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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/10.1590/1806-9282.61.06.553

Conflict 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