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AbstractObjectiveMethodsResultsConclusionsThis study aimed to investigate the effects of red clover isoflavones on menopausal symptoms and the lipid profile in menopausal females.This study included postmenopausal women with dyslipidemia. The red clover group (n = 39) received 40 mg isoflavone red clover capsule twice daily for 6 months, while placebo (n = 36) was 40 mg starch capsule twice daily. Data were collected at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was applied to calculate subdimension and total scores.The two groups were similar in terms of age, MRS and lipid profile at baseline. In the red clover group, MRS scores decreased significantly at both 3 and 6 months. Similarly, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride levels decreased at both 3 months and 6 months. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly from baseline to 3 months and 6 months. Except for LDL-C and MRS urogenital score at 3 months, the improvements were significantly in favor of red clover isoflavone treatment.Red clover treatment for 3–6 months demonstrated significant improvements in lipid profiles and menopausal symptoms. While promising, further research is crucial to ascertain long-term safety and recommend the use of red clover isoflavones during menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Menopause is an unspoken and unaddressed aspect of a women’s life, surrounded by many myths and taboos within the Indian context. Although a majority of menopausal women experience moderate to severe symptoms that can affect their physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being, there is poor health literacy as well as health-seeking behavior among them. The importance of social support, especially at a difficult time like menopause, is bound to minimize the severity of menopausal symptoms. Objectives: The objective is to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms among women living in rural communities of Mysuru district, and to examine the relationship of perceived social support during menopausal transition to severity of the symptoms. Materials and Methods: Between May 2022 and December 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 women living in rural communities of Mysuru district, Karnataka. An interviewer-administered survey in Kannada was used to record the severity of menopausal symptoms and associated determinants after completion of informed consent process. Results: The average age of study participants was 50.9 (standard deviation [SD] ±4.6) years. While 77.2% were married, 20.8% were widows. About half (53.6%) belonged to lower socioeconomic class and another 28% belonged to middle class. The mean age at menopause was 47.6 (SD ± 4.24) years; 56.8% reported experiencing moderate-to-severe symptoms; 75.6% reported high social support while 24.4% of women low-to-medium social support. The odds of experiencing moderate-to-severe menopause symptoms were 4.51 (95% confidence interval: 2.337–8.690) times higher among women who received low-to-medium social support as compared to those with high social support. The social support obtained was directly proportional to socioeconomic status and living with spouse. Conclusion: The health system should emphasize the role of social support while counseling postmenopausal women. There is a dire need for both community and physician education programs on the social and medical needs of postmenopausal women.

Menopause is an inevitable phase in every woman’s life. Women may suffer from unpleasant symptoms during perimenopause. Understanding the health needs of the community during this period will help in developing menopause management programs that can improve quality of life. Aim: To study the symptoms of menopause and perception of women in relation to menopause in order to understand their needs. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional, multi-centric study was undertaken at three institutions (called DH, SJ, and SK) at two cities in India. The study population comprised women between the ages of 40 and 60. Institutional Ethics Committee approval and consent of participants were ensured. Material and Methods: Two instruments, a pilot-tested, peer-reviewed, validated, structured questionnaire and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) were utilized for the study. The minimum sample size was calculated to be 385 per site. Statistical analysis was conducted using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results: A total of 1297 forms were analyzed. MRS scores showed psychological symptoms to be most prevalent. Joint and muscular pains were the most common somatic symptoms. Hot flashes and urogenital symptoms were experienced by a lower number. Our MRS scores were significantly higher than those seen in other regions. Urban women, site SJ, those with irregular menstrual cycles, and lower incomes scored higher than their counterparts. Awareness about menopause was patchy, especially regarding medication or support services available. Conclusions: The high MRS scores emphasize the need to institute awareness programs, providing information on choices available for care (hormone replacement therapy, medications, or counseling) and information on where to access services. Primary care physicians can play a vital role in fulfilling this need by ensuring timely knowledge to the community, providing correct diagnosis and treatment. This will help improve the quality of life and sense of well-being of this community.

Background: Natural menopause is associated with somatic, vasomotor, psychological, and sexual complaints that may affect women's quality of life (QOL). Aims: To determine the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and their impact on QoL among Palestinian women visiting primary care centers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018 through March 2019. Convenience sampling was used to interview 380 women aged 45–60 years attending primary care centers in the West Bank city of Nablus. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) assessed the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and QoL. Mean scores of menopausal categories were compared for different symptoms. Descriptive and analytical analyses were performed. The level of significance was set at P<0.05. Results: The age of menopausal onset (12-month absence) was 49.37 ±3 years (N = 200). The most prevalent symptoms were physical and mental exhaustion (86%), anxiety (85.5%), and irritability (85.3%). Only the prevalence of sleep problems was statistically different between the pre-, peri, and post-menopausal groups (P <0.001). The average MRS score was 18.64 ± 9.19, indicating severe symptoms and a low QoL. Conclusion: The physical and psychosocial problems experienced by Palestinian post-menopausal women negatively impacted their QoL. Therefore, all women approaching menopause should have access to supportive networks and preventive programs for a healthy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the association of the severity of the menopausal symptoms with musculoskeletal pain in Portuguese postmenopausal women. Methods: A cross‐sectional, observational study was conducted on 167 women (63.85 ± 9.36 years). The Menopause Rating Scale was used to evaluate the menopausal symptoms severity, while the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was employed to assess the localization of the musculoskeletal pain, and multi‐located pain was determined if two or more body regions were affected. Depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), age, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity level were considered as potential confounders. Results: A greater severity of the somato‐vegetative menopausal symptoms was related to the prevention from usual activities because of pain in the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands and knees (R2 of Nagelkerke = 0.064, 0.043, 0.074, 0.045 and 0.045, respectively). Associations were also observed between greater age and pain in the knees, ankles and feet (R2 of Nagelkerke = 0.036 and 0.034, respectively), and being physically inactive with upper back pain (R2 of Nagelkerke = 0.060). Higher depressive symptoms were linked to pain in the hip/thighs and knees (R2 of Nagelkerke = 0.067 and 0.085, respectively), as well as being physically inactive was related ton in the neck (R2 of Nagelkerke = 0.053). Only a greater BMI was related to multi‐located pain in the last 7 days (R2 of Nagelkerke = 0.041). Conclusions: The findings of our study showed that, taking into account possible confounders, greater severity of the menopausal symptoms at a somatic‐vegetative level was associated with more anatomical regions with musculoskeletal pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menopause is an inevitable phase in every woman's life. Women may suffer from unpleasant symptoms during perimenopause. Understanding the health needs of the community during this period will help in developing menopause management programs that can improve quality of life. Aim: To study the symptoms of menopause and perception of women in relation to menopause in order to understand their needs. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional, multi-centric study was undertaken at three institutions (called DH, SJ, and SK) at two cities in India. The study population comprised women between the ages of 40 and 60. Institutional Ethics Committee approval and consent of participants were ensured. Material and Methods: Two instruments, a pilot-tested, peer-reviewed, validated, structured questionnaire and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) were utilized for the study. The minimum sample size was calculated to be 385 per site. Statistical analysis was conducted using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results: A total of 1297 forms were analyzed. MRS scores showed psychological symptoms to be most prevalent. Joint and muscular pains were the most common somatic symptoms. Hot flashes and urogenital symptoms were experienced by a lower number. Our MRS scores were significantly higher than those seen in other regions. Urban women, site SJ, those with irregular menstrual cycles, and lower incomes scored higher than their counterparts. Awareness about menopause was patchy, especially regarding medication or support services available. Conclusions: The high MRS scores emphasize the need to institute awareness programs, providing information on choices available for care (hormone replacement therapy, medications, or counseling) and information on where to access services. Primary care physicians can play a vital role in fulfilling this need by ensuring timely knowledge to the community, providing correct diagnosis and treatment. This will help improve the quality of life and sense of well-being of this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This updated systematic review and meta‐analysis aims to confirm the effectiveness of plant‐based supplements in improving overall menopausal symptoms and vasomotor symptoms. A systematic review of the literature was conducted by searching the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases up to June 2022. Randomized placebo‐controlled clinical trials that evaluated the effects of dietary supplements on menopausal symptoms were included. Outcome measures included daily hot flash frequency, Kupperman's index, Menopause Rating Scale, and Greene Climacteric Scale. Pooled data were analyzed using a fixed‐effects model and expressed as a weighted mean difference with a 95% confidence interval for continuous outcomes. For qualitative assessment, 67 studies were selected. For quantitative assessment, 54 reports were obtained from 61 studies. The study participants were peri‐ or postmenopausal women aged 38–85, most of whom experienced hot flashes as a menopausal symptom. The investigational products included 28 soy‐derived, 6 red clover‐derived, and 28 other plant‐derived supplements. Qualitative assessment revealed that approximately 76% of the studies were generally of fair or good quality, whereas 24% were of low quality. Meta‐analysis results indicated significant improvements in all questionnaire scores, including hot flash frequency, in the dietary supplement group compared with the placebo group. Comprehensive evaluation using different questionnaire tools showed that the various plant‐derived dietary supplements can significantly alleviate menopausal symptoms. However, further rigorous studies are needed to determine the association of plant‐derived dietary supplements with menopausal health because of the general suboptimal quality and heterogeneous nature of current evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms among women in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India, to better comprehend the specific challenges faced by rural women during this transitional phase. Methods: Post-menopausal women who visited the Rural Health and Training Center in Eluru between September-November 2021 and had one year of amenorrhea were included. A face-to-face interview administered a questionnaire to collect socio-demographic details and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) which contained 11 questions using a 4-point Likert scale. Microsoft Excel and SPSS-20, with one-way ANOVA test were used for data and statistical analysis. Results: A total of 100 respondents were included, aged between 45-60 years. Majority of the respondents (37%) were aged 45-50 years and were unskilled workers (53%) with a monthly income falling under the upper middle-class category (53%). Additionally, 61% belonged to nuclear families. Using the MRS, joint and muscle pains were the most prevalent symptoms (82%), followed by sleep problems (64%) and anxiety (57%). Heat discomfort was reported least frequently (25%). Age groups and symptom severity were found to be significantly associated, indicating that women between 45-50 years were more likely to experience mild-severe symptoms. Conclusion: This study identified a notable prevalence of menopausal symptoms among women in Eluru; however, limitations included the limited sample size and geographic scope. Retrospective data collection might have introduced recall bias. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and education on menopause. Community-based programs and health centers should be established to address these needs.

