Menopause news

World Menopause Day 2010

18 Oct 2010

To mark World Menopause Day in 2010, the IMS has launched new Recommendations for the management of postmenopausal vaginal atrophy, a distressing condition that will affect up to half of women after menopause. This new guidance is essential as, despite the various safe and effective options for therapy, only a minority of women (about 25% in the western world and probably considerably less in other areas) will seek medical help. Some of this reluctance is due to the adverse publicity for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) over recent years that has suggested an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. However, regardless of whether these scares are justified, local treatment of vaginal atrophy is not associated with any of these risks of systemic HRT. Other reasons for the continued suffering in silence may be cultural and an understandable reluctance to discussing such matters, particularly with a male doctor, but the medical profession must also take much of the blame for failing to enquire of all postmenopausal women of the possibility of vaginal atrophic symptoms. Vaginal atrophy can be helped by simple lubricants but the best and most logical treatment is to use local estrogen. This is safe and effective and it is doubtful whether there any valid contraindications.
It is hoped that the publicity for this problem around World Menopause Day will help to highlight this major cause of distress and reduced quality of life and will encourage women all over the world and their medical advisers to seek and provide help.

Recommendations for the management of postmenopausal vaginal atrophy

The Recommendations for the management of postmenopausal vaginal atrophy will be published in the December issue of Climacteric but a link to the Recommendations is provided below, together with translations into seven languages, provided by IMS members. The IMS grants permission to individuals only to reproduce copies of the Recommendations for their own personal use but requests that organizations contact Mrs Jean Wright, IMS Executive Director ( [email protected] ) for advice on how to order reprints.

To view the Recommendations for health professionals and to access an excellent slide set, go to www.imsociety.org/world_menopause_month.php and for patient information leaflets on this important topic, and on many other aspects of the menopause, go to www.menopausematters.co.uk/downloads.php

< Go Back

<< News Index