Women's needs change as they go through different stages of life.
As any woman living in the modern world will acknowledge, there is pressure to be faced than ever before. Not only do women have the traditional responsibilities of wife, mother and daughter to fill; but these pivotal social roles are now in juxtaposition with rewarding but often hectic careers. This demanding lifestyle offers women even less time to contemplate their health; a topic of crucial importance that offers myriad challenges as the body matures.
The majority of health professionals agree on one fundamental point. The twenties is a time for a woman to develop a preventive disease approach to her future health and focus on her well-being.
It is crucial to develop healthy eating habits and make a commitment to regular exercise, both of which will encourage the definition of a clear path for the body to follow in the years to come. Like the other phases of life, the spotlight of attention is never far from gynaecological health.
The 20s
One of the most common diseases to be diagnosed in this stage of life is Stein-Leventhal syndrome, more commonly called polycystic ovary disease, which affects up to 10 per cent of the female population. Polycystic ovary disease is a hormone disorder, where under-developed follicles accumulate as cysts in the ovaries. This phenomenon can contribute to infertility and although this congenital disease can never be cured, medical advances have determined that it can be treated to great effect. Women in this age bracket are also susceptible to cervical cancer, caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) and spread through sexual contact. Most women's bodies are able to fight HPV infection but the virus can result in cancer. It usually takes several years for normal cells in the cervix to turn into cancer cells, which is the thinking behind regular smear or Pap testing.
The 30s and beyond
For many women in their twenties and thirties, the hub of their health regime is preparing the body so that the chances of conceiving a child are optimal; and once pregnant, joyous expectant mothers everywhere reach for the folic acid supplements to ensure a healthy baby. However in the aftermath of childbirth, many women can feel less than blissful with 13 per cent of new mothers experiencing postpartum depression.
During pregnancy, the amount of two female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, in a woman's body increases greatly. In the first 24 hours after childbirth, the amount of these hormones rapidly drops back down to their normal non-pregnant levels, triggering these depressive episodes.
With the increase in longevity, women now live about a third of their lives after menopause and in an oestrogen-depleted state. The transitional decade as the body matures into middle age can therefore be a very trying time. Over 60 per cent of women complain that weight gain during this time is very marked and more difficult to control. This weight gain can lead to more serious medical conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
During this time, it is not uncommon for women to encounter mood swings and feelings not too dissimilar to those of postpartum depression. This links perfectly with the scientific theory of oestrogen withdrawal; that the decrease in oestrogen directly correlates with depressive mood symptoms. In addition, it is believed that menopause has great repercussions on the musculoskeletal system of the body, leading to a permanent loss in muscle mass.
Another challenge menopausal women have to conquer is an onset of osteoporosis, particularly prevalent in Caucasian women. By age 18, 90 per cent of the peak bone mass is present in a human body but by the mid-thirties bone mass begins to decline at the rate of 0.5 to 1 per cent per year.
Unfortunately for women, this bone loss accelerates in the years surrounding menopause anywhere from one per cent to three per cent a year. Depending on the rate of loss and how long it occurs, a woman could reach old age with only 50 per cent of peak bone mass left. According to research carried out in Sweden, over 70 per cent of women aged over 50 have either osteoporosis (22 per cent) or its precursor, osteopenia (52 per cent).
However, most people under the age of 80 remain unaware that they have osteoporosis because it has no symptoms. So how can osteoporosis be treated if it goes undiagnosed? Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) was the "gold standard" treatment for decades, with its bone mineral density maintenance seen as an advantageous side effect in addition to its main benefits of heart disease and stroke reduction.
Of course in recent times with its malevolent link to breast cancer; which is top of women's concerns for their own health, affecting 1 in every 50 menopausal women; HRT is now viewed as rather a controversial choice. Preventative treatment that focuses on monitoring diet particularly Calcium and Vitamin D intake is now the preferred method, and one in which all women are encouraged to partake thus eliminating the need for a strict diagnosis.
Atherosclerosis
The focus switches again once a women hits retirement age, where it becomes vital to monitor the health of the heart as according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute about 14 million women aged 65 and older have high blood pressure compared to that of men. In addition, most women of that age have obvious heart disease or atherosclerosis (‘hardening of the arteries').
Lowering cholesterol through diet is essential to ensure that the heart remains healthy and that women can finally experience the joie de vivre, something for which they most probably did not have time when they were busy juggling the different facets of their earlier life.