Introduction: Surgical menopause is the cessation of menstruation resulting from the surgical removal of the uterus and bilateral ovaries, which leads to a sudden decrease in oestrogen levels and its subsequent effects. Urogenital symptoms are chronic and progressive, but only a few women seek medical care for these symptoms, which are often overlooked during routine follow-ups. Aim: To investigate the onset and progression of various urogenital symptoms after surgical menopause. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Government Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala, India from January 2020 to December 2020. A total of 110 women who underwent Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH) and Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (BSO) for benign conditions were included in the study. The women were asked about the onset of urogenital symptoms at six weeks and 12 weeks after surgery. They were required to indicate whether they experienced four urogenital symptoms (vaginal dryness, frequent urination, urinary incontinence, and reduced sexual desire) using a menopause rating scale. The severity of symptoms was categorised as none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), severe (3), or very severe (4). The progression of symptom severity from three months to six months of follow-up was analysed using Chi-square tests. Results: Urogenital symptoms that developed after surgery included vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, bladder symptoms, and reduced sexual desire. At least one of these symptoms developed in 95 (86.4%) women by 12 weeks. Vaginal dryness was reported by 40 subjects (36.4%) at six weeks, with 36 (32.7%) reporting mild symptoms, 4 (3.6%) reporting moderate symptoms, and none reporting severe or very severe symptoms. At 12 weeks, vaginal dryness was reported by 61 subjects (55.5%), with 21 (19.1%) reporting mild symptoms, 18 (16.4%) reporting moderate symptoms, 20 (18.2%) reporting severe symptoms, and 2 (1.8%) reporting very severe symptoms (p-value

Introduction: Surgical menopause is the cessation of menstruation resulting from the surgical removal of the uterus and bilateral ovaries, which leads to a sudden decrease in oestrogen levels and its subsequent effects. Urogenital symptoms are chronic and progressive, but only a few women seek medical care for these symptoms, which are often overlooked during routine follow-ups. Aim: To investigate the onset and progression of various urogenital symptoms after surgical menopause. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Government Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala, India from January 2020 to December 2020. A total of 110 women who underwent Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH) and Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (BSO) for benign conditions were included in the study. The women were asked about the onset of urogenital symptoms at six weeks and 12 weeks after surgery. They were required to indicate whether they experienced four urogenital symptoms (vaginal dryness, frequent urination, urinary incontinence, and reduced sexual desire) using a menopause rating scale. The severity of symptoms was categorised as none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), severe (3), or very severe (4). The progression of symptom severity from three months to six months of follow-up was analysed using Chi-square tests. Results: Urogenital symptoms that developed after surgery included vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, bladder symptoms, and reduced sexual desire. At least one of these symptoms developed in 95 (86.4%) women by 12 weeks. Vaginal dryness was reported by 40 subjects (36.4%) at six weeks, with 36 (32.7%) reporting mild symptoms, 4 (3.6%) reporting moderate symptoms, and none reporting severe or very severe symptoms. At 12 weeks, vaginal dryness was reported by 61 subjects (55.5%), with 21 (19.1%) reporting mild symptoms, 18 (16.4%) reporting moderate symptoms, 20 (18.2%) reporting severe symptoms, and 2 (1.8%) reporting very severe symptoms (p-value<0.05). Other symptoms showed a similar pattern of progression. Conclusion: Urogenital symptoms can start as early as six weeks after surgery and can worsen in severity if left untreated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Mental illness and somatic symptoms are common causes of long-term sick leave for women during menopause, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Many women experience a lack of knowledge about menopause and its associated symptoms. This study evaluates the effect of group education and person-centered individual support in primary health care (PHC) on mental health and quality of life for women in menopause with symptoms that are usually associated with stress. Methods The randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) with a two-factor design was conducted in PHC in southwestern Sweden, from 2018 to 2019. A total of 370 women aged 45–60 were allocated in four groups: 1, group education (GE) 2, GE and person-centered individual support (PCS) 3, PCS and 4, control group. GE comprised four weekly sessions and PCS included five sessions with topics related to menopause. The effect of the interventions were followed up at 6 and 12 months. Linear and ordinal regression were used to analyse the effect of the intervention, either group education or person-centred individual support. Results The main findings: Improved quality of life and physical, psychological, and urogenital symptoms. GE and PCS resulted in improvement of the quality of life at six months. At the 12-month follow-up these results were significantly strengthened for PCS and improved health-related quality of life, and reduced mental, urogenital, and stress-related symptoms with an effect lasting at least 12 months. These results suggest that this intervention could be an effective intervention in PHC for improving women’s health in menopause. Conclusions PCS can be an effective intervention in PHC for improving women’s health in menopause and possibly also prevent the development of exhaustion syndrome. Trial registration: Universal trial number is U1111-1219-6542 and the registration number in ClinicalTrials.gov is NCT03663075, date of registration 10/09/2018.

