[Climacteric--medicalization, minimalization or normalization?]

Area of Science:

• Integrative medicine and women's health.
• Critique of the biomedical model in gynecology.
• Socio-cultural aspects of menopause.

Context:

• The biomedical model frames the climacteric and menopause as "estrogen deficiency disease," a risk factor for illness.
• This perspective may lead to medicalization, pathologization, and increased reliance on healthcare systems.
• Women using hormonal therapy differ significantly from non-users, complicating epidemiological studies on long-term effects.

Purpose:

• To challenge the biomedical model's limitations in understanding women's climacteric experiences.
• To advocate for a holistic approach in midlife women's healthcare consultations.
• To emphasize the importance of women's autonomy in decision-making regarding menopause and hormonal therapy.

Summary:

• Women's lived experiences of the climacteric are often misaligned with the biomedical view of menopause as a deficiency disease.
• A holistic approach is proposed, considering gender identity, life conditions, and individual perspectives on diagnosis and treatment.
• The decision-making process for hormonal therapy should empower women, given the uncertainties surrounding its risks and benefits.

Impact:

• Promotes a patient-centered, individualized approach to menopause care, moving beyond a disease-centric model.
• Encourages critical evaluation of medicalization and pathologization of women's health experiences.
• Supports informed decision-making and respects women's autonomy in managing climacteric symptoms and treatments.