What is menopause?

Menopause is a normal life change that occurs as women age, usually between their late 40s and 50s. Menopause is defined as the discontinuation of menstruation for one year or more. Women who undergo natural menopause often experience the process in stages: perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.

If menopause occurs prematurely, can this be stopped?

Premature menopause can occur as a result of genetics, medical conditions, surgical therapies and treatment for cancer. although the occurrence of premature menopause cannot often be controlled or changed, the resulting symptoms can be treated.

What do decreased hormones have to do with infertility?

Dysfunction in the natural hormonal cycle can result in infertility problems at multiple levels. Hormonal imbalances affect ovulation, the release of an egg from the ovary at midcycle, which is pivotal to fertility. Hormonal changes during the normal cycle are also involved with building up of the uterine lining in preparation for pregnancy. Diminishing ovarian function as women approach menopause affects hormone levels, thereby decreasing fertility.

another aspect of fertility and aging in women is that as they get older, so do their eggs. Also, the overall number of eggs decreases with time. however, women who are perimenopausal and having menstrual cycles are still able to conceive, and should consider contraception if they do not wish to become pregnant.

When is hormone replacement therapy recommended, and when is it best avoided?

Dwindling ovarian function at menopause results in reduced levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Symptoms associated with this decline include hot flashes and decreased bone mineral density. Reduced bone density can, in turn, lead to osteoporosis.

Hot flashes are perhaps the best-known symptom of menopause. the occurrence of hot flashes varies in frequency and intensity from person to person and over time. they can be severe and frequent enough to interfere with daily activities and even with sleep. When this is the case, women may seek relief in the form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In general, the current practice is to use the lowest effective dose of HRT to relieve symptoms and to use it for the least amount of time necessary.

some women are not good candidates for HRT due to the associated risks, which include the risk of blood clotting events and the increase in breast cancer diagnoses among long-term HRT uses. Women who probably should not take HRT are those who have a personal history of breast cancer, a history of blood clot or stroke, active liver disease, a history of heart disease or heart attack, and those who smoke.

Are there alternative treatments for symptoms of menopause?

among prescription medications, certain antidepressants may be effective in relieving hot flashes. Medications for high blood pressure and for seizure disorder have been used for this purpose as well. for women who are close to menopause but still having menstrual periods, low-dose oral contraceptives can improve hot flashes and regulate cycles.

Pregnancy in dogs is very different from pregnancy in humans. the human fertility cycle occurs once every month whereas dogs experience heat only twice a year. Female dogs become capable of getting puppies when they are 4 to 6 months old for the smaller sized breeds and 12 to 24 months for the larger-sized breeds. Their fertility period lasts for only 7 to 10 days. Issues concerning menopause do not occur in dogs and a very old female dog is still capable of getting pregnant.

Dogs do not experience the kind of hormonal changes that humans do when they are pregnant. Due to this, it is impossible to test for pregnancy in dogs using a pregnancy test. Their hormonal cycle stays the same whether they are pregnant or not. This is why you need to know the signs indicating pregnancy in dogs, so that you can provide your dog with the appropriate care.

Knowing whether the dog mated is a good starting point. if you saw the dog mating, then any behavioral changes may indicate that it is pregnant. the first symptoms indicating pregnancy in dogs manifest about 10 to 14 days after the eggs have been fertilized. By this time the egg has already implanted into the uterine wall. A close look at the dog’s nipples will indicate a change in the size of the nipples. Their color will also change to a deep shade of pink. after about 20 days the fur around the nipples thins out in preparation for allowing the pups to breastfeed without any obstruction from the fur.

Another sign of pregnancy in dogs are those of morning sickness and a poor appetite. Dogs go through morning sickness just like humans. However, the frequency is lower. Due to this sickness, the dog will refuse to eat properly. after about 25 days, another sign of pregnancy in dogs is that of hearing the tiny heartbeats of the pups in the uterus. You can hear these through the use of a stethoscope.

Conspicuous signs of pregnancy in dogs can be seen a month after mating has occurred. It is now possible for you to feel the pup embryos by touching the belly of the dog. You can now tell how many pups the dog is going to have through this kind of examination.

Other signs showing pregnancy in dogs include swollen nipples, restlessness and the most obvious, a distended belly. the dog at this time also exhibits cleanliness through constant grooming of itself and sniffing around looking for a suitable place to give birth to the litter of pups. after one and a half months the pups begin moving around and their tiny kicks can be felt through the belly of the dog.

When the dog is about to give birth it will exhibit signs such as the leaking of milk from the breasts when gently squeezed. Due to the size of the pups, the dog may also lose its appetite entirely. Delivery occurs 54 to 72 days after fertilization.