“MENARCHE, MENOPAUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN”

Menarche is the first menstrual bleeding in female human beings. From both social and medical perspectives it is often considered the central event of female puberty as it signals the possibility of fertility. Menarche or adolescence is the transitional period linking childhood to adulthood period and involves physical, biological and psychosexual changes in a girl. Menopause is defined as the time of termination of ovarian function resulting in permanent amenorrhea .Menopausal age is not related to menarche, race, socio-economic status, number of pregnancies and lactation; or taking oral contraceptives. Menarche or Menstruation is a transitional physiological period when a girl matures from childhood to the state of adulthood, lack of knowledge regarding the various physical changes and fear of future imposes considerable mental stress and anxiety in the minds of these adolescents. A regular follow up is necessary in women on HRT. Also proper counseling is mandatory.