UniSC researchers study increased risk factors of menopause on women’s health

Mel Kettle was only 41 when she thought she was losing her mind.

“Alzheimer’s runs in my family and so I thought I had early onset dementia and that was terrifying,” Ms Kettle said.

“I remember talking to my doctor and saying, ‘I’ve got all these weird things happening — I’ve gained heaps of weight, I’m really forgetful, I’m really anxious’.”

Despite raising her suspicions she might be experiencing perimenopause, Ms Kettle said her doctor dismissed the idea, telling her she was too young to be going through the hormonal transition.

She said it took a toll on her career as a leadership communications specialist.

“I’d be on stage giving a keynote speech to a big group and I’d suddenly forget what I was talking about,” she said.

She began researching the phase of life when a woman’s oestrogen levels declined and ovaries slowed down in the lead-up to her final period.

“Fortunately, I realised short-term memory loss is one of the symptoms of perimenopause that never gets talked about,” she said.

Twelve years on, Ms Kettle said she was experiencing perimenopause, the first phase of menopause, which could last years before a woman’s menstruation cycle permanently ended.

University of Sunshine Coast (UniSC) PhD candidate Laura Pernoud said women regularly relied on social networks and found their own answers to understand what was happening to their bodies.

“Women’s health in general is very under-researched,” Ms Pernoud said.

“Many people think of hot flashes as that cliche symptom, but oestrogen has implications all around the body, so mood disturbances, poor sleep quality, and memory.”

Ms Pernoud is the lead investigator in a UniSC study looking into why women after menopause are also more susceptible to chronic diseases.

“Cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, and even dementia later on in life are all underpinned by low grade chronic inflammation,” she said.

Finding answers

The research team is comparing the health results of women before, during and after menopause to see if lifestyle factors including exercise, sleep, weight distribution and diet affect chronic inflammation.

Sharon Jones, 59, said taking part in the study was educational and made her more mindful about her health.

“During the trial I discovered I was sometimes waking up six times a night and that was a big shock, just having this fatigue and brain fog,” the university student said.

“Knowing bone density can decrease when you’re going through menopause, so my diet is important and making sure I take calcium every day and taking the right supplements.”

Ms Jones said she hoped the research would support the next generation of women going through the transition.

“No one can prepare you for it,” Ms Jones said.

“Being happy one minute and crying next, putting on 10 kilograms almost overnight, was a bit of a shock to the system.”

What needs to be done?

Ms Pernoud said study results could be used to enhance women’s health during the transition.

“Women start to go, ‘Is this symptom due to my menopause or is this just getting older’,” Ms Pernoud said.

She said menopause was a single day in a woman’s life that marked 12 months since her last period, but symptoms could last decades.

“Women can have these menopausal associated symptoms up to 10 years after that final menstrual period,” she said.

“Some people are still having hot flashes into their 70s.”

She said 75 participants had taken part in the study that included body composition scans, sleep monitoring and blood pressure tests.

She said researchers hoped to have 200 participants in total by the end of the year to better understand the complexities of women’s health.

According to the US-based National Institute on Aging, the menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55 and usually lasts about seven years.

Australasian Menopause Society president Karen Magraith said menopause had tended to be neglected in the past because there was a stigma attached to it.

She hoped GPs could provide adequate clinical care about menopause so women no longer had to find doctors specifically focused on women’s health.

“Some GPs are not confident or comfortable managing menopause, or in some cases the patients symptoms or medical history are complex,” she said.

“GP education … needs to start during undergraduate years and continue through post graduate GP speciality training. “

Other impacts of menopause

Ms Kettle said her involvement in the study gave her further motivation to be advocate for menopause, particularly in workplaces.

“The more we can understand what menopause is, the more we can support women, which means they’re less likely to prematurely leave the workforce, they’re less likely to want to cut their hours,” she said.

“For most women going through it, we’re at the peak of our career and so there’s so much potential that can be lost.

“My generation, Gen X, we don’t want to be silent, we’re really keen to have conversations.”

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