Low estrogen levels after menopause can take a toll on your heart, bones, brain, and urinary/sexual/vaginal health (known as Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause). While many menopausal symptoms eventually dissipate, and often disappear, there can be significant long-term, postmenopause health risks to know about and address. It’s important to understand your particular risks, to make lifestyle changes that may improve your postmenopause health, and to seek treatment for existing symptoms and conditions.
Estrogen helps keep blood vessels open and flexible, and balances good and bad cholesterol. When estrogen production declines after menopause, a woman’s risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke multiply. While much attention has rightfully been focused on breast cancer, which affects one in eight women, more attention needs to be paid to women’s cardiovascular health, as more than one in three women will develop heart disease.
Because estrogen keeps bones strong and healthy, women are at an increased risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis after menopause, especially in the first three to five years after their last period. For many women, the bone loss is rapid and extreme. A DEXA body scan, which measures bone-mineral density, can indicate whether someone is at risk for developing osteoporosis or experiencing a fracture. If you have a family history of osteoporosis or if you break a bone after 50, talk to your doctor.
Many postmenopausal women—up to 84% according to a NAMS study—struggle with chronic genital, sexual, and urinary discomfort that rarely resolves on its own. Few, however, have heard of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM), the umbrella term for these conditions.
Even fewer associate these symptoms with menopause and lower estrogen levels and seek the treatment they need. GSM symptoms are caused by a decline in estrogen that leads to a thinning of the vulva-vaginal wall, including the urethra and bladder. GSM can have a profoundly negative impact on a person’s quality of life.
Genital symptoms range from dryness to burning, irritation, and/or discharge. Sexual symptoms include decreased vaginal lubrication, low libido, bleeding after intercourse, and painful/uncomfortable sex. Urinary symptoms include urinary tract infections (UTIs), urinary frequency and urgency, increased urinary leaks, and incontinence.
Please answer the questions to complete the symptoms checklist. While not a diagnostic tool, it is a printable resource to share with your doctor to have an informed discussion about perimenopause.
