Menopause in Egypt: past and present perspectives

The mean age of the menopause in Egypt is 46.7 years, which is low compared to many countries, but this age has been rising recently. The incidence of menopause-associated symptoms in Egyptian women is higher than in the West, probably because of the different 'sociocultural attitudes' towards the menopause in different communities. Bone mineral density charts have been constructed for Egyptian women and show that, in general, they have a lower bone mineral density compared to their Western counterparts. After the menopause, they suffer from osteoporosis, particularly at the femoral neck. Egyptian women do not know much about the menopause, except that the incidence of osteoporosis is increased. Their attitude towards the menopause is generally positive and about one-third of them regard the menopause as 'a normal physiological change'. Nevertheless, there exists a need for an awareness campaign in order to educate them about this important stage of their lives.