Awareness of Women in Reproductive Age about Menopause in Baghdad City

Background: The word “Menopause” means cessation of monthly cycle permanently in women at age range (45-55) years, since women are considered as the base of their family's health. So, an appropriate understanding of menopause physical, mental, social, and psychological changes helps them cope with greater readiness with these changes. Objective: To assess the level of awareness of women in their reproductive age about menopause, its symptoms, complications, measures of alleviating these symptoms and possible measures to prevent complications and to identify the association of some variables with level of awareness. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department in Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad; women in reproductive age group attending the above department were included in the study during the period from January to April in 2019. Data were collected by direct interview questionnaire which is composed of questions about symptoms, complications of menopause and methods used to prevent them. Results: The overall awareness level of reproductive age group about menopause was fair in 265 (75.7%) women. The awareness regarding symptoms, and complications was fair in 231 (66%), good in 95 (27.1%) and poor in 20 (6.9%) women. Higher awareness about symptoms and complication of menopause was significantly associated with women aged (40-49 years) (P value 0.012), being employed (P 0.031), with higher educational levels (P=0.025), and those who acquired their information from health worker (P 0.0001). The awareness regarding applied methods for prevention of menopausal complications was fair in 68.6%, good in 29.7% and poor in 1.7% of women. Good awareness score about applied methods for prevention of menopausal complications was significantly associated with women aged (40-49) years (P =0.029), employee (P =0.0001), with higher educational level (P 0.001), marital status (P 0.006), and those who acquired their information from health worker (P 0.0001). Only 28% of women think that menopause is a positive phenomenon. Conclusion: The Majority of women had fair awareness regarding menopause symptoms, complications and prevention. Factors that affected the awareness levels were age, source of information, educational level and employment.