Some women feel many physical and emotional changes, others feel no symptoms at all. Whether menopause is natural or results from surgical removal of reproductive organs, it can seriously affect bone health. Estrogen plays an important role in protecting bones, and as estrogen production declines during menopause, bone loss occurs. In some women the impact on bone health can be severe. The amount of bone density a woman has at menopause and the rate of bone loss afterwards are important factors in predicting whether she will develop osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become porous and fragile.
It affects about half of all older American women and is often painful and debilitating. The chances of developing osteoporosis can be decreased, especially if steps are taken early in life and at the onset of menopause. Bone loss is most rapid during the first few years after menopause, but continues throughout the postmenopausal years. Physicians may recommend bone mineral density tests for postmenopausal women who have a major risk for osteoporosis such as early menopause or a family history of osteoporosis, or who are not on Hormone Replacement Therapy. Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT, is medication that helps replace or supplement the body's decreased estrogen production.