A woman’s body goes through major changes throughout her life, leading to different health concerns at different ages. And during times of physiological change, women are susceptible to mental-health issues such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
Major disease risks include cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Fortunately, most of the diseases that affect women are treatable if detected early, and women can live long and happy lives by following simple health advice.
How women age
The reproductive cycle governs the many stages of a woman’s life, with estrogen levels directing many of the physical changes women experience during adolescence, adulthood and old age.
At the moment of conception, girls immediately begin displaying physiological differences from boys, expressing genes in the placenta differently. As young as the age of six, girls may begin developing concerns about their weight. From around the age of eight, the ovaries begin to produce estrogen, causing the breasts and areolas to enlarge and buds to appear around the nipple. Girls also begin to grow pubic hair and hair under their arms.
In adulthood, sexual-health issues such as fertility, avoiding STDs and practicing safe birth control gain importance.
In most women, menopause begins in the late 40s and early 50s, officially beginning when a woman goes a full year without menstruating. During this time, estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate. As estrogen levels decrease, many tissues in the body - including the breasts - lose hydration and elasticity.
Around this time, children often leave home, elderly parents begin needing care, and marriages are often affected by a partner’s medical issues or changing life goals. All of these factors lead to a high rate of depression and physical fatigue in many women.
As life expectancy has increased, so has the number of post-menopausal conditions and diseases. Many
