Why does Angelina Jolie love menopause?

By: Poorva Chavan | | Updated: November 24, 2015 11:40 am

Angelina Jolie in a recent interview to the Telegraph said that she loves going through menopause. The actress had recently undergone a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy to cut down her risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Jolie carries the BRAC1 gene that puts her at an 80% risk of breast and ovarian cancer. She also has a family history of cancer as her grandmother and her mother both suffered from breast and ovarian cancer respectively. Read: Angelina Jolie cuts down her cancer risk by getting her ovaries removed Also Read - Sex after a hysterectomy: Is it possible?

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In her interview, she also said that she is fortunate that she isn’t experiencing any symptoms of menopause. Dr Y S Nanadanwar, Head of Gynaecology, Sion Hospital, Mumbai and Dr Duru Shah, Scientific Director, Gynaec World, Mumbai, explain how undergoing a hysterectomy, oophorectomy and mastectomy affect menopause. Also Read - Young women at high genetic risk of breast cancer, proves study

Hysterectomy and menopause–

Dr Nanadanwar explained that menopause is more of a psychosocial problem than a clinical condition. As the woman approaches her late 40s her ovaries stop producing enough hormones that lead to the symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, low sex drive, breast changes, weight gain etc. These problems are aggravated by social conditions like turbulence or stress at home, kids growing up, role changes at home as in case of a young bride becoming the part of the family etc. He explained that tackling menopause needs a multi-disciplinary action that need not focus only on the physical aspects. He further explained that when a woman undergoes a hysterectomy or the removal of the uterus it does not lead to menopause.

Dr Shah explained that menopause is when the ovaries stop functioning and stop producing the female hormones. So when a woman undergoes a hysterectomy when she has not hit her menopause, she will experience a menopause a year or two earlier than she’s supposed to because the blood supply to the ovaries is reduced and the ovaries will fail earlier. However, her ovaries will produce the female hormones and she will experience all the symptoms of a menopause.

Oophorectomy and menopause–

When a hysterectomy is coupled with the removal of the ovaries or an oophorectomy, the woman undergoes menopause immediately. Dr Shah says that the woman will not suffer from its symptoms because she does not have ovaries to produce those hormones and she might be prescribed a hormone replacement therapy. Dr Nanadanwar explained that a woman is prescribed hormone therapy as the body requires the hormone estrogen as it has other functions like maintaining heart and bone health. To prevent complications like heart disease and osteoporosis, a woman may be prescribed a combination of estrogen and progesterone depending on her health.

Mastectomy and menopause–

Mastectomy is the removal of breasts in case the woman suffers from breast cancer. Dr Nanadanwar said that the breasts serve only one purpose that is lactation and their removal has no effect on menopause.

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Published : November 23, 2015 1:20 pm | Updated:November 24, 2015 11:40 am

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