Menopausal symptoms: experience of Chinese women

To investigate the prevalence of symptoms in middle-aged Chinese rural and city women of different occupations; and to explore the relationship between symptoms, hormone levels and other factors.

This cross-sectional study included 806 women aged 41-60 years, selected by multistage cluster sampling and a structured interview questionnaire. The response rate was 95%. The sample compromised 402 professional urban women and 404 women farmers living in rural areas. Some 209 women were randomly selected from the two groups for hormonal assay and bone mineral density screening.

The professional group was more symptomatic than the farming group (p < 0.01). The presence of symptoms was significantly related to an increasing level of education. There were no significant differences between occupational groups in levels of estradiol follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Estradiol level and bone mineral density were decreased and FSH and LH increased in the postmenopausal group (p < 0.05) compared with the other menopausal groups. Hot flushes were the only symptom to be significantly associated with hormone levels (estradiol and LH). The occurrence of symptoms was significantly related to indications of bone and joint disease, heart disease, primary dysmenorrhea, decline in sexual interest, irregular menses and feelings of becoming older, sad and lost. These factors were all reported more often by the professional women than by the farmers.

Symptom experience in mid-life Chinese women is related to both biological and psychosocial factors.