A STUDY ON THE MENOPAUSE IN MALAYSIA

In an attempt to gather data on the menopause in Malaysia, 400 women (13% Chinese, 70% Malays and 16% Indians), representing the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia, were interviewed. The majority (76%) of these women were still married and living with their husbands and 63% of them were working. Most of them (90%) had attained menarche by the age of 15 years and 50% of them had married before the age of 20. Their reproductive record was good, since 76% of them had 3 or more children who were still alive. The mean age at menopause in the Malaysian women studied was 50.7 years. Analysis of the climacteric symptoms reported showed significant differences in the vasomotor and nervosity indices in the perimenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Eighty percent (80%) of the women saw no need to consult a doctor about their climacteric symptoms. When they did, most of them (84%) received medication, but 43% of them did not comply with the prescribed treatment. Dyspareunia and urinary incontinence were evidently regarded as embarrassing complaints in all three groups, since around 80% of the women did not seek medical advice. This is not surprising in view of the fact that 89% of them rated their health as good.