Menopause is a major change in a woman’s physical and psychological state, often seen as a difficult or embarrassing stage in life. However, it can bring good alongside bad and lead to new discoveries. Women are born with a finite number of reproductive eggs and experience hormonal fluctuations and irregular menstrual cycles as they age. Menopause can lead to feelings of depression and loss, but also to considerable freedom. Matriarchal cultures revere women beyond menopause, seeing them as wise and skilled. Women should see menopause as a badge of honor for those strong enough to survive youth.
“Life changing” is a euphemism used to describe female menopause in humans. This period, in which pregnancy becomes no longer possible, is seen by many women as a difficult or embarrassing stage in life. However, as with any major change, menopause can bring good alongside bad and can in fact lead women to new discoveries about their lives.
Women are born with a finite number of reproductive eggs already in their ovaries. Every time a woman gets her period, she loses an egg. Most women begin menstruating in their early teens and continue to have regular periods into their late thirties or early forties.
As the body ages and egg supplies decrease, women may begin to experience hormonal fluctuations and irregular menstrual cycles. These are the first symptoms of menopause and can last for several years before menstruation stops altogether. Once a woman has run out of eggs, she can no longer have children and will likely experience a permanent reduction in hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. The whole cycle, from preliminary indications to the cessation of menstrual bleeding, is often called the change of life.
This term is quite specific, since menopause is undoubtedly a major alteration in the physical and often psychological state of any woman. For thousands of years, women have been evaluated and defined by their ability to bear children; in many cultures being sterile or going through menopause was a sign of worthlessness. In most modern societies, a person’s worth is no longer defined by their ability to bear children. However, life change can be a difficult or frustrating time for some, but also a moment of reflection and serenity for others.
Even with modern standards of worth for women, this stage can lead to feelings of depression and loss. Those who have proudly supported the decision not to have children may feel regrets or doubts about their previously dedicated beliefs. Others see it as an unmistakable sign of old age and consequent loss of beauty and desirability.
Conversely, it is possible to find considerable freedom in menopause. Women who have spent their lives avoiding pregnancy for physical or lifestyle reasons can now finally relax and enjoy sex without worries. Those who have been suffering from abnormally heavy periods or painful side effects every month may be relieved to see the end of their periods. Many women also understand that the life change may prevent them from giving birth, but it has no effect on their ability to be a loving and supportive mentor or mother to young ones.
Matriarchal cultures have long revered women beyond life-changing. No longer obligated to spend her time raising and protecting children, a postmenopausal woman was often thought of as a wise old woman, skilled at healing, and tough as nails. For women as they reach the age of menopause, it can be helpful to think of the life change as a badge of honor for those who are strong enough to survive youth.
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