Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause among Postmenopausal Women in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Genitourinary syndrome of menopause incorporates vulvovaginal and lower urinary tract symptoms related to estrogen deficiency which affects more than half of postmenopausal women. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of genitourinary syndrome of menopause among postmenopausal women attending a tertiary care center. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of tertiary care hospital from October 2019 to April 2021 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 452 6-11). A convenience sampling method was used among postmenopausal women aged 40-75 years attending gynaecology outpatient departments. The information was obtained by interview and examination. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: Among the 385 postmenopausal women, 285 (74.02%) (69.63-78.40 at 95% Confidence Interval) had a diagnosis of genitourinary syndrome of menopause. The mean age of menopause was 48.2±3.6years. The most common symptom and sign were vaginal dryness in 223 (78.2%) and decreased moisture 200 (70.2%). Regarding the impact of genitourinary syndrome of menopause on quality of life, it least affected the activities of daily living and mostly on sexual functioning. Conclusions: The study showed three-fourth of postmenopausal women suffered from genitourinary syndrome of menopause which is similar to the previous studies done in other countries, in postmenopausal women. Therefore, understanding genitourinary syndrome of menopause is vital, and assuring women those treatments are available to relieve symptoms may improve their quality of life.

Calidad de vida en mujeres con síndrome genitourinario de la menopausia en el Quindío, Colombia

“…A pesar de su alta prevalencia, el SGUM sigue siendo extremadamente infradiagnosticado (3,25), en parte por la resistencia que muestran las mujeres a buscar ayuda, ya sea por vergüenza o como resultado de considerarlo como una característica normal del envejecimiento natural, sin desconocer la renuencia de los profesionales de la salud a la hora de abordar estos problemas (26)(27)(28)(29). Se constituye necesario establecer programas de conciencia, acerca de la educación y la capacitación de este síndrome entre las mujeres en posmenopausia, a fin de evitar las catastróficas consecuencias en su calidad de vida.…”

Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: Prevalence and Predictors

“…Two studies were performed in a symptomatic Chinese population 15,17 and a convenience sample of Nepalese women presenting to a gynecologic clinic. 16 Inclusion criteria for some of the studies required experiencing one or more symptoms of VVA, thus making the comparison of prevalence estimates complex. Across studies, the authors noted that the most commonly self-reported symptom was vaginal dryness (ranging from 50% to 100%), and the most observed sign was decreased moisture.…”

“…Conceivable are dominant subtype presentations, for example, genital symptom cluster dominance, urinary symptom cluster dominance, sexual symptom cluster dominance, or multicluster dominance. Particularly for sexually active women, there is ample evidence that genital tissue changes have a marked effect on sexual functioning, [12][13][14][15][16] most often expressed as dyspareunia with or without descriptors of tissue damage (eg, postcoital bleeding). Perhaps dyspareunia should be considered a cardinal (at least in sexually active women) or obligatory symptom, or perhaps a separate symptom within the class of sexual symptoms.…”

“…Perhaps important to the growing telehealth movement, if not for authenticated diagnosis, is whether patient-reported manifestations, that is, symptoms, symptom clusters, or GSM scales, should be juxtaposed with clinician-observed indicators. Clinicians observed signs of VVA/GSM, including small vagina, shrunken external genitalia, rarefication of pubic or axillary hair, or tissue looseness, and observations of vaginal dryness, thinning of vaginal rugae, pallor of mucosa, mucosal fragility, or petechiae [11][12][13][14][15][16] do not always correlate well with GSM symptoms.…”

“…The tissue changes (attributed to declining exposure to estrogen) underpinning this sensation may evoke the patient-reported sensations often reported as burning, itching, and feelings of irritation-perhaps in either genital or urinary tract tissues. Particularly for sexually active women, there is ample evidence that genital tissue changes have a marked effect on sexual functioning, [12][13][14][15][16] most often expressed as dyspareunia with or without descriptors of tissue damage (eg, postcoital bleeding). Evidence for urinary symptoms as part of GSM is less clear.…”