MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS AND CLIMACTERIC DEPRESSION IN WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

Background: Menopause causes deterioration of functioning in routine, social, and sexual life of women. The objective of present study was to compare menopause symptoms and climacteric depression in women with and without hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the Gynaecology Wards of hospitals and private clinics in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, from September 2015 to January 2016. One hundred menopausal women were included through non-probability purposive sampling. The subjects were divided into two groups of 50 each with and without hormone replacement therapy. The study variables were measured through Menopause Rating Scale and MENO-D. Results: Psychometric properties showed high reliability of study instruments, for MENO-D (I±=0.79) and Menopause Rating Scale (I±=0.93). Women not taking hormone replacement therapy reported severe symptoms of menopause and climacteric depression in comparison to women taking hormone replacement therapy (p<0.001). Conclusion: The menopausal symptoms are less in women taking HRT. Hormone replacement therapy is beneficial for controlling severity of climacteric depression. The women may enjoy better mental health with hormone replacement therapy. Pak J Physiol 2017;13(1):43–5