Nearly half of the world will experience menopause, so why is it still shrouded in mystery? One big reason is that unlike puberty, this universal rite of female passage carries a stigma tied to aging.
Normalizing the conversation around menopause is important to change the narrative and debunk menopause myths, and an increasing number of prominent women are bringing the topic to the forefront. Sandra M. Hurtado, MD, an OB-GYN at UT Physicians Women’s Center II — Memorial City, understands how the topic of menopause can be confusing and appreciates when notable women share their voices.
“Menopause wasn’t talked about much before, so it’s nice to see we’re opening up the conversation for women to be able to ask questions and be aware of what the transition is,” said Hurtado, an assistant professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
Menopause is the phase of life that begins 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period. The average age is 52, but it can happen at younger and older ages. Perimenopause, the stage before menopause, typically begins in the mid- to late-40s but can also start earlier. Without a specific timeline, women often don’t tie their erratic symptoms to this hormonal roller coaster.
Pulling off the mask: Menopause myths
Because menopause is different for every woman, the experience isn’t one-size-fits-all. These common menopause myths and fact/fiction topics can help uncover some of the mystery.
Every woman experiences noticeable symptoms during the menopausal transition.
Fiction. For many women, the transition to menopause ushers a range of symptoms of varying degrees, including hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and weight gain. However, roughly 15% of women have no noticeable symptoms. Hurtado calls it a gift. Don’t question why; just accept it and be thankful, she said.
Some symptoms can be more difficult to tie to menopause, such as mood changes, irritability, anxiety, and depression. Other factors can affect these emotional changes, but experts know some can be exacerbated by menopause. Brain fog, reduced concentration, and short-term memory are additional symptoms women might experience.
“All women go through menopause, but you don’t have to put up with the symptoms,” Hurtado said. “If it’s affecting your life and daily functions, there are things to help with those symptoms. Just because it’s a natural process doesn’t mean you have to suffer.”
You can still get pregnant once you experience menopausal symptoms.
Fact. Although fertility is declining, women can get pregnant during perimenopause. Hurtado tells her patients going through menopause that they can still get pregnant through escape ovulation. She suggests using protection into the first year after menopause.
Sleep problems during menopause are solely caused by night sweats and hot flashes.
Fiction. This is a myth about menopause because although these symptoms can impact the quality and duration of sleep, they aren’t the only factors.
Menopause leads to a decreased sex drive.
Fact. Hurtado believes women do have lower sex drives during menopause because of decreased hormone levels. However, she acknowledges that sexual desire for women is complex, based on multiple factors. How is the relationship? Is the woman sleeping well? Is she feeling good about herself?
“I don’t think that every woman needs to have testosterone replacement to improve their sexual desire,” Hurtado said. “However, there are women who find that when they take hormone therapy, their sexual desire improves again.”
Hurtado said it’s trendy to use testosterone pellets and high levels of testosterone, but it can be dangerous. For women, it can increase their cholesterol and risk of heart disease. The FDA has not approved the use of testosterone in women for treating reduced sexual desire.
Hormone replacement therapy replaces the amount of hormones women’s bodies used to produce.
Fiction. The intention of hormone therapy is to treat symptoms, help prevent osteoporosis, and lower the risk of heart disease. It’s not to try to return hormone levels to premenopausal levels.
“Hormone therapy is a standardized dose of hormones, not the cyclical doses that your body naturally makes during your cycles,” Hurtado said.
Women between the ages of 45 and 60 receiving hormone therapy, or in their first 10 years of menopause, have a lower risk of heart disease compared to women not on hormone therapy, Hurtado said.
“We have to look at each patient individually, their family history, their own health history, what’s happening with menopause, and whether they would benefit from hormone therapy,” Hurtado said.
This rite of passage is actually a natural, manageable phase of life. Armed with information, women can understand and detect menopause myths while navigating this transition with confidence. Menopause isn’t the end of the story but the beginning of a new chapter.
