As many women approach the golden ages of their forties and fifties, a challenging journey begins – menopause. During menopause, a women’s reproductive health starts to decline and that can impact her quality of life and her ability to thrive. There are many treatments and holistic lifestyle changes that women can take to reduce the discomfort often associated with this journey. 

During menopause, ovaries begin to secrete fewer of the sex hormones; oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. This results at the end of a women’s menstrual cycle. The outcomes of reduction in the levels of sex hormones are the main cause of symptoms associated with menopause. Symptoms include weight gain, reduced memory and concentration, hot flushes, brittle bones, insomnia, anxiety, depression, a low libido, reduced energy and physical changes to the vagina. In this article, we will focus on the effect of vaginal health during menopause. 

A lack of oestrogen during menopause can have a significant impact on vaginal health, and cause some of the uncomfortable symptoms shown below:

Whilst almost all menopausal women go through such difficult symptoms, vaginal discomfort during menopause remains a taboo subject that many women prefer not to discuss, even with their doctors. Traditionally, many physicians treat symptoms of menopause using hormone replacement therapy. However, there are many lifestyles and holistic changes that you can make to relieve some of the symptoms.

 Vaginal dryness in menopause

Oestrogen encourages blood flow in the pelvic region, stimulating the production of vaginal fluid that helps lubricate your vagina and keep you comfortable. Low levels of oestrogen can cause a reduction in moisture levels of the vagina and cause symptoms such as burning to itching. There are pH balance creams and gels available in the market that can help relieve the dryness. In addition, testing the pH levels of the vagina can help you introduce foods into your diet which will help increase oestrogen levels in your body.

Menopause and Sex 

Low levels of estrogen can cause thinning and loss of elasticity of the vagina, combined with vaginal dryness as a result many women experience pain during intercourse. This is often known as vaginal atrophy. Kegel exercise tends to increase the blood flow to those tissues and keeps them healthy and flexible.

Increased Infections

Oestrogen plays a key part in preventing infections as it helps cells maintain an acidic environment in the vagina, which is the optimum environment for good bacteria to grow. Once oestrogen levels are reduced, many experience recurrent urinary tract infections. To prevent these infections from recurring, it is important to avoid using any products that alter the pH of the vagina such as soaps, feminine cleansers and fragrances, as these products cause dryness and lower oestrogen levels.

It is clear that a pH-balanced vagina is essential to maintaining a healthy vagina during menopause. 

Changes in the vaginal microbiome during menopause

Typically, for a healthy vaginal microbiome, a low vaginal pH is preferred. , but pH may increase as hormone levels are reduced. A rise in pH alone will not cause symptoms, but these changes can alter the vaginal microbiome (a network of bacteria), leading to an increased risk of vaginal infections.

Seeking medical attention and obtaining answers for menopause symptoms can often be a lengthy process. At ScreenMe, we provide a simple and efficient solution for all such symptoms. 

SceenME vaginal health tests Kit. One easy at-home test swab test and consultation with experts to help find answers to all your questions. ScreenMe also gives you access to an App with a customized nutrition recommendation to recover all the deficits holistically and track your progress.

The mission of ScreenMe is to help every woman stay healthy and happy every day. That is why we are ready to provide a free first consultation. 

Contact us at support@screenme.co.uk and enjoy every moment of your life!