Background: Menopausal transition phase is a difficult time in a woman's life. Many factors such as age, socioeconomic status, education, ethnic cultural, and body physique determine the presence of menopausal symptoms. This study helps us to understand the severity and perseverance of menopausal symptoms in women of this locality. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to find distribution and severity of menopausal symptoms by self-rated Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) through different transition phases of menopause in women aged between 40 and 60 years. Methodology: It is a hospital-based observational study. All the participants answered an 11-item MRS questionnaire. Results: Out of 300 participants, 106 belonged to premenopausal state, 111 to perimenopausal state, and 83 were postmenopause. Overall, 47% of participants had one or the other menopausal symptoms. Most of them had mild-to-moderate symptoms. Only 3% had severe symptoms. Somatic subscale was the maximum reported symptoms in our study group. The most common symptom was physical and mental exhaustion (55%) and the least common was sexual problems (8%). Difficulty in sleeping and bladder symptoms were more and statistically significant in postmenopausal group where as hot flushes and irritability were more common in perimenopausal group. Conclusion: Somatic subscale symptoms are more common than urogenital or psychosocial subscales. Postmenopause women manifested higher symptoms than premenopause or perimenopause group women and most were mild to moderate in severity in women visiting our hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menopause is a normal physiological change and an important transition in women’s life. Onset of menopause has important implications on women’s fertility and health. Menopausal symptoms vary in severity and may decrease quality of life Thise is, because the majority of women still do not take treatment for these symptoms as most Indian women have a history of self-denial and neglect. This study is conducted to find the prevalence of postmenopausal symptoms among women resisting in urban slums Methods: This was a community based, cross-sectional study conducted among 334 postmenopausal women (45-60) residing in urban slums by systematic random sampling. Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess postmenopausal symptoms Pre-designed, pre-tested proforma was used for collecting data to identify the factors affecting it. General physical examination was carried out and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Data were analysed using SPSS software version 20. Results were expressed as descriptive statistics (Mean (SD), Frequency (%)) and Chi-square test was used to find the association between two attributes. Results: 69.76% of participants had mild symptoms, 23.95% moderate symptoms and only 2.1% suffered from severe symptoms. Prevalence of somatic symptoms was 93.11%, psychological symptoms 85.33% and urogenital symptoms was 33.53%. 44.31% of women from class 4 of SES suffered from mild to severe symptoms, followed by class 3 with 20.06% (p= 0.00005). 73.86% from nuclear families and 66.67% for three generations in their families suffered from mild symptoms (p=0.0001) Conclusion: The prevalence of somatic postmenopausal symptoms was high compared to psychological and urogenital using MRS. Factors like age, poor socio-economic status, marital and educational status played a role in postmenopausal symptoms. Measures should be taken for early recognition of symptoms and treatment. To achieve this, the government, private, and voluntary organizations can establish postmenopausal clinics as soon as possible at the earliest at all levels of healthcare.

Background: Mental illness and somatic symptoms are common causes of long-term sick leave for women during menopause, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Many women experience a lack of knowledge about menopause and its associated symptoms. This study evaluates the effect of group education and person-centered individual support in primary health care (PHC) on mental health and quality of life for women in menopause with symptoms that are usually associated with stress. Methods: The randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) with a two-factor design was conducted in PHC in southwestern Sweden, from 2018 to 2019. A total of 370 women aged 45–60 were allocated in four groups: 1, group education (GE) 2, GE and person-centered individual support (PCS) 3, PCS and 4, control group. GE comprised four weekly sessions and PCS included five sessions with topics related to menopause. The effect of the interventions were followed up at 6 and 12 months. Linear and ordinal regression were used to analyse the effect of the intervention, either group education or person-centred individual support. Results: The main findings: Improved quality of life and physical, psychological, and urogenital symptoms. GE and PCS resulted in improvement of the quality of life at six months. At the 12-month follow-up these results were significantly strengthened for PCS and improved health-related quality of life, and reduced mental, urogenital, and stress-related symptoms with an effect lasting at least 12 months. These results suggest that this intervention could be an effective intervention in PHC for improving women's health in menopause. Conclusions: PCS can be an effective intervention in PHC for improving women's health in menopause and possibly also prevent the development of exhaustion syndrome. Trial registration: Universal trial number is U1111-1219-6542 and the registration number in ClinicalTrials.gov is NCT03663075, date of registration 10/09/2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the network structure underlying the symptoms of menopausal syndrome and to identify the central and bridge symptoms of menopause among middle‐aged women. Methods: This is a cross‐sectional survey study conducted in the Chinese community with a total of 1829 women aged 40–65 years. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess the menopausal syndrome, including somato‐vegetative, psychological, and urogenital subdomains. The network analysis was performed to determine the central and bridge symptoms of menopause. Results: In the network of menopausal symptoms, anxiety, vaginal dryness, depressive mood, and irritability were the most central symptoms. Depressive mood, anxiety, and vaginal dryness were also detected as the bridge symptoms. The estimated network between the symptoms had good stability (CS‐strength = 0.75 and CS‐edge = 0.75). Conclusion: The present network analysis provided unique insights into the inner structure of menopausal symptoms. Psychological symptoms should be considered as the core symptoms in developing relevant interventions to improve the health and well‐being of middle‐aged women. Synopsis: Anxiety, vaginal dryness, depressive mood, and irritability are the central symptoms of menopausal syndrome among middle‐aged women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of non-hormonal therapy with citalopram vs fluoxetine for treating vasomotor syndrome (VMS) and urogenital syndrome of menopause (GSM) in Mexican women. Methods: A parallel prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted in 91 postmenopausal women with a total score on the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) ≥ 17 and with the clinical diagnosis of VSM and GSM. Patients were randomly assigned to receive citalopram (n = 49) or fluoxetine (n = 42). Follow-up was carried out at 3 and 6 months. Results: The citalopram group experienced a significant improvement compared to the fluoxetine group in the MRS total score (p < 0.01), as well as in the psychological (p < 0.001) and somatic (p < 0.0001) domains at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. After 6 months of follow-up, the group that received citalopram decreased the relative risk (RR) to present VMS symptoms (RR = 0.30, CI 0.19–0.5, p = 0.0001), depressed mood (RR = 0.31, CI 0.15–0.6, p = 0.0002), irritability (RR = 0.40, CI 0.22–0.73, p = 0.002), anxiety (RR = 0.30, CI 0.13–0.69, p = 0.003), physical and mental exhaustion (RR = 0.35, CI 0.18–0.67, p = 0.001), sexual problems (RR = 0.18, CI 0.06–0.48, p = 0.0001), vaginal dryness (RR = 0.34, CI 0.14–0.80, p = 0.01), and urinary problems (RR = 0.36, CI 0.14–0.92, p = 0.043). Conclusion: We conclude that citalopram tends to improve VSM and GSM symptoms in postmenopausal Mexican women. Thus, we recommend the daily use of citalopram 20 mg. However, further studies will be required to support the results of the present work. These should include a larger number of patients and a placebo group. Clinical Trial Registration: This clinical trial was retrospectively registered by the United States National Library of Medicine in the www.clinicaltrials.gov database on 04/20/2022. The given test Registration Number is NCT05346445. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background During menopause, women experience annoying symptoms which may affect their daily activities and quality of life. This study aimed to determine whether reproductive history, an important indicator of estrogen exposure across the lifetime, is associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms in women. Methods This study was a cross-sectional study conducted on 214 women aged 35–65 who were randomly selected, and data was collected by a predesigned structured questionnaire. Each item was graded by subjects and a total score was obtained by summing all subscale scores. Results There was a significant association between the somatic, psychological, and urogenital menopausal symptoms and reproductive characteristics. Women with a history of abortion had greater total (β = 0.194, p = 0.009), and psychological (β = 0.230, p = 0.002) symptoms score. Women with higher number of children were more likely to have higher somatic (β = 0.212, p = 0.005) symptoms than others. Conclusions Our findings showed reproductive factors may have an influence on the severity of menopausal symptoms. After confirmation by further studies, these findings may help target women at risk of more severe menopausal symptoms at later ages.

