Gynecology and Obstetrics Specialist Prof. Dr. Müzeyyen Uyanık said that smoking is one of the leading factors causing early menopause.
Medicana Bursa Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Specialist Prof. Dr. Müzeyyen Uyanık, who warned smoking women about early menopause, explained that menopause that occurs before the age of 40 is 'early menopause'. Stating that the menopause period starts with the decrease in the female hormone after the average age of 40, Uyanık pointed out that smoking and similar factors accelerate this. Medicana Bursa Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Specialist Prof. Dr. Müzeyyen Uyanık, who warned smoking women about early menopause, said, “Menopause is one of the most important age periods for a woman. Contrary to being known as the beginning of aging, it is a period that should be considered as one of the natural stages of a woman's life. Menopause is the inability to menstruate for 12 months. It starts with the decrease in the female hormone after the average age of 40. The average age of menopause is 47-49 in Turkey and 51-55 in the world. Since this process covers almost one-third of a woman's life, it is very important to spend this period in a healthy way.”
Underlining that the age of menopause is affected by factors such as genetic status and smoking, Uyanık said, “When smoking is used, the age of menopause goes back by an average of 2 years. During menopause, various problems arise in the early and late periods due to the decrease in the female hormone estrogen. If we look at these, hot flashes, sweating especially at night, palpitations, insomnia, irritability, mood changes, forgetfulness, weakness, decreased sexual desire, urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence can lead to health problems. In the long term, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases are among the problems that can be seen.”
Uyanık advised women to do 30 minutes of walking and simple weight lifting, muscle strengthening movements every day during this period, “It is useful to benefit from sunlight in summer. Nutrition is important. It is necessary to eat a high-protein, low-fat diet rich in fiber and calcium. Milk, yogurt and cheese consumption should be increased to prevent bone loss. Hormone therapy is important. By administering the lowest and most effective dose of hormone therapy to patients, menopausal complaints and osteoporosis problems can be prevented. Local hormone therapies we use for problems in the lower urogenital region reduce the feeling of pain during sexual intercourse. It provides improvement in complaints such as frequent urination, difficult urination and urinary incontinence that develop as a result of menopause.”
Stating that breast and gynecological cancers are also common during these periods, Uyanık said, “Women should have health checks once a year in order to spend the transition to menopause and the postmenopausal period in good health. Mammography in terms of breast cancer, gynecological ultrasonography in terms of uterine and cervical cancers and smear screening should be performed.”
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