In addition to the physical, psychological changes also greatly affects the quality of life of a woman in menopause underwent. Indeed, psychological changes during menopause are very dependent on each individual. This influence is very dependent on their respective views on the female menopause. Sufficient knowledge will help them understand and prepare himself through this period with better.
a. Psychic changes that appear
In women pramenoupose emerging concern, which is caused by physical and hormonal changes, resulting in a sensitivity to emotions ( Kasdu, 2002: 43). On the basis of the emotional activity is divided into four kinds, namely: fear, anger, love and depression ( Sobur, 2003: 225).
b. Range of emotions as a result of psychic change in the face of menopausal women
1) Anger, the move against the source of frustration.
2) Anxiety, people move to leave the source of frustration.
3) Depression, people stop opening responses and divert into his own emotions ( Mahmud, 1996: 224).
Physical changes in menopause
Due to cessation of menstruation, many will experience changes in reproductive organs. Rahim had antropi (nutritional state of the network setback), length shrinks, and the walls thinned. Network myometrium (uterine muscle) becomes less and contain more fibriotik networks (excessive fibrous nature). The neck of the uterus (cervix) does not protrude into the vagina shrink even long will evenly with the vaginal wall.
The folds of the fallopian tubes become shorter, thinner, and shrivel. Shakes the existing hair on the tip of the fimbria oviduct or disappear (Kasdu, 2002: 58).
Due to changes in reproductive organs and the body's hormones during menopause affects various physical states of a woman's body. This state of the complaints of discomfort that arise in everyday life.
1) Hot flushes (feeling hot)
Is a remarkable burning sensation on the face and upper body (such as the neck and chest). By touching hands will feel an increase in temperature in the area. Hot flushes occur due to the sensitive tissues or that depend on estrogen to be affected when estrogen levels decline. Radiant heat is thought to result from the influence of hormones on the brain responsible for regulating body temperature.
2) Excessive Perspiration
It works exactly is not known, but the radiant heat in the body due to the influence of hormones that regulate the body's thermostat at a lower temperature. As a result, the air temperature feels comfortable initially, suddenly became too hot and the body starts to heat and sweat to cool itself. In addition, in the life of a woman, the vaginal tissues become thinner and as the humidity decreases estrogen levels decline. Other symptoms experienced by women is sweating at night.
3) Dry Vagina
Changes in reproductive organs, including the vaginal area that can cause pain during intercourse. In addition, due to lack of estrogen causes the vaginal epithelium disturbance complaints, network support, and elasticity of the vaginal wall. In fact, the vaginal epithelium contains many estrogen receptors that are helpful to reduce pain in intercourse.
4) Unable to hold urine
As age increases, urine frequently can not be detained at the time of sneezing and coughing. This is due to the decreased estrogen so that one consequence is inkonsitensia urine (unable to control bladder function). Keep in mind, the walls and the smooth muscle layer of female urethra also contains many estrogen receptors. Estrogen deficiency leads to impaired closure of the urethra and urine flow pattern changes so it's easy to become abnormal urinary tract infection on the bottom.
5) Loss of support network
Low levels of estrogen in the body affects the collagen network that serves as a supporting tissue in the body. Loss of collagen causes dry skin and wrinkles, hair split apart, fall out, tooth easy rocking and bleeding gums, canker sores, broken nails, and the onset of pain and aching in the joints.
6) Weight gain
When she began the age of 40 years, his body normally easy to be fat, but otherwise very difficult to lose weight. Based on the study, each period of 10 years, will gain weight or body gradually widened laterally. This is apparently something to do with the drop in estrogen and disorders of fat metabolism exchange of basic substances.
7) eye disorders
Less and the loss of estrogen production affects the lachrymal glands so that eyes feel dry and itchy.
8) Bone pain and joints
Along with the increasing age of the several organs are no longer held a remodeling, including bone. In fact, undergo a process of decline due to the influence of changes in other organs. Also with age of disease that arises increasingly diverse. This is of course related to fitness and health of a woman's body (Kasdu, 2002: 56).
Phase of Klimakterium
Klimakterium phase transition which is passed from a woman 's reproductive period into non- reproductive period. Signs, symptoms or complaints which arise as a result of this transition is called the signs or symptoms of menopause. This period can last between 5 before and after menopause. In this phase of declining female reproductive function.
