Menopause Risk Assessment, Saving Ovaries Can Better Women’s Health

 

Menopause Risk Assessment, Saving Ovaries Can Better Women’s Health

As organs start to fail, other health complexities come with it.  The female reproductive system is no stranger to this phenomenon.  “The primary problem of the gaining population is the serious detriments caused by the aging of various organs and the decline of their functions” (Zhang et al., 2019).  Ovaries are one of these organs that women, and the public, accept will fail on them one day, most likely when they still have decades of life ahead of them.  Organ aging is highly associated with a variety of diseases, and menopause is a cause of this.  “The decline of ovarian function and the arrival of menopause, which then lead to multiple organ dysfunction, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, obesity, senile dementia, and so on…the risk index is much higher than that of men of the same age” (Zhang et al., 2019).  Once one organ starts to go (the ovaries) other organs are more likely to follow.  Since men don’t have ovaries and don’t need to worry about entering menopause, the aging female body is at higher risk for a slew of diseases that half of the population don't worry about.  

Women typically live longer than men, and with menopause, women are spending more time living with diseases and disabilities (Haridasani Gupta & Smith 2024).  If delaying menopause and all the health risks associated with it were possible, shouldn’t more women be acting on this, or at the very least having their doctors discuss it with them?  Studies show that anti-ovarian aging medicine and other approaches such as calorie restriction, antioxidants, and hormones can prevent and treat aging ovaries and its related ailments (Zhang et al., 2019).  Prolonging the life of ovaries can extend a healthier lifespan for women.  Doctors and government officials have a responsibility to be putting more funding and education into lengthening women’s wellbeing to better the lives of the general population and minimize unnecessary health problems from declining organs. 

In one study, transplanting an ovary of a younger mouse into an older mouse lengthened the older mouse’s life (Haridasani Gupta & Smith 2024).  If delaying menopause can extend and better the life of women one would think more people would be discussing this medical issue.  Communicating healthy living plans through medical campaigns would get the public’s attention.  Since these issues affect all women, all ages can get behind the education and the awareness associated with it.  Women taking control of their bodies is an important issue, and owning one’s health is empowering. 

Communicating health threats and possible outcomes would be very beneficial here.  Studies show that natural supplements can even make a difference, “oral administration of vitamins C and E could prevent the aging-related negative effects on ovarian reserve” (Zhang et al., 2019).  Antioxidants can help as well.  “Drinking even a small cup of tea per day may extend the productive life of (the) ovary…these studies indicate that antioxidants can prevent ovarian aging and enhance ovary function…” (Zhang et al., 2019).  Healthy lifestyles play an important role too.  Low-molecular-weight can reduce organ aging.  Calorie restriction improves life expectancy, improves fertility, and delays the process of ovarian aging (Tatone & Amicarelli, 2013).  These are natural remedies, but hormones and medication have shown promise in addition to natural medicine.  Easy and effective lifestyle tips can save a vital organ in women’s bodies while also preserving their mental and physical well-being.  It’s important to teach women of all ages since this will affect them eventually.  First Lady Jill Biden believes in this issue and is using her celebrity and status to draw attention to this (Haridasani Gupta & Smith 2024).

The key to saving women’s wellbeing is healthcare itself and education.  The earlier one starts their healthy lifestyle journey, the better, but the public needs to be informed.  Various studies show that supplements, life-style choices such as not smoking, weight management, and hormones before menopause can preserve the lifespan of ovaries, leading to less health risks down the road.  Taking control of one’s body is as important as maintaining it. 

               

 

References

Haridasani Gupta, A., & Smith, D. (2024). Is Delaying Menopause the Key to Longevity? The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/24/well/live/menopause-ovaries-womens-health-longevity.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20240625&instance_id=127112&nl=the-morning&regi_id=225627082&segment_id=170462&te=1&user_id=334a1bddf3fecbd826b299c1736e3c15

Isono W, Wada-Hiraike O, Kawamura Y, Fujii T, Osuga Y, Kurihara H. Administration of Oral Contraceptives Could Alleviate Age-Related Fertility Decline Possibly by Preventing Ovarian Damage in a Mouse Model. Reproductive Sciences. 2018;25(9):1413-1423. doi:10.1177/1933719117746758

Tatone, C., Amicarelli, F., (2013). The aging ovary—the poor granulosa cells. Fertility and Sterility. Volume 99, Issue 1. Pages 12-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.11.029.

Zhang, J., Chen, Q., Du, D., Wu, T., Wen, J., Wu, M., Zhang, Y., Yan, W., Zhou, S., Li, Y., Jin, Y., Luo, A., & Wang, S. (2019). Can ovarian aging be delayed by pharmacological strategies?. Aging, 11(2), 817–832. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101784