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Abstract
Age at menopause, associated factors and related clinical symptoms were recorded in
a sample of Thai women living in the Bangkok area. Interviews by trained nurses were
offered to a sample of 2375 women aged 45–59 years selected at random in 19 of the
54 Bangkok Metropolis Administration health centers. Full reports were obtained from
2354 women. Fifty-six percent of the study population were classified as postmenopausal,
i.e. having no vaginal bleeding during the last 12 months, 12% were perimenopausal,
i.e. having irregular vaginal bleeding during the last 12 months and 31% were premenopausal,
i.e. having regular vaginal bleeding during the last 12 months. The average age at
menopause was 49.5 ± 3.6 years and was not related to body weight, height, age at
menarche, level of education, smoking or use of oral contraceptives. However, high
parity was significantly correlated to delayed menopause. Clinical symptoms of oestrogen
deficiency were reported at a significantly higher rate in the perimenopause group,
but the premenopause and postmenopause groups did not differ in their complaints about
any symptom, including hot flushes. The most striking effect of menopause was a dramatic
loss of sexual desire in 86.9% of postmenopausal women. However, the situation did
not induce any specific complaint or any request for medical support.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 3,
1992
Received in revised form:
October 30,
1992
Received:
April 7,
1992
Identification
Copyright
© 1993 Published by Elsevier Inc.
