The Top 10 Menopause Myths

Turó Park Medical and Dental Center’s OB/GYN’s want you to know the truth about the Top 10 Menopause Myths.

Menopause is one of the biggest changes in the human body since puberty.  It also affects approximately 250 million women each year.  But, we still don’t have menopause figured out.

There is also an abundance of misinformation and menopause myths such as these most common ones (all of which are false):

1. Everyone gets hot flashes.
2. Your menses will stop one day and then you will know you have gone through menopause.
3. You can’t get pregnant when you are going through menopause.
4. Prescription treatments for menopausal symptoms are dangerous.
5. The only treatments for menopausal symptoms contain hormones.
6. All natural treatments for menopausal symptoms are safe.
7. Menopause means the end of your sex life.
8. Blood tests can tell you whether or not you have gone through menopause.
9. Your menopause will be the same as your mother’s.
10. Once you have gone through menopause, you don’t need to worry about any irregular bleeding you might have.

Briefly, menopause occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop producing enough hormones trigger an egg to be released each month.  Clinically, menopause is diagnosed after a woman has gone without any bleeding for 1 year.  The average length of the menopausal transition is 4 years, with the range between 2 and 14 years.  During this time (also known as perimenopause), it is very common for women to experience irregular cycles.  The average age at which women usually stop having their menses is age 51.

Turó Park Medical’s English-speaking OB/GYN’s love to answer women’s questions about menopause and help debunk some of these most common menopause myths.  The decision whether or not to use medication to treat menopausal symptoms must be an individualized discussion of your personal risks and the benefits of treatment for your quality of life.

All too often, Dra. Marta Peró and Dra. Alejandra González Gallego report that women wait too long to seek help for their menopausal symptoms.  Instead, the Dra.’s suggest that women who suspect that they may be beginning perimenopause (experiencing changes in cycle length, hot flashes, mood disturbances or vaginal dryness) start keeping track on a calendar or in a journal of their cycles. Consulting our menopause experts with this symptom and menstrual diary can help them design a personalized plan of care for your menopausal transition.

Book your appointment online now or call our office schedule your private consultation to learn the truth about menopause.

Author Amy Harris & Article written in collaboration with the Dra. Marta Peró and Dra. Alejandra González Gallego.