Rejuvenating? See how old ladies fight menopause

DAR ES SALAAM: THE increase in the number of middle-aged women suffering menopause is threatening cities and villages in Tanzania at this time, when the incidents of youth dating big aunties (Mshangazi) keep rocking Tanzanian cities.

In the in-depth probe of the Daily News Digital, came with intriguing findings, with most of the elderly women who date young men claiming the youth rejuvenates them and keeps them away from menopause.

“I am aged 51, a widow, as my husband died six years ago. Since it’s difficult to find someone close to my age, the only available youthful partners at the moment are bodaboda riders who keep us going,” said Mama Pendo, who preferred anonymity.

 Dr. Lilian Mnabwiru, a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), said there are three stages a woman goes through when she reaches menopause.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Daily News Digital, Dr. Lilian, who is also an expert in fertility treatments, said a large percentage of women experience menopause between the ages of 50 and 51.

“Menopause is a normal condition for a woman, depending on her life stages. Menopause can occur at any time. This condition occurs when a woman has not had her period for 12 consecutive months, or in other words, if she has not had her period for those consecutive months, she will have experienced menopause,” she explained.

She added, “On average, most women go through menopause between the ages of 50 and 51.

Dr. Liliana notes that this often occurs between the ages of 40 and 45, and some women go through menopause as early as 35, some others go through menopause as late as 60 to 65.

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“Menopause is caused by a significant drop in the female hormone called estrogen, which, when it drops, causes various changes in a woman’s body,” she emphasized.

She said menopause contributes to a decrease in a woman’s feelings because that estrogen hormone is what makes a woman look like a woman, such as a soft voice, smooth skin, and a look that is distinguishable from a man.

She noted that the period before menopause is divided into three periods according to age, where the first period is a transitional period that begins with changes where the hormone begins to decrease by slowing down the ability of eggs to work and gradually decreasing.

“It leads to changes that a woman can see before she stops menstruating. This period often starts between the ages of 40 and 45; they start to see earlier, others 30, 32 to 40,” he emphasized.

She added, “After that period, it can take eight years for a woman to completely stop menstruating, and then she stops menstruating automatically. During that period, the changes she will see in her menstruation are that in one month she sees it twice or three times, others decrease by about 20 days, and others increase by 30 days.

She also said that another person’s menstrual days decrease from seven days to three or one day, and when she does not see it at all for 12 months, she has stopped menstruating.

Dr. Lilian explained that if the period lasts for 12 months and after those months they look again for another 12 months, if she has not had her period, she has stopped menstruating automatically.

She said that other reasons for a woman to stop menstruating are health problems that require treatment, which can lead to her stopping menstruation.

“For example, a woman who has a fertility problem or a problem in the reproductive system may have problems such as tumors and things like that that lead to surgery to remove the uterus, and when the uterus is removed, she can no longer have her period.

She said that others who suffer from diseases such as cancer and undergo various treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy can stop menstruating.

“There is that which is caused by nature according to age, and some that are caused by problems like that, depending on the treatment she receives, but also when a woman is pregnant, she may not see her period because of pregnancy,” She explained.