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The Menopause: What You Need to Know

2nd edition

This is a small volume that has been adapted from a similar publication aimed primarily at doctors and nurses. Written by senior, respected leaders of the British Menopause Society, it uses simplified medical language to appeal to perimenopausal women and their families, although this only becomes apparent after reading the preface and could be highlighted on the cover.

There are short, readable chapters covering all aspects of the menopause and its treatment. There is also reference to special circumstances (such as premature menopause) and how the menopause relates to other medical conditions. There are useful references at the end of each chapter, including website addresses and articles from medical journals, which will appeal more to medical personnel.

Understanding risk is difficult for the non-statistician and many doctors struggle with the concepts of relative risk, absolute risk and odds ratios. It is likely that women will be similarly confused. Some attempt is made to explain these complex concepts, but I think that it would be helpful to try to present data in a clearer manner. Perhaps a graphic representation of 1 000 women, highlighting those affected with or without treatment, would be easier to understand. This is particularly important when discussing emotive subjects such as the increase in risk of breast cancer with hormone replacement therapy.

I liked the fact that there was an evidenced-based discussion of alternative and complementary therapies, as this reflects the time spent in clinical consultations. We should not forget those interventions that have been shown to be helpful, nor should we add credence to non-evidence-based therapies. Having stated that acupuncture and reflexology have not been shown to be beneficial, I was unclear why the authors included a photograph and a diagram referring to them. This chapter, however, does reflect current medical thinking in a concise manner.

Included in the book is a useful list of medical terms and their meanings, together with a list of questions for women to ask their doctor or nurse.

This excellent little book is to be recommended to the educated and interested woman who needs information to make decisions regarding the management of her menopause. I shall be recommending it to my patients.

Mark Wilcox, DM FRCOG, Consultant Gynaecologist¹

^1. Pembury Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK

Royal Society of Medicine Press, 2006
ISBN 9781853156724
Paperback, 104 pages, £10.95

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wilcox, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Wilcox, M.