Background: Menopause is an important hormonal transition of women's lifespan which can strike as early as 30–35 years of age. Menopause-specific quality of life (MENQoL) mainly depends upon awareness, frequency, and intensity of menopausal symptoms; sociocultural, lifestyle, and dietary factors; and availability of health services specifically focusing on these issues. As life expectancy increases, women have to spend more years after menopause. So menopause specific quality of life will be a major issue of concern in the near future. The aim of this study was to assess the post-menopausal symptoms and quality of life (QoL) amongst post-menopausal women and their association with various sociodemographic factors. Materials and Methods: A community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken at Sakuri village among 100 postmenopausal women. Information was collected using MENQoL questionnaire. Unpaired t-test and Chi-squared test were used. Results: The mean age of participants and menopause was 51.8 ± 4.54 years and 46.42 ± 4.13 years, respectively. The major symptoms reported were hot flushes (70%), under accomplishment (100%), bloating (100%), decrease in physical strength (95%), and change in sexual desire (78%). Statistically significant association was found between age and psychosocial domain. QoL was associated with age and educational level. Conclusion: More than half of the participants had poor QoL for all four domains. Awareness about post-menopausal changes and available treatment modalities can improve QoL. Accessible and affordable gynaecological and psychiatric health services through channel of primary health care are necessary to alleviate these complaints.

Background: Menopause is an important hormonal transition of women's lifespan which can strike as early as 30–35 years of age. Menopause-specific quality of life (MENQoL) mainly depends upon awareness, frequency, and intensity of menopausal symptoms; sociocultural, lifestyle, and dietary factors; and availability of health services specifically focusing on these issues. As life expectancy increases, women have to spend more years after menopause. So menopause specific quality of life will be a major issue of concern in the near future. The aim of this study was to assess the post-menopausal symptoms and quality of life (QoL) amongst post-menopausal women and their association with various sociodemographic factors. Materials and Methods: A community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken at Sakuri village among 100 postmenopausal women. Information was collected using MENQoL questionnaire. Unpaired t-test and Chi-squared test were used. Results: The mean age of participants and menopause was 51.8 ± 4.54 years and 46.42 ± 4.13 years, respectively. The major symptoms reported were hot flushes (70%), under accomplishment (100%), bloating (100%), decrease in physical strength (95%), and change in sexual desire (78%). Statistically significant association was found between age and psychosocial domain. QoL was associated with age and educational level. Conclusion: More than half of the participants had poor QoL for all four domains. Awareness about post-menopausal changes and available treatment modalities can improve QoL. Accessible and affordable gynaecological and psychiatric health services through channel of primary health care are necessary to alleviate these complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the association between factors, especially those linked to the climacteric, and a history of COVID-19 infection.Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study in which women from ten Latin American countries, aged 40-64, who attended a routine health check-up were invited to participate. A positive history for COVID-19 was based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction reports. We evaluated sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, anthropometric variables, and menopausal symptoms using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).Results: A total of 1238 women were included for analysis, of whom 304 (24.6 %) had a positive history for COVID-19. The median [interquartile range: IQR] age of participants was 53 [IQR 12] years, duration of formal education was 16 [6] years, body mass index 25.6 [5.1] kg/m2, and total MRS score 10 [13]. In a logistic regression model, factors positively associated with COVID-19 included postmenopausal status and having a family history of dementia (OR: 1.53; 95 % CI: 1.13-2.07, and 2.40; 1.65-3.48, respectively), whereas negatively associated were use of menopausal hormone therapy (current or past), being a housewife, and being nulliparous (OR: 0.47; 95 % CI: 0.30-0.73; 0.72; 0.53-0.97 and 0.56; 0.34-0.92, respectively). Smoking, being sexually active, and use of hypnotics were also factors positively associated with COVID-19.Conclusion: Postmenopausal status and a family history of dementia were more frequent among women who had had COVID-19, and the infection was less frequent among current or past menopause hormone therapy users and in those with less physical contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study focussed on perimenopausal Mongolian women and aimed to determine the quality of life (QOL) and risk factors in this population. We collected data on 392 women using a predesigned questionnaire and classified the participants according to menopausal status. We used The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF. Blood pressure (p =.003) and body mass index (p =.02) were significantly high, whereas sexual activity was significantly decreased in postmenopausal women (p =.001). In perimenopausal women, somatovegetative (p =.003) and psychological (p =.025) symptoms were significantly severe, and menopausal symptom severity was significantly higher (p =.017). Menopausal symptoms (p =.02) and monthly sexual activity (p =.005) significantly influenced overall QOL. Sexuality had a significantly negative effect on psychological health (p =.03). Age, occupation, menopausal stage and somatovegetative symptoms have significant effects on health-related QOL (p<.05). Our findings showed that menopausal symptoms and sexual activity significantly affect QOL in middle-aged Mongolian women. What is already known on this subject? Women experience physiological changes at the onset of menopause. However, as their oestrogen levels decline, many women also experience physical, psychological and somatovegetative symptoms. Postmenopausal health has been the main issue affecting middle-aged women, until recently. Here, we showed that menopausal transition is a turning point for middle-aged women and suggest that more attention should be paid to the health of perimenopausal women in Mongolia. What do the results of this study add? The study results showed that perimenopausal women had a higher prevalence of health-related problems than postmenopausal women, including weight gain, cardiovascular symptoms and vasomotor symptoms. The prevalence of genitourinary health problems increased with age. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? General practitioners and gynaecologists in Mongolia should acquire a better understanding of the physiological changes that occur during menopause and pay greater attention to genitourinary issues as they affect general, health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menopause, characterized by cessation of menstruation, is accompanied by various physiological and psychological changes. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigated the efficacy of a multi-domain lifestyle modification program in alleviating menopausal symptoms and promoting health behaviors among postmenopausal women residing in urban slums of Hyderabad, India., Methods: Eighty-two women aged 45-60 years experiencing menopausal symptoms were recruited. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 45-day lifestyle intervention group or a control group receiving standard care. The intervention program addressed six domains: health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management. The menopause rating scale (MRS) and a modified health-promoting lifestyle II (HPBII) questionnaire assessed menopausal symptoms and health behaviors at baseline and during follow-up., Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements ( P < 0.05) in terms of overall HPBII scores compared to baseline, with the most notable changes observed in health responsibility, nutrition, and stress management domains. In addition, MRS scores indicating menopausal symptoms were significantly lowered ( P < 0.05) in the intervention group. No significant changes were found in the control group in either health behaviors or menopausal symptoms. After the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant improvement in HPBII scores compared to the control group, particularly in health responsibility, nutrition, interpersonal relationships, and stress management sub-domains., Conclusion: This RCT suggested that a comprehensive lifestyle modification program could effectively improve health behaviors and alleviate menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women residing in under-resourced settings. Further research is warranted to explore the program's long-term sustainability and generalizability., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Journal of Biological Methods, All rights reserved.)

