Age of menopause and menopausal symptoms among urban women in Pune, Maharashtra

Abstract

Objectives: To study the age at menopause, reported symptoms of menopause, and treatment-seeking behavior of urban women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on purposively selected 156 women from four different sites in Pune city between 40 and 55 years of age. Pretested semi-structured interview schedule was used for data collection. Data analysis was done using SPSS software and the correlation between menopausal symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics was tested using chi-square test. Results: Mean age at menopause was 45.8 years. Each respondent reported nearly four symptoms. Most frequently reported symptoms were psychological (n=154) vasomotor (n=78) followed by urogenital (n=68) symptoms. Nuclear family and income levels found to have significant correlation with menopausal symptoms. Less than half (43%) patients used modern medicine while 30% did not seek any treatment. Conclusion: It is necessary to critically inspect health needs of women in menopausal transition and incorporate specific components in the programs.