Describe the change in reproductive status that women undergo in midlife and the experience of menopause. Describe the change in reproductive status of men starting in midlife.?

What will be an ideal response?

ANSWER:
?The most significant physical change in midlife for women is the end of their ability to reproduce. Menopause is the point where menstruation stops. For most women, menopause is complete in their early 50s, but loss of fertility is a very gradual process beginning many years earlier. Menstrual cycles may become irregular in a woman’s 40s as her sex hormone levels that regulate the cycles begin to drop. During the period of transition between the start of irregular periods and the final disappearance of menstruation, women can experience a number of physical and psychological symptoms. Hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, joint pain, mood swings, and sleep disturbances are common complaints, and the severity of these issues can range from barely noticeable to nearly disabling. Hormone treatments to offset these symptoms are used quite cautiously, as they can also increase a woman’s risk of stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, and later dementia.
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Men experience much more gradual changes in their reproductive status through the remainder of their lives. Sperm quantity may be reduced, but men in their 80s remain half as fertile as men who are 25. Most men experience little if any decreases in testosterone over the course of the midlife years, although other conditions, such as diabetes, can interfere with the maintenance of an active sex life. For both men and women in midlife, the availability of a partner is much more predictive of sexual activity than any health issues.