Background: During menopause, women experience annoying symptoms which may affect their daily activities and quality of life. This study aimed to determine whether reproductive history, an important indicator of estrogen exposure across the lifetime, is associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms in women.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted on 214 women aged 35-65 who were randomly selected, and data was collected by a predesigned structured questionnaire. Each item was graded by subjects and a total score was obtained by summing all subscale scores.Results: There was a significant association between the somatic, psychological, and urogenital menopausal symptoms and reproductive characteristics. Women with a history of abortion had greater total (β = 0.194, p = 0.009), and psychological (β = 0.230, p = 0.002) symptoms score. Women with higher number of children were more likely to have higher somatic (β = 0.212, p = 0.005) symptoms than others.Conclusions: Our findings showed reproductive factors may have an influence on the severity of menopausal symptoms. After confirmation by further studies, these findings may help target women at risk of more severe menopausal symptoms at later ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women's health has been a global concern for many decades. As menopause is midway between the challenges of adulthood and despair of old age, comes the changes of menopause in women. The menopause rating scale (MRS) is widely used to assess menopause-related symptoms. The MRS was first published in 1990 for assessing menopause symptoms. However, no reliable and valid tools are available in the Gujarati language to assess the individuals with menopause symptoms. Aim: The aim of the study was to translate and find out reliability and validity of the Gujarati version of MRS in postmenopausal women. Methods: The study was carried out in three phases: The first phase was the translation of scale into the Gujarati language; the second phase was a pilot study on 30 postmenopausal women age assesses the comprehensibility of the prefinal version; and the third phase was to find out the reliability and validity of the final version of scale. Results: The total value of intraclass correlation coefficient of test–retest reliability was 0.88, with the all items having individual intraclass correlation coefficients score ranging from 0.74 to 0.92. Reliability estimated by internal consistency reached a Cronbach's alpha of 0.94 and ranging from 0.85 to 0.95 test–retest. Conclusion: The Gujarati version of MRS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the menopausal symptoms and health-related quality of life in Guajarati-speaking populations.

Abstract Background To measure the severity of menopausal complaints and determine the pattern of menopausal symptoms, a valid and reliable instrument is needed in women’s healthcare. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) is one of the best-known tools in response to the lack of standardized scales. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the MRS in an Iranian example. Methods Participants were randomly selected from women referred to healthcare centers in Miandoab, West Azerbaijan, Iran. A total of 330 questionnaires were completed (response rate of 96.9%). Two samples were considered for analysis in the validation process. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the first sample (n1 = 165), and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was done using a second study sample (n2 = 165). The psychometric properties process was concluded with assessment of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results The EFA with Principal Component Analysis extracted three factors explaining 75.47% cumulative variance. The CFA confirmed a three-factor structure of the 11-items MRS. All fit indices proved to be satisfactory. The relative chi-square (χ2/df) was 3.686 (p

Hamid Allahverdipour,1 Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi,2,3 Andrea Burri,4 Zeinab Javadivala5 1Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Health Education and Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; 2Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; 3Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; 4Institute for Sex Counselling and Sexual Sciences (ISCSS), Zurich, Switzerland; 5Department of Health Education and Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IranCorrespondence: Zeinab JavadivalaDepartment of Health Education and Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 14711, Iran+98-411-3344731Email zjavadivala791@gmail.comObjective: Menopause-related symptoms can strongly affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in most peri-menopausal women. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychometric properties of a culturally adapted and translated Persian version of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).Study Design: The study was conducted on a random sample of 270 middle-aged women (age range 40– 60 yrs) selected from 25 urban health service centers across Tabriz, Iran. Content validity was evaluated by a panel of 11 experts. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analyses with Varimax rotation and principal axis factoring extraction method and by confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were assessed with Cronbach’s alpha and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. In addition, the feasibility of the measure was judged based on ceiling and floor effects.Results: Content validity of the measure was good with a mean content validity index (CVI) and mean content validity ratio (CVR) of 0.88 and 0.94, respectively. Exploratory factor analyses identified three factors accounting for 47.69% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analyses found the original three-factor model to have the best fit to the data. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.85) and the test–retest reliability score (0.91) indicated good internal consistency.Conclusion: The Persian version of the MRS demonstrated excellent reliability and validity. It can therefore be used in both clinical and research settings to assess menopause-related symptoms and associated quality of life.Keywords: Menopause Rating Scale, psychometric, menopause, Persian

Abstract Background Women experience various menopausal symptoms during the menopause; these symptoms can affect their quality of life and health. The aim of this study was to help females around this time to relief their symptoms by natural safe product. Subjects and methods Forty-two women participated as volunteers, who are suffering from different symptoms of menopause with mean age 45.36 ± 0.98 years. Full clinical examination, anthropometric parameters, dietary recalls, and Menopause Rating Scale evaluation were recorded. Blood sampling and biochemical analysis was done including important sex hormones. Participants daily consumed 45 g of supplement made from raw unsalted crashed peanut, raw sesame, dry coriander, and dry thyme that were made in the form of blend. Study period lasted for 8 weeks. Chemical composition of the blend was assessed. Results All participants showed marked improvement in psychological, urogenital, and somatic symptoms after intervention. Conclusion Data of this study showed that the blend had a beneficial impact on the physical, psychological, and mental health in perimenopausal women. So, functional foods must be considered in controlling different menopausal annoying symptoms; perimenopausal women can use this blend as a safe and effective food supplement.

Introduction: Perimenopause is the time when ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. The menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women cause severe disturbance in the women’s life. This study aimed to identify menopausal symptoms in perimenopausal women. Methods: This was a hospital-based descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted among 243 women aged between 45 to 55 years. The categorical variables were presented as frequency and percentage. The associations between categorical variables were tested using Chi-square or Fisher exact test. Result: The total prevalence of menopausal symptoms was 91.8%. Physical symptoms were identified to be prevailing symptom(n=184, 75.7%) followed by psychological (n=167, 69.5%). There were 136 (55.5%) women experiencing poor memory and 148 (60.9%) women having genitourinary symptoms. Stress urinary incontinence (n=73, 30.04%) was predominant over urge (n=58, 23.8%), mixed (n=43, 17.6%) and prolapse (n=49, 20.1%) symptoms. Vasomotor symptoms were experienced by123 (50.6%). Excessive sweating (n=114, 46.9%) was leading over hot flush(n=113, 46.5%), night sweat (n=107, 44.03%) and palpitation (n=96, 39.5%). A total of 114 (46.9%) women were facing sexual symptoms. The common sexual symptom was dyspareunia 68 (27.9%). The Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS) rating of overall symptoms showed women mostly suffer from mild symptoms during the perimenopausal period. Conclusion: Physical symptoms were identified to be predominating followed by psychological, genitourinary, vasomotor, and sexual. However rating of symptoms using MRS showed the majority of symptoms were mild. This study signifies the need to use the tool for the assessment of the severity of menopausal symptoms from the perimenopausal group.

