Increasing female life expectancy and its consequences: importance of understanding post-menopausal health issues

Abstract

Declining fertility and mortality were the main two factors which affected the increase of life expectancy in Sri Lanka, which over the years has improved rapidly. At present, female life expectancy in Sri Lanka is 77 years, a level similar to many developed countries. As a result, a woman lives through approximately 25-30 years of post-menopausal period, after completing their reproductive life. Menopause is the cessation of the menstruation and is a part of the natural aging process for women. Post-menopausal period begins one year after a woman has had her last menstrual period. Although menopause occurs between the ages of 45 to 55 years, especially in developing countries, women can go through this process at an earlier age. Menopause can cause some symptoms related to physical and mental health of women that may affect their quality of life. The main objective of this paper is to examine the postmenopausal related health issues in the context of increasing life expectancy using existing literature on the subject.