SILVA, Alice Alide Fernandes.
Abstract:
The climacteric is a natural phase in women's lives and there is a specific episode called menopause, which is characterized by the permanent cessation of menstruation after a period of one consecutive year and, consequently, by a series of hormonal changes. Therefore, there are several symptoms experienced by women during the climacteric/menopause period, which can appear at a variety of levels of intensity and directly impact the quality of life of these women. Therefore, this work aimed to identify and evaluate the prevalence and severity of the main symptoms throughout the different phases of menopause/menopause. As this is an integrative review of the literature, the data were extracted from articles present in the Medline, Pubmed, Lilacs, Scielo and Google Scholar databases, thus, respecting the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles were selected between 2014 and 2024 , to discuss the topic. Thus, it was possible to conclude that although each woman has her own particularities, the most characteristic symptoms of this period are: changes in the cycle and menstrual flow until menopause, hot flushes, sweating, chills, headache, insomnia, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and memory. , irritability, vaginal dryness and atrophy, decreased libido, low self-esteem, weight gain and depressive mood. The age range for symptoms to appear occurs on average at 40 years of age and can last up to 62 years of age. Regarding the severity and prevalence of these symptoms, there was a high severity related to shortness of breath, sweating, hot flashes and anxiety. Therefore, the commitment and training of health professionals is necessary to assist and guide climacteric and menopausal women with safe and appropriate practices to promote quality of life during this period full of challenges in their lives.
