REPRODUCTION 7: What is premenstrual syndrome and menopause

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

—Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a group of symptoms related to the menstrual cycle. PMS a cyclical disorder of severe mental, physical and emotional distress.

—The syndrome always happens 5 to 11 days before the menstruation starts.

—It will disappear when the menstruation begins.

—The actual causes of PMS are still unknown.

—However, PMS may be related to the imbalance levels of oestrogen and progesterone hormones.

—Common physical symptoms are headaches, fatigue feel bloated, breast tenderness, abdominal pain, sleep disturbances and appetite changes including food cravings.

—The common emotional symptoms are irritability tension, depression, confusion, anxiety, crying, oversensitivity, and mood swings with alternating anger and sadness and lack of concentration.

Menopause

—Menopause is a normal change in a woman’s life when her menstruation stops.

—During menopause a woman's body slowly produces less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

—This often happens between the ages of 45 and 55, A woman has reached menopause when she has not had menstruation for 12 months in a row.

—As a woman approaches menopause she may experience symptoms from the changes that her body is undergoing.

—These include hot flushes, night sweats, sleeping problems, osteoporosis, mood changes, weight gain and hair loss.