Menopause

Despite lack of evidence, midlife women report using cannabis to manage symptoms overlapping with menopause including insomnia, anxiety, mood and musculoskeletal pain, according to results of two studies.

Current and prior heavy alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or opioid use were all independently associated with vasomotor, mood or musculoskeletal symptoms experienced during menopause, researchers reported.

Menopause onset before age 40 years appears to negate a longevity benefit women typically have over men, particularly among women who also undergo hormone therapy, researchers reported.

Compared with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms have a stronger association with both psychological and somatic menopause symptoms, according to study results published in Menopause.

In a recent Q&A, Healio spoke with an expert about the CDC’s updated 2024 U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use.

Once-daily oral elinzanetant was well tolerated and improved moderate to severe vasomotor symptom frequency and severity, sleep disturbances and menopause-related quality of life, according to results of two studies published in JAMA.

At 12 weeks, vaginal hyaluronic acid and vaginal estrogen were associated with similar benefits in the treatment of atrophic vaginitis, known as genitourinary syndrome of menopause, according to results of a pilot trial.

A new study published in Menopause found midlife women with better cognitive function have lower odds for lower urinary tract symptoms.

Severe menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and depressive mood, were associated with mild cognitive impairment for postmenopausal women, researchers reported in Menopause.

Currently, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the gold standard treatment for sleep disturbances associated with menopause, and research is underway to better target neurons responsible for sleep disturbances.