F
emale
aging
R
ev
A
ssoc
M
ed
B
ras
2015; 61(6):553-556
553
REVIEW ARTICLE
Female aging
I
sabel
C
ristina
E
sposito
S
orpreso
1
, J
osé
M
aria
S
oares
J
únior
2
, A
ngela
M
aggio
da
F
onseca
3
, E
dmund
C
hada
B
aracat
4
1
Assistant Professor, Division of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
2
Associate Professor, Division of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
3
Associate Professor, Division of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
4
Full Professor, Division of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
S
ummary
Study conducted by the Division
of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics
and Gynecology, Hospital das Clínicas,
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade
de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Article received
: 10/20/2015
Accepted for publication:
10/23/2015
*Correspondence:
Address: Avenida Doutor Eneas de
Carvalho Aguiar, 255
Décimo andar, sala 10166
Postal code: 05403000
São Paulo, SP – Brazil
icesorpreso@usp.br http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.61.06.553Conflict of interest
: none
Female aging is a process that involves hypoestrogenism time, the individual im-
pact on each woman, and what we can do as experts to reduce morbidity and
provide quality of life. This natural process in the female life cycle has been of
concern to women after menopause. Changes in different biophysical and psycho-
social aspects, and their individual experiences, have repercussions on the lives
of patients seeking specialized and multidisciplinary support to reduce the har-
mful effects of prolonged hypoestrogenism. Overweight and obesity, inadequa-
te living habits and the presence of multi-morbidities cause damage to the qua-
lity of life and impact the functional capacity. Behavioral prescription and
hormone therapy are among the treatments given to ease symptoms and redu-
ce morbidity. A better understanding of these factors can help identify groups
that require more care after menopause.
Keywords:
post-menopause, women, aging.
Aging is a physiological process in life and, in women, it
is influenced by hypoestrogenism the greater their lon-
gevity. The increase in life expectancy among women
brought changes in the mortality panorama.
1
Currently,
the prevalence of chronic diseases, malignancies and re-
percussions of hypoestrogenism in each individual serves
as motivation for health professionals in clinical and gy-
necological settings to offer prevention and promotion
actions for women seeking quality of life and reduced
morbidity.
2,3
Also, concern about the quality of life and prevention
of chronic diseases and cancer are the demands of wom-
en seeking a gynecologist.
3,4
The notion of health has been
a concern of the very patients interested in weight main-
tenance, adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, cessation of
legal and illegal adictions, and the use of medications for
adequate control of chronic diseases.
5
Changes in biophysical aspects also affect the quali-
ty of life caused by prolonged hypoestrogenism related
to urogenital disorders, changes in sexual behavior and
libido, memory, skin tropism, effects on lipid profile, and
bone metabolism.
6
Psychosocial factors contribute to a positive or neg-
ative perception of women’s health, which depends on
how she experiences and sees life after menopause.
7
There
are occurrences such as loss of loved ones, change in mar-
ital status, retirement process, and prior preparation of
this phase in which women turn their attention to them-
selves, their achievements and accomplishments, their
wishes and needs.
8
It is known that age, overweight and obesity, smok-
ing, and the presence of multi-morbidities impair the
quality of life and impact the functional capacity.
9
Ac-
cording to Fonseca et al., the most relevant information
in medical history declared at the time of the initial treat-
ment in women after menopause were: hypertension
(44.94%), diabetes (10.1%), smoking (8.39%), thyroid dis-
orders (7.7%), malignancies (6.41%), cardiovascular dis-
ease (17.1%), dyslipidemia (0.88%) and psychiatric disor-
ders (0.06%).
10
The severity of menopausal symptoms is negatively
influenced in the presence of chronic diseases, multiple
pregnancies and not using hormone therapy, with wors-
ening of self-perceived health.
6,7