Menopause and Vaginal Atrophy

Menopause is the period that ends a woman's reproductive phase. Menopause begins at the end of menstruation. Over time, the ovaries gradually lose the ability to produce estrogen and progesterone, hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. As estrogen production decreases, ovulation and menstruation occur very often, and eventually stop. Menstruation can be stopped early due to illness or a hysterectomy. In these cases we speak demenopausia induced.

Symptoms of menopause
The symptoms of menopause different women. Some experience symptoms that her friends never suffer. The duration and severity of symptoms varies. Lamenopausia is a natural part of life for all women suffer, some more difficult than others. But one thing that all women have in common is the ability to identify options to deal with their menopausal symptoms. Around the Western world 12% of women experience no menopausal symptoms, and about 14% experience high rate of physical or emotional problems.

Causes of vaginal atrophy
The vagina is composed of an inner layer of stratified squamous epithelium, a middle wall muscle and a fibrous outer layer. Before menopause, the presence of endogenous estrogen, the vagina is characterized by thick rough surface, increased blood flow and vaginal lubrication.

Decreased estrogen levels
Vaginal atrophy is commonly associated with declining estrogen levels that accompanies menopause (spontaneous or induced) and aging. The decrease of estrogen levels is also associated with atrophy of the vulva and lower urinary tract, commonly referred to as urogenital atrophy. The term describes vaginal atrophy vaginal walls as thin, pale, dry and sometimes inflamed (eg. Atrophic vaginitis). When normal levels of circulating estrogen in premenopausal decline during perimenopause or after induced menopause, the vagina shortens and narrows. The vaginal walls may show small petechiae (ie, round spots, not bulbous, red-purple bleeding caused by intradermal or submucosal) and becomes thinner (often only a few cell layers thick), less elastic, and progressively smoother in the folds fall more rugged. Vaginal blood flow decreases.