Ginekologia i Poloznictwo
ISSN 1896-3315 e-ISSN 1898-0759

Evaluation of Kirkuk City women's understanding of climacteric age

Rabab hamoudy Hanoon^{* *}Correspondence: Rabab hamoudy Hanoon, Department of Maternal and Child Nursing, University of Kirkuk, Iraq,

Received: 01-Jun-2025, Manuscript No. gpmp-25-167148; Editor assigned: 03-Jun-2025, Pre QC No. P-167148; Reviewed: 16-Jun-2025, QC No. Q-167148; Revised: 23-Jun-2025, Manuscript No. R-167148; Published: 30-Jun-2025

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Introduction

Miscarriage is removal of an embryo or fetus before it reaches a stable stage of life, According to the [1-3] census conducted by the Office of National Statistics, there are over 11 million women in the United Kingdom who are over 45. This figure has been rising gradually and is expected to keep rising. More GP visits and new referrals to secondary care for women in need of short-term symptom treatment and those with related long-term health difficulties are anticipated as a result of the concomitant rise in the [4] Menstruation stops during the menopause, a biological period in a woman's life when she is no longer fertile. One year following her last menstrual cycle, a woman is considered postmenopausal. When ovarian function declines and stops, the changes linked to menopause and the perimenopause (the years preceding the menopause) take place. This involves stopping the maturation of eggs (oocytes) and the emission of sex hormones, primarily progesterone and estrogen [5-7]. While women are born with a limited number of oocytes, and the amount decreases with each menstrual cycle, males continue to generate sperm into old age The ultimate depletion of the oocyte storage and the end of menstruation are characteristics of the menopause. Unusual menstrual cycles frequently start before periods end entirely [8, 9]. Estrogen receptors, which are found in most tissues, are how the hormone works. The control of the menstrual cycle is one of the most obvious alterations brought on by lower estrogen levels. Menopausal estrogen deficiency, however, has numerous additional physiological impacts, such as urogenital, musculoskeletal, vasomotor, and psychiatric symptoms. It has also been demonstrated to affect how other systems, such as the cardiovascular and bone systems, operate in later life. Some of the disparities in osteoporosis incidence between men and women can be explained by estrogen deficiency [10, 11].

Aim of Study

To determine menopausal women's sociodemographic traits and their level of awareness of the climacteric age changes that takes place in their bodies.

Methodology

The present study used a quantitative design (descriptive study) to evaluate menaupossial women's knowledge regarding menopausal age. An anonymous probability purposive sample of thirty women who visited consolidation units in general Kirkuk Hospital and Azadi Teaching Hospital between December 1, 2018, and January 24, 2019—a total of fifteen samples from each hospital—were the subjects of the study, which was carried out on elderly women (at the menopausal stage of their lives) in two governmental hospitals in For the study's instrument construction, a self-administered questionnaire in Arabic was given out. Sociodemographic information and women's knowledge of menopause age were included in the two sections of the questionnaire, which had two response options: yes (1) and no (2). The information was gathered between December 1, 2018, and January 24, 2019, using a modified and adopted questionnaire. The statistical package social sciences (SPSS) version 18 was used to compile and evaluate the data gathered from the respondents'.

Results and Discussion

Tab. 1. displays observed frequencies and percentages of the demographic attributes variable under study. This table showed that the largest percentage (36.6%) of respondents were in the 45–50 age group, while the lowest percentage (16.6%) were in the ≤ 55 age group. In terms of educational attainment, the majority (33.3%) had completed primary school, while just 3.3% were illiterate; 93.4 percent of the study sample were housewives, and 96.6 percent of the sample lived in an urban area.

Tab. 1. Displays sociodemographic traits of the entire study population.

Menopause is a natural change in a woman's life, not a state of illness or psychological disorder, and women are considered to be in menopause after one year after the last interruption of their menstrual cycle. Tab. 2. provides evidence of both good knowledge about the item (Menopause occurs sometimes in women who remove ovaries despite the survival of the uterus) and adequate knowledge about the item (Menopause is the time when the menstrual cycle stops with increasing age so that the woman is unable to have a final birth). Although there is a lack of awareness regarding the topic, menopause is dependent on the disruption of estrogen and progesterone. It can happen as early as age 35 and is frequently referred to as the age of hope. My research aligns with the study conducted on 200 menopausal women [12-14] to evaluate their understanding of the reproductive system complications associated with menopause. According to this study, 42% of the sample does not know enough about menopause and its complications.

Tab. 2. Substantial comparison of questions addressing women's evaluation and knowledge of menopausal age.

Tab. 3. demonstrates that having a solid understanding of the items (The incidence of menstrual cycle abnormalities that cause it to become light and distant, Heat attacks radiating from the head and face indicate an increase in body temperature. Regular perspiration without exertion, particularly at night, Women's mood swings and their propensity for loneliness, melancholy, worry, and nervousness Absence of vaginal fluids, particularly during intercourse, unable to regulate urination, increased incidence of urinary tract infections and bladder wall atrophy osteoporosis (soft bones), permanent infertility (inability to conceive), and inadequate awareness of the following: increased risk of heart disease, including atherosclerosis and thrombosis; elevated body temperature manifested as heat attacks emanating from the head and face; and lack of vaginal secretions, particularly during sexual activity. Inadequate understanding of the topic raises the risk of cardiac conditions like atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Tab. 3. Questionnaire items pertaining to knowledge of menopausal signs and symptoms, including frequency and percentage.

My study is in line with [15] a study conducted on 310 menopausal women in (Tahran, 2010) to evaluate their knowledge of menopausal signs and symptoms. According to the study's findings on the reproductive system, 66% of the participants knew enough about menopausal age and associated symptoms.

According to Tab. 4. people who are well-informed about certain topics (drinking enough water, avoiding stress as it can cause hormonal imbalances, refraining from smoking, and attempting to minimize the sources of psychological pressure and avoiding them as much as possible) are more likely to be successful. Additionally, having sufficient knowledge about the products (avoid carbs like bread and rice because they lower estrogen levels in the body and exacerbate menopausal symptoms), Practice methods of relaxation like yoga, massages, and deep breathing. Insufficient understanding of the following: Avoid weight gain by exercising and eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and whole proteins; Avoid carbohydrates like bread and rice because they lower estrogen levels in the body and exacerbate menopausal symptoms; Avoid sitting too much; and Avoid wearing too many clothes that make you feel hot.

Tab. 4. Questionnaire items pertaining to women's understanding of self-care during menopause: frequencies and percentages.

My research aligns with [16] a study conducted in Tunis in 2007 on 150 menopausal women to evaluate their understanding of reproductive system self-care throughout menopause. According to this study, 54% of the participants know enough about taking care of themselves when they reach menopause.

Conclusion

1. One third of the sample had and one of the three samples was between the ages of 45 and 50. The majority of participants had only a primary level of education and was urban housewives.

2. Pregnancy self-care and general menopausal information are sufficiently understood by the majority of study participants.

Recommendation

1. Ongoing training and education programs for the medical staff, specifically to enhance their expertise and fulfill their responsibilities of educating, counseling, and providing guidance on menopausal symptoms and indicators.

2. Additional education for women and the focus on attending health and educational programs and seminars to have sufficient knowledge about menopausal physical and psychological care.

3. In order to keep a healthy weight, goal also advises women to engage in regular sports exercise.

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