Some misconceptions concerning the menopause.

Abstract

Traditional assumptions about menopausal and postmenopausal women suggest that they are vulnerable to marked depression and deterioration in sexual interest and activity. A review of representative gynecologic and psychiatric publications dating back to the mid-nineteenth century tend to confirm these widely held beliefs. More contemporary epidemiologic and clinical studies fail to demonstrate a specific entity of menopausal depression and, in fact, show a decline in the prevalence of depression among women in this age group. Likewise, studies on sexual activity and interest among middle-aged women fail to demonstrate a consistent and predictable decline, but show rather wide variability. The presence of a suitable male partner appears to play a more important role than age per se.