Phase klimakterium place gradually as follows:
a. before menopause
The period prior to the course when menopause, ie reproductive function begins to decline, until the onset of complaints or signs of menopause.
b. when menopause
The period culminated with the complaint, the span of 1-2 years before and 1- year post- menopause. The period women experience the coming of the end of menstruation until it stops altogether. At this time of menopause is still ongoing.
c. after menopause
The period after perimenopouse until the advent patologic changes permanently accompanied by deteriorating conditions in the elderly body condition ( Senilitas ).
( Kasdu, 2002: 67).
Factors Influencing the Menopause
Here are some factors that influence when a woman experiences menopause:
a. Age of first menstruation (menarche)
Some experts who conducted the study found no relationship between age at first menstrual period by age a woman enters menopause. The conclusion from these studies revealed that the younger one had the first menstruation, the older or long she entered menopause.
b. Psychological factors
Seorng circumstances of women who are not married and works thought to affect a woman's psychological development. According to some studies, they will experience menopause younger than those who are married and not working / worked or not married and not working.
c. Number of Children
Although not yet found a relationship between the number of children and menopause, but some researchers found that the more often a woman gave birth to the older or the longer they enter menopause.
d. Child-bearing age
Still associated with childbearing, that the older a person to bear children, the older he began to enter the age of menopause. Research conducted Deacones Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston revealed that women are still giving birth over the age of 40 years experience menopause an older age. This occurs due to pregnancy and childbirth will slow the system work even reproductive organs, the body will slow down the aging process.
e. Use of contraception
Use of contraceptives, especially hormonal contraception types. This can happen because of the workings of contraception which suppresses ovarian function so it does not produce eggs. In women who use contraceptives will be longer or older to enter menopause.
f. Smoke
Presumably, women who smoke will enter menopause sooner.
g. Socio-economic
Although the data certainly has not been obtained, in his book, Dr.. Faisal said that menopause seems to be influenced by factors of socioeconomic status, education and employment in addition to her husband. So is the relationship between height and weight concerned women included in the socio-economic impact (Kasdu, 2002: 58).
Menopause age
When menopause occurs in a woman, nothing is the same in every person. Orphan (2000) in Kasdu (2002: 85), mentions the results of his study that the average woman entering menopause is different for each race. Although in one race, remained the same in every person. For example, Asian women experiencing menopause race at the age of 44 years. According to Rachman (1997) in Kasdu (2002: 53), mentions the age of menopause occurs at age 48-50 years.
A study was conducted in 1992 by Samil at the Central Java city with educated female respondents, it is known that women experience menopause at the age of 50.2 years. In women who live in rural areas, occurred at the age of 46.5 years. This figure is almost equal to the average age of American and European women began to enter menopause ( Kasdu, 2002: 87).
Definition of Menopause
According to Kasdu (2002: 54), menopause is a word that has many meanings. Men and peuseis is a Greek word that was first used to describe the cessation of menstruation. According to the 17th and 18th century literature menopause is considered a disaster and catastrophe, while the women after menopause is considered useless and unattractive.
Webster 's Ninth New Collection defines menopause as the cessation of menstrual periods naturally which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 50. Menopause is sometimes also expressed as the cessation of menstruation at all.
Baziad (2000) in ( Kasdu, 2002: 56) mentions menopause as the last uterine bleeding that is still governed by the function of ovarian hormones. The term menopause is used to declare a change of life and that's when a woman is experiencing a period of last menstrual period.
According to Ali (2004: 8), in some women, the end of menstruation occurs suddenly, a menstrual period ends and he never got my period again. For other women, menstrual spacing becomes irregular, occurs between the time interval 3 ( three ) weeks to several months. If one full year has passed without getting your period, then he can confidently conclude that menopause occurs when the last time he got my period.
Menopause causes some physical changes that can affect a woman's sexual function. Decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone during and after menopause causes the vaginal lining becomes thinner and harder. In addition, decreased vaginal lubrication, adding discomfort during intercourse. This condition causes severe emotional stress ( Kesrepro, 2007: 12).
Source : Menopause
