Prevalence of climacteric complaints in a representative sample of middle-aged women in Oslo, Norway

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Abstract
The prevalence of 24 complaints was surveyed in eight menopausal age groups in a representative sample of 1886 women, 45-55 years of age, drawn from the population register of Oslo, Norway. Although more than one-third had experienced frequent hot flushes, excessive sweating, muscle and joint pains, and sleeping problems, complaints during the climacteric were reported more rarely than in previous studies. The highest prevalences appeared among the 2-3 years postmenopausal women: 45% hot flushes, 33% excessive sweating, 22% vaginal dryness and 10% mood swings. When prevalence among regularly menstruating subjects was used to adjust for the premenopausal level of complaints, the adjusted prevalences were 34% hot flushes, 25% excessive sweating and 18% vaginal dryness. Mood-related complaints showed no relationship with menopausal age. Among the premenopausal women, however, 57% and 55% reported occasional irritability and moodswings respectively. A short literature review indicates that size of prevalence figures in this area is inversely related to representativity of the sample used. A detailed methodological discussion concludes that the previous prevalences of menopausal complaints have been overestimated because of methodological weaknesses. The menopause does not involve such a large health problem as originally assumed when large-scale hormonal prevention among healthy women was launched.