‘Menopause and Women’s Health’ Symposium Held in Ankara
Ankara, April 19 – A significant ‘Menopause and Women’s Health Symposium’ was organized in Ankara, bringing together leading experts and a large number of attendees. The event, held at the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, was a joint effort between the Menopause and Women’s Health Association and BB IVF Center.
Key Speakers and Topics Discussed
The symposium featured prominent speakers, including Gynecologist Op. Dr. Banu Çiftçi from the Menopause and Women’s Health Association, IVF and Obstetrics Specialist Prof. Dr. Bora Coşkun, a founding doctor of BB IVF Center, and Gynecologist Prof. Dr. Rıfat Gürsoy. The discussions covered a wide range of topics essential to women’s health during menopause.
Op. Dr. Banu Çiftçi emphasized the comprehensive nature of the symposium. “We addressed key topics such as ‘what is menopause, its importance in women’s health, health conditions that arise, changes during this period, risks of chronic diseases, lifestyle choices, and who is suitable for hormone replacement therapy,'” she stated. Dr. Çiftçi highlighted a common misconception, noting, “When people think of menopause, they often imagine a woman with a fan experiencing hot flashes. But the issue is not just hot flashes. Approximately 20 percent of women do not experience this. After hot flashes pass, they say, ‘I’ve overcome menopause.’ Menopause is not something to be overcome. You enter menopause because your ovaries no longer produce estrogen. The role of this hormone is not just pregnancy or breast development. It has functions everywhere, from the brain to the heart. Therefore, its withdrawal can lead to a serious increased risk of chronic diseases. In appropriate patients, we can prevent these with hormone therapy.”
Managing the Menopause Process Effectively
Dr. Çiftçi further elaborated on the importance of lifestyle in managing menopause. “Lifestyle is very important. Especially, women over 40 must make resistance exercises a habit to combat muscle loss. If they haven’t applied it before, they need to pay more attention to healthy eating and regular sleep. But if they have many complaints that do not subside despite these efforts, and if appropriate, hormone therapy can truly be life-saving for these women. Menopause is a natural process, but it comes with many drawbacks. Therefore, it needs to be managed well. And menopause is not a situation to be overcome. It is a period when a hormone deficiency begins in the body. Since a woman spends almost half of her life, or one-third, in the post-menopausal period, her quality of life in old age is very important in terms of chronic diseases.”
Addressing Neglected Aspects and Early Menopause
Prof. Dr. Bora Coşkun discussed the historical neglect of menopause and recent advancements. “For a long time, menopause was a very neglected topic. The suspicion of breast cancer with menopause medications delayed this issue for 20 years. In November, the American Drug Administration issued a very comprehensive circular stating that there is no risk. After many years, our women will be able to access this treatment again. We will try to raise awareness about this,” he explained. Prof. Dr. Coşkun also addressed the distressing issue of early menopause. “There are two aspects to this. The first is the treatment of early menopause, related to IVF. The other part is protecting these individuals from the devastating effects of menopause in the post-early menopause period. What we have observed recently is that people receive IVF treatment but are deprived of menopause treatment. Or they start menopause treatment but are deprived of fertility preservation. We will both preserve fertility and postpone the devastating effects of menopause.”
Nationwide Awareness and Future Plans
Prof. Dr. Coşkun expressed the association’s commitment to expanding awareness nationwide. “We will try to spread our symposiums to as many of our cities as possible. We will try to travel city by city across Turkey as much as we can. Early menopause or the onset of menopause at any stage is never a topic to be dismissed as ‘a natural process to be endured.’ It has very devastating effects, from Alzheimer’s to bone loss. Please do not be afraid to seek information and support from physicians on this matter. For human life, 80-90 years are mentioned. This body needs about 40 more years after menopause. Therefore, if we want to spend these 40 years comfortably, we need to be aware of this.”
The symposium underscored the critical need for increased awareness, effective management, and advanced treatment options for menopause, aiming to improve the quality of life for women in their later years.
Source: https://www.dha.com.tr/video/ankarada-menopoz-ve-kadin-sagligi-sempozyumu-duzenlendi-video-2857128