Introduction:. Menopause is the transition from the reproductive phase of a woman to the non-reproductive. It may impair quality of life. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of mixed herbal medicines on menopause symptoms Methods: A randomized, triple-blind, clinical trial and placebo-controlled study on 120 peri-menopausal women aged 45-65 years for 12 weeks. All participants took herbal extracts drops orally daily and randomly allocated into four groups: placebo (C), A (250 mg chamomile, 30 mg fennel, 15 mg saffron), B (1000 mg, 120 mg, 60 mg), and D (500 mg, 60 mg, 30 mg). Primary outcome was the mean change in scores of the menopause rating scale that evaluates 11 symptoms. Results: The median (IQR) physical score significantly reduced from 8.5(4) to 2(3), in psych score reduced from 12(4) to 2 (2) and in urogenital score reduced from 6.5(3) to 3(2) in group B. In group D physical score decreased from 12(6) to 8(4), in psychological score reduced from12 (3) to 8(4) and urogenital score reduced from 7.5 (3) to 8(3) at week 12. No significant differences in group A and C. With comparison the scores of physical, psych and urogenital domain of MRS questionnaire in 1th ,6th and 12th, no significant difference within group A and C were seen, but statistically significant difference was within group B (p

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the severity of climacteric symptoms among two Peruvian communities, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical variables in climacteric women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 subjects from two different communities (an urban coastal and a rural Andean district from Peru). The Menopause Rating Scale was used to assess climacteric symptoms. Prevalence ratios with 95% confidence interval (PR 95%CI) were estimated using generalized linear Poisson models with family robust standard errors. Results: A higher probability of severe climacteric symptoms was found in women who were from the Andean community than those who were from the coastal one (PR 2.42, 95%CI 1.47-3.99; p=0.001), which remained in the adjusted model (RP 1.72, 95%CI 1.04-2.86; p=0.035). Conclusion: Understanding the variation of climacteric symptoms among geographically distinct communities could contribute to improving women's quality of life.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the severity of climacteric symptoms among two Peruvian communities, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical variables in climacteric women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 subjects from two different communities (an urban coastal and a rural Andean district from Peru). The Menopause Rating Scale was used to assess climacteric symptoms. Prevalence ratios with 95% confidence interval (PR 95%CI) were estimated using generalized linear Poisson models with family robust standard errors. Results: A higher probability of severe climacteric symptoms was found in women who were from the Andean community than those who were from the coastal one (PR 2.42, 95%CI 1.47-3.99; p=0.001), which remained in the adjusted model (RP 1.72, 95%CI 1.04-2.86; p=0.035). Conclusion: Understanding the variation of climacteric symptoms among geographically distinct communities could contribute to improving women's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women's health has been a global concern for many decades. As menopause is midway between the challenges of adulthood and despair of old age, comes the changes of menopause in women. The menopause rating scale (MRS) is widely used to assess menopause-related symptoms. The MRS was first published in 1990 for assessing menopause symptoms. However, no reliable and valid tools are available in the Gujarati language to assess the individuals with menopause symptoms. Aim: The aim of the study was to translate and find out reliability and validity of the Gujarati version of MRS in postmenopausal women. Methods: The study was carried out in three phases: The first phase was the translation of scale into the Gujarati language; the second phase was a pilot study on 30 postmenopausal women age assesses the comprehensibility of the prefinal version; and the third phase was to find out the reliability and validity of the final version of scale. Results: The total value of intraclass correlation coefficient of test--retest reliability was 0.88, with the all items having individual intraclass correlation coefficients score ranging from 0.74 to 0.92. Reliability estimated by internal consistency reached a Cronbach's alpha of 0.94 and ranging from 0.85 to 0.95 test--retest. Conclusion: The Gujarati version of MRS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the menopausal symptoms and health-related quality of life in Guajarati-speaking populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to discuss a statistically reasonable inclusion of additional questions in the Menopause Rating Scale II (MRS II) for daily use in clinical practice. Retrospective data analysis was performed (cantonal ethics committee No. 2016-01179). The MRS II was extended with the parameters 'changes in weight', 'headaches', 'skin changes', 'changes in hair growth', 'hair loss', and whether therapy was desired. Data from 419 women seeking medical advice in our menopause center were collected between April 2009 and April 2017. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure internal consistency of the extended questionnaire. For the conventional MRS II (N = 340 of 419, 81.1%), the internal consistency measured with Cronbach's alpha increased from 0.805 to 0.820 considering 'changes in weight' (N = 237, 56.6%), to 0.815 considering 'headaches' (N = 247, 58.9%), and to 0.815 considering 'skin changes' (N = 236, 56.3%) if these additional parameters were added separately. Cronbach's alpha increased from 0.805 to 0.835 (N = 224, 53.5%) if these parameters were added at once. Desire for therapy varied between 42.1% for 'changes in hair growth' (N = 38, 9.1%) and 60.6% for 'hair loss' (N = 33, 7.9%). We suggest including the items 'changes in weight', 'headaches', and 'skin changes' in the MRS II as our results show even higher internal consistency with these symptoms and as the wish for therapy was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) evaluates eleven menopausal symptoms and health related quality of life (HRQOL) of postmenopausal women under three subscales. In this study we attempted cross cultural adaptation and evaluation of psychometric properties of a Sinhala translation of MRS. Methods Sinhala version of MRS was adapted following standard methodology; forward and backward translations, review by an expert group, focus group discussion (FGD) and pre-testing. It was self-administered among randomly selected healthy, Sinhalese, community-dwelling 166 postmenopausal women (aged; median = 56.5, IQR, 53.0–59.0 years) along with the Short Form 36 (SF-36) survey questionnaire. MRS was re-administered among a subsample (n = 80) after two weeks of first administration. Psychometric properties; reliability and validity were evaluated. Results In Sinhala version of MRS, both internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = 0.79) and test retest reliability (intra class correlation / ICC = 0.86, 95%CI = 0.82–0.91, p

Background: Menopausal transition may occur between 45 and 55 years old and take 3–9 years. During this transition, the hormonal changes may contribute to the physical and psychological complaints in women. One of the psychological complaints is a sign of depression. However, not all of the women will experience those complaints. Objective: To assess the relationship between depression in menopause transition and other menopausal symptoms and factors contribute to depression among Indonesian people. Methods: Cross-sectional study on 133 female subjects between 45 and 55 years old. Depression measured using Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and menopausal symptoms were collected using Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). The comparison and relation were assessed for every aspect regarding depression and menopausal symptoms. Results: Out of 133 subjects, depression was found in 17 subjects (12.8%). Somato-vegetative symptoms were complained by 50.4% and urogenital symptoms by 75.9% subjects. There was significant correlation between depression and somato-vegetative (p = 0.008) as well as urogenital complaints among women who underwent menopause transition (p = 0.016). These findings were consistent with previous studies. Conclusion: Depression on menopausal transition significantly correlated with somato-vegetative and urogenital symptoms among women. Future investigations should be conducted with a cohort design to observe mood alterations during the menopause transition.

