Long-term impacts of menopause

Women commonly experience a variety of symptoms during menopause, but menopause is also characterised by other changes, some of which are long-term.

Positive long-term impacts of menopause include freedom from monthly periods and, for some women and people with ovaries, an end to bothersome premenstrual symptoms. It may also mean no longer needing to use contraception, although using protection against sexually transmitted infections continues to be important.

Following menopause our bone density will start to decline due to falling oestrogen levels, which can increase our chance of developing osteoporosis. Ensuring you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D (through what you eat) and doing weight-bearing exercises can help protect your bone health (for more information on appropriate exercises for older women, see Physical activity).

Although rates of heart disease increase after menopause, there is no clear evidence that this is due to menopause rather than ageing. For more information, please see Heart health for women.

References

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Australasian Menopause Society (2022) What is menopause?

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Long-term impacts of menopause

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