Glossary
Body mass index (BMI)
A measurement that evaluates the relationship between body weight and height.
Climacteric
Another name for the menopause.
Estradiol
Female sex hormone that promotes growth and maintenance of the reproductive system.
Estrogen
Also written as ‘oestrogen’. Female sex hormone involved in regulating the menstrual cycle.
HRT
Short for ‘hormone replacement therapy’. It is a medical treatment for women who have entered the menopause. The hormones replace the body’s naturally reduced supply to help prevent menopausal symptoms. The two hormones taken in HRT are estrogen and progestogen. Women who have not had their womb removed take both hormones. Others take estrogen only.
Hysterectomy
The surgical removal of the womb. Hysterectomy may be total or partial.
Isoflavones
Naturally occurring chemicals found within plants.
Lignans
Naturally occurring chemicals found within plants.
Menopause
The period of time in a woman’s life during which the ovaries stop producing estrogen.
Perimenopause
Refers to the time before the menopause, during which the production of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone reduces/becomes more irregular.
Postmenopause
The time in a woman’s life after the menopause.
Premenopause
The time before any symptoms of the menopause occur.
Progesterone
A hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and embryo development.
Progestogen
Hormone which produces effects similar to natural body progesterone (see above).
Unopposed HRT
Also known as ‘estrogen-only’ hormone replacement therapy (HRT), where no progestogen is prescribed. It is usually prescribed for hysterectomised women.
Thermoregulation
The system that controls the temperature in our body.