Context: Due to increased life expectancy worldwide, women are expected to spend a significant portion of their lives in menopause. Proven prevention strategies against serious risks and tested effective treatments for common symptoms may remain unutilized in our population if these women are not asked about these symptoms. Aim: This study aims to assess the prevalence of different menopausal symptoms and their severity according to menopause rating scale (MRS) in women. Setting and Design: The present study was a cross-sectional survey, conducted in the outpatient department of gynecology and obstetrics. Subjects and Methods: After written and informed consent, 121 women having their last menstrual period at least 1 year ago were included. The menopausal symptoms were assessed using the MRS. The primary outcome measure in this study was the prevalence of menopausal symptoms in these women according to MRS and the severity of these symptoms. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed using the SPSS software program, version 15.0 (IBM, Armonk, New York, USA). Results: The most common symptom was mental and physical exhaustion which was reported by 88 (72%) women, followed by joint and muscular discomfort which was reported by 83 (68.59%). Hot flushes were reported by 54 (44.62%) respondents. Majority of women reported mild-to-moderate symptoms. Conclusions: The prevalence of menopausal symptoms is high, and a health policy needs to be generated for the region.

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and associated factors among women living with HIV in Cambodia. Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) assessed the menopausal symptoms, and SPSS Version 20.0 analyzed the data. The three most dominant symptoms, which were also rated the top three "severe" symptoms, were psychological: physical and mental exhaustion (91.5%), irritability (84.1%), and depressive mood (83.6%). The highest incidence was among the perimenopausal women. Severity of symptoms was associated with personal income, abortion, and intake of calcium supplements. Health-care professionals need to provide appropriate individualized interventions to maintain the social, emotional, and overall well-being of menopausal women living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To measure the severity of menopausal complaints and determine the pattern of menopausal symptoms, a valid and reliable instrument is needed in women's healthcare. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) is one of the best-known tools in response to the lack of standardized scales. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the MRS in an Iranian example.Methods: Participants were randomly selected from women referred to healthcare centers in Miandoab, West Azerbaijan, Iran. A total of 330 questionnaires were completed (response rate of 96.9%). Two samples were considered for analysis in the validation process. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the first sample (n1 = 165), and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was done using a second study sample (n2 = 165). The psychometric properties process was concluded with assessment of internal consistency and test-retest reliability.Results: The EFA with Principal Component Analysis extracted three factors explaining 75.47% cumulative variance. The CFA confirmed a three-factor structure of the 11-items MRS. All fit indices proved to be satisfactory. The relative chi-square (χ2/df) was 3.686 (p < .001). The Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of the model was .04 (90% CI = .105-.150). All comparative indices of the model, including the Comparative Fit Index, Normed Fit Index, and Relative Fit Index, were more than .80 (.90, .87, and .80, respectively). For the overall scale, Cronbach's alpha was .931, whereas the alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.705-0.950. The intraclass correlation was .91 (95% CI = .89-.93), p < 0.001.Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the Persian model of the MRS is a valid and reliable scale. As a screening tool, the Persian MRS could be used to identify the pattern of symptoms among menopausal, premenopausal, and postmenopausal women to care for and educate them on how to identify and treat the symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Demographic and epidemiological transitions have increased the life expectancy of middle aged women, resulting in higher burden of morbidities related to menopausal symptoms and also effect the quality of life (QOL). Objectives: To study the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and its effect on QOL among rural middle aged women (40–60 years) of Haryana, India. Materials and Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in 400 middle aged women (40–60 years) from April 2018 to March 2019 by random sampling technique. The menopause rating scale was used to assess the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and the QOL and data were collected for sociodemographic factors, relevant menstrual history and other variables. Results: Prevalence of menopausal symptoms was found to be 87.7%. Majority of the study subjects had anxiety (80%), followed by physical and mental exhaustion (71.5%), sleep problem (61.2%), irritability (60.7%), Joint and muscular discomfort (56%) and heart problems (54%). The most classical symptom of menopause i.e., hot flushes were reported in 36.7%. The mean age of menopause was 47.53 standard deviation 4.5 years. Statistical significant difference was seen for the mean score of few symptoms i.e., hot flushes, sweating (P < 0.003) and joint and muscular discomfort (P < 0.014) between post and peri-menopausal groups. The QOL was impaired in 70.2% of study subjects. The psychological symptoms attributed 70.8% to the poor QOL. Conclusion: To improve the QOL and to decrease the menopausal symptoms in these women, a holistic approach in the form of lifestyle and behavioral modification are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and associated factors among Cambodian women. A cross-sectional study was performed with 200 women aged 40–60 years in three provinces and one urban area in Cambodia from July 2017 to August 2017. Three symptom categories: somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms (totaling 11 symptoms) related to menopause were assessed using the Khmer version of Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Over one-fifth (21.5%) of the participants were premenopausal; 22.5% were perimenopausal, and 56% were postmenopausal. Somatic and psychological symptoms occurred more frequently than urogenital symptoms in all three statuses. The three most prevalent symptoms for all women were physical and mental exhaustion (88.1%), irritability (85.9%), and sleep problems (82.5%). The average MRS score was 12.22 ± 5.37 (range 0–44). Postmenopausal women had significantly higher rates of menopausal symptoms than pre- and perimenopausal women. Increased severity of menopausal symptoms was associated with less personal income (≤100 US$), higher parity (>4 children), abortion(s), use of calcium supplements, and history of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of menopausal symptoms among Cambodian women in Cambodia. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to deal with independent factors associated with these symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women experience various menopausal symptoms during the menopause; these symptoms can affect their quality of life and health. The aim of this study was to help females around this time to relief their symptoms by natural safe product. Subjects and methods: Forty-two women participated as volunteers, who are suffering from different symptoms of menopause with mean age 45.36 ± 0.98 years. Full clinical examination, anthropometric parameters, dietary recalls, and Menopause Rating Scale evaluation were recorded. Blood sampling and biochemical analysis was done including important sex hormones. Participants daily consumed 45 g of supplement made from raw unsalted crashed peanut, raw sesame, dry coriander, and dry thyme that were made in the form of blend. Study period lasted for 8 weeks. Chemical composition of the blend was assessed. Results: All participants showed marked improvement in psychological, urogenital, and somatic symptoms after intervention. Conclusion: Data of this study showed that the blend had a beneficial impact on the physical, psychological, and mental health in perimenopausal women. So, functional foods must be considered in controlling different menopausal annoying symptoms; perimenopausal women can use this blend as a safe and effective food supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menopausal symptoms experienced by women vary widely, and while many women transition through menopause with manageable symptoms, others experience severe symptoms, which may impair their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tribulus terrestris , ginger, saffron, and Cinnamomum on menopausal symptoms. A randomised, triple-blind, controlled trial design was used for this study. The participants were 80 postmenopausal women aged 50–60 years. A demographic data form and the Menopause Rating Scale were used to collect data. The women were randomly divided into two groups, each of which received either an Aphrodit capsule or a placebo twice a day for four weeks. The two bottles looked exactly the same, so that the investigator and the participants were not aware of the contents of the bottles. Each Aphrodit capsule contained 40 mg of Tribulus terrestris , 12.27 mg of Zingiber officinale, 3 mg of Crocus sativus extract, and 11 mg of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, while the placebo capsules contained 50 mg of starch. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. A statistically significant change was reported in the menopausal symptoms of the intervention group compared with the placebo group. The results of the study demonstrate that the Aphrodit capsule was effective in reducing menopausal symptoms.

