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The 'Men' Words Menopause and Menstruate

© April Lee Schmidt

The words menopause and menstruate are not always the most welcomed words to hear. However, they are important topics to discuss, especially between mothers and daughters.

Although I am not yet forty and the typical age of menopause is in the mid-fifties I have been giving it a lot of thought. According to the North American Menopause Society, menopause related changes can begin six years prior to natural menopause. In all likelihood I will be going through natural menopause as opposed to forced and when the time comes, I want to be prepared.

My mother went through forced menopause due to a complete hysterectomy in the early 1960's when she was in her 30's. It was a very difficult time for her. She did not have a lot of support and information was not as readily available as it is now. In the 1960's, a woman only had limited information from her own mother's experience or the family doctor.

Now there are many books, magazine articles, and Internet sites that contain information. The North American Menopause Society (www.menepause.org) offers information on every aspect of menopause including the use of 'natural' products for related conditions. It is important to discern between facts, myths, and the information that is pertinent to your particular case.

Though occurring many years apart, both menstruation and menopause are the onset of something new. They are both significant stages in a woman's life cycle. My inclination to be prepared also includes my being prepared for the onset of my daughter's cycles. The Mayo Clinic site www.mayohealth.org has a plethora of information on both these topics including 'a parents guide on preparing daughters for menstruation'. It wasn't very difficult discussing this topic with my daughter. I let her lead the conversation and answered her questions as best I could. The exact words you use are not as important as the fact that you are willing to talk about it with her.

My Daughter 's orthopedist informed her that the onset of menstruation would be the beginning of the end of her growth spurts. This news was a relief to her as she has scoliosis, which requires her to wear a back brace until her bones stop growing. Due to an underlying medical condition, she is nearly 5'10" at age 13. Needless to say, she is anxiously awaiting the end of this growth spurt.

Once called 'the curse' and 'the change', menstruation and menopause sounded like a negative phase of a woman's life. They are private topics for women, especially adolescent girls.

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