Menopause - premature (early) menopause
Premature or early menopause occurs before the age of 40 years. This may be brought on by medical treatments such as chemotherapy or surgery, or have no obvious cause. The loss of fertility can be devastating for women undergoing early menopause. ... [... more]
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Menopause and weight gain
Women at menopause often experience weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. This is often due to declining oestrogen levels, age-related loss of muscle tissue, and lifestyle factors such as diet and lack of exercise. A low-fat, high fibre ... [... more]
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Male menopause
Male menopause is a misleading term. Ageing does affect testosterone levels in men but the effects vary. Only men with proven androgen deficiency will benefit from appropriate treatment. Other terms used to refer to a decline in testosterone ... [... more]
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Menopause and sexual issues
The production of sex hormones, in particular oestrogen, falls significantly around menopause. Testosterone levels slowly decline from about 30 years of age. A woman in her forties has, on average, only half the testosterone circulating in her ... [... more]
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Menopause - hormone replacement therapy
Menopausal symptoms like vaginal dryness, hot flushes and night sweats can be managed with education, support, lifestyle changes and hormone therapy (HT) if required. Hormone therapy is also known as hormone replacement therapy or HRT. While HT ... [... more]
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Menopause and complementary therapies
The use of complementary therapies to manage menopausal symptoms is popular but remains controversial. Some of these therapies have not been subjected to the same vigour of testing that clinical trials for pharmaceutical medicines are subjected ... [... more]
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Menopause and osteoporosis
The female sex hormone oestrogen helps maintain bone strength. Postmenopausal women are prone to developing osteoporosis, a condition characterised by weakened bones that fracture easily. Treatments include exercise, a diet rich in calcium, ... [... more]
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Androgen deficiency in men
Androgen deficiency is sometimes called 'male menopause' but this is misleading. Androgen deficiency in men means the body has lower than normal amounts of male hormones including testosterone. Treatment involves testosterone replacement ... [... more]
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Food and your life stages
Nutritional requirements change as we move through different life stages. Adolescence, pregnancy, lactation, menopause and ageing all place extra demands on the body. Babies, adults, pregnant and nursing (breastfeeding) women and older people all ... [... more]
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Female reproductive system - quiz
Find out about the female reproductive system and fertility with our quick health quiz. Test your knowledge about menstruation, ovulation and menopause. You have a good general knowledge, but the female reproductive system is still a bit of a ... [... more]
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Fallopian tube cancer
Fallopian tube cancer is a rare gynaecological cancers. Older women who have gone through the menopause are the most commonly affected group. Early fallopian tube cancer often has no symptoms. Later symptoms may include watery or blood-stained ... [... more]
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Prolapse of the uterus
A uterine prolapse occurs when weakened or damaged muscles and ligaments allow the uterus to slip into the vagina. Causes include childbirth, obesity and hormonal changes after menopause. Treatment options include pelvic floor exercises and ... [... more]
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