Introduction Standard treatment for oestrogen-positive breast cancers involves a minimum of five years of adjuvant endocrine treatment with a significant improvement in survival. However, the side effects of endocrine treatments are often underestimated. We aimed to identify the frequency of side effects, adherence to treatment, and impact on the quality of life of breast cancer survivors. Methods All patients attending holistic needs assessment and health and wellbeing events with a clinical nurse specialist between March and October 2023 were given a menopause symptom proforma and Utian menopausal quality of life scale questionnaire. Results A total of 99/150 (66%) patients attending a health needs assessment with a clinical nurse specialist following a diagnosis of breast cancer returned forms. The mean age of respondents was 56.7 years, with a mean 2.5-year duration since diagnosis. Thirty-seven percent of respondents were premenopausal at diagnosis, and 63% were postmenopausal. Five percent stopped treatment early due to menopausal symptoms, and 2.2% changed endocrine treatment. Overall, the mean menopausal quality of life score was -0.454 (p=0.0052). Within the premenopausal cohort, 84% reported hot flushes, 81% a low-sex drive, 73% night sweats, 89% memory problems, 89% fatigue, and 76% joint aches. This group scored -0.20 SD on the quality of life scale. The postmenopausal group reported a 71% incidence of hot flushes, 79% both poor sleep and joint pain, 60% breast pain, and 86% fatigue. They demonstrated a mean of -0.58 SD on the quality of life scale. The failure to adhere to endocrine treatment was reported by 6% of respondents, who cited side effects as the reason for non-compliance. Conclusion In conclusion, there is a significant increase in menopausal symptoms following treatment for breast cancer, which is negatively impacting well-being, quality of life, and endocrine adherence., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Scally et al.)

Introduction: Menopause is an unspoken and unaddressed aspect of a women's life, surrounded by many myths and taboos within the Indian context. Although a majority of menopausal women experience moderate to severe symptoms that can affect their physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being, there is poor health literacy as well as health-seeking behavior among them. The importance of social support, especially at a difficult time like menopause, is bound to minimize the severity of menopausal symptoms., Objectives: The objective is to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms among women living in rural communities of Mysuru district, and to examine the relationship of perceived social support during menopausal transition to severity of the symptoms., Materials and Methods: Between May 2022 and December 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 women living in rural communities of Mysuru district, Karnataka. An interviewer-administered survey in Kannada was used to record the severity of menopausal symptoms and associated determinants after completion of informed consent process., Results: The average age of study participants was 50.9 (standard deviation [SD] ±4.6) years. While 77.2% were married, 20.8% were widows. About half (53.6%) belonged to lower socioeconomic class and another 28% belonged to middle class. The mean age at menopause was 47.6 (SD ± 4.24) years; 56.8% reported experiencing moderate-to-severe symptoms; 75.6% reported high social support while 24.4% of women low-to-medium social support. The odds of experiencing moderate-to-severe menopause symptoms were 4.51 (95% confidence interval: 2.337-8.690) times higher among women who received low-to-medium social support as compared to those with high social support. The social support obtained was directly proportional to socioeconomic status and living with spouse., Conclusion: The health system should emphasize the role of social support while counseling postmenopausal women. There is a dire need for both community and physician education programs on the social and medical needs of postmenopausal women., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Mid-life Health.)

Introduction: Menopause is the transition from the reproductive phase of a woman to the non-reproductive. It may impair quality of life. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of mixed herbal medicines on menopause symptoms Methods: A randomized, triple-blind, clinical trial and placebo-controlled study on 120 peri-menopausal women aged 45-65 years for 12 weeks. All participants took herbal extracts drops orally daily and randomly allocated into four groups: placebo (C), A (250 mg chamomile, 30 mg fennel, 15 mg saffron), B (1000 mg, 120 mg, 60 mg), and D (500 mg, 60 mg, 30 mg). Primary outcome was the mean change in scores of the menopause rating scale that evaluates 11 symptoms. Results: The median (IQR) physical score significantly reduced from 8.5(4) to 2(3), in psych score reduced from 12(4) to 2 (2) and in urogenital score reduced from 6.5(3) to 3(2) in group B. In group D physical score decreased from 12(6) to 8(4), in psychological score reduced from12 (3) to 8(4) and urogenital score reduced from 7.5 (3) to 8(3) at week 12. No significant differences in group A and C. With comparison the scores of physical, psych and urogenital domain of MRS questionnaire in 1th ,6th and 12th, no significant difference within group A and C were seen, but statistically significant difference was within group B (p<0.001) and D (p<0.001) in all weeks. The effect size was 0.92. Conclusion: A 12 weeks extracts treatment, there were significant improvement in physical, psychological and urogenital domains in group B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess sexual activity and menopausal symptoms in middle-aged Chinese women and to correlate this with their vaginal maturation status (VMS). Methods: 120 women aged 45-60 years were assigned to four groups: premenopause (Pre-M), perimenopause (Peri-M), early postmenopause (Post-EM), and late postmenopause (Post-LM). The menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale. VMS was determined using the vaginal maturation index (VMI) and pH value. Sexual activity including sexual frequency and distress was measured using self-administered questionnaires. Results: A high proportion (48.2%) of Post-LM women reported low sexual frequency, and a high proportion (24.2%) of Peri-M women reported sexual distress. Physical/mental exhaustion and sexual problems were the most prevalent symptoms, followed by sleeping problems and hot flushes/sweating rated as severe or very severe. Physical/mental exhaustion and sexual problems became more frequent as menopausal stages progressed (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Hot flushes/sweating was more prominent in women in the Peri-M and Post-EM groups. The Post-LM group exhibited lower VMI and higher pH values than the Pre-M and Peri-M groups (p < 0.017 and p < 0.001, respectively), and pH was positively correlated with sexual problems (r = 0.298, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Advancing menopausal status is associated with prevalent physical/mental exhaustion and sexual problems in middle-aged Chinese women. Hot flushes/sweating is among the most frequent menopausal symptoms rated as severe or very severe. In addition, urogenital symptoms are correlated with pH in these women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common symptoms during menopausal transition and menopause are vasomotor symptoms. We aimed to investigate the relationship between menopausal symptoms and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in postmenopausal women. Two hundred and fifty-four and 317 postmenopausal women were in the MetS and non-MetS groups, respectively. The total menopause rating scale and psychological subscale scores were higher in the MetS group than the non-MetS group, and the differences were significant (p < .05). A positive correlation was found between the abdominal circumferences, systolic-diastolic blood pressures, triglycerides and total MRS scores. However, a significant positive correlation was found between the abdominal circumference and total urogenital scores (p = .008). Impact statement What is already known on this subject? MetS and its dominant component (abdominal obesity) significantly increase the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms. Data regarding the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and vasomotor symptoms remain limited. What do the results of this study add? We showed that sleeping problems, depressive symptoms and bladder problems were more frequently encountered in the MetS group than in the non-MetS group (p<0.05). What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? There is a need for more randomised controlled studies to demonstrate the relationship between MetS and the severity of menopausal symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]