A woman’s life is affected by a lot of things. One of the most testing times in our lives can be going through menopause. October 18 marks the day for awareness about menopause and its significant impact on any female’s life.
What is menopause?
Simply speaking, it is the natural reduction in a women’s menstrual cycle and reproductive hormones until a period of no cycle has been observed for 12 months. It is a crucial time for women in their forties or fifties, as it is marked by several changes in the body and the upheaval in the hormone system. It can bring mood swings, body-ache as well as depression for a brief period when it finally occurs.
Why does it need awareness and how did October 18 come about as World Menopause Day?
It is a natural event that is surrounded by as much stigma as it can be. In Indian society especially, it is talked about in a hushed voice or not talked about at all even though it is heavily impacting our women’s lives. This needs to be changed. Going through it alone can be debilitating for anyone and women need our support.
World Menopause Day aims to shed light on this phenomenon and spread awareness about the possible options and treatments one can undergo to help in keeping good health and wellbeing. Started by the International Menopause Society (IMS), a UK-based charity, October 18 is now observed as a day dedicated to the various aspects of women’s health, the theme centring around menopause
What is this year’s theme?
This year’s (2021) theme for World Menopause Day is Bone Health. It is a clinically proven fact that women’s bone health starts to decline after menopause. Conditions like Osteoporosis and related fractures become common and pose a major issue in improving overall global health. This year, IMS has two experts in the field address these issues and also raise awareness. Their research paper for this year also talks about this issue and is very informative.