Asian Ethnicity and Menopause
Women of Asian descent are fortunate to have the lowest rate of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) during the menopause transition when compared with women of other ethnicities. Despite this, many are still affected by hot flashes and other VMS which impact quality of life. More than ¾ of Chinese women experience mild to moderate symptoms during the menopause transition, and nearly half report moderate to severe symptoms.
Along with Caucasian women, Asian women have an elevated risk of osteoporosis.
In mainland China, a woman’s prevalence of osteoporosis is 20% after the age of 40. The Asian Osteoporosis Study found that the incidence of osteoporotic hip fractures in women older than 50 was highest in urbanized Asian countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
South Asian women living in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Butan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, have a higher proportional mortality rate from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to East Asian women. East Asian women living in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam as a group tend to have a lower risk of CVD.
Regardless of ethnicity, all women worldwide who live long enough experience menopause and are at risk of VMS during the transition, as well as postmenopausal osteoporosis and CVD. Fortunately, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is available and the most effective treatment for VMS while also having a positive impact on bone and heart health. Estrogen, administered systematically through oral or transdermal route, can mitigate these symptoms. Transdermal route may be a better option for some because of its safety profile compared with oral estrogen; it has less risk of venous thromboembolism and avoids passing through the liver to metabolize. Both routes have been found to be effective in many women, including Asian women. It is important that globally women reach out to their healthcare provider to determine which treatments are most advantageous for them, should they desire to mitigate VMS, and reduce their risk of osteoporosis and CVD.
