Introduction

Contrary to what many women believe, the menopause doesn't mark the end of their youth or of their sexual activity. It is important to keep in mind that it doesn't represent a disease, but only a natural stage in the evolution of a woman's existence. It is true that elder women in a family will talk to the younger about menopause, generically calling it “the change”, although it represents a series of changes that can start around the age of 35 and continue even to the age of 60. The signs that menopause is getting near may be experienced long before the actual apparition, but the clearest sign is one year of period's absence.

Some women also fear menopause, because they suspect this transition to affect their social, hormonal and psychic life. Before the 19-th century, only few women lived to experience their menopause, but today it doesn't mark the end, but many times the half of a woman's life.

Many women have used hormone therapy for the last few decades relive the symptoms and effects of menopause, and, as doctors believed, to prevent some associated diseases. Nowadays, it was proved that this kind of therapy may actually increase the risks for health conditions like breast cancer, strokes or heart diseases.

A safer treatment is the estrogens therapy. However there are many other therapies for women at menopause that can help keep a healthy active life