Women's health issues and clinical perspectives

Womens Health

The medicalization of women's lives is an important aspect of the health care system throughout the world. Women are exposed to more serious danger than men in terms of medical care for several particular reasons which do not make applicable the consideration of the human body as being identical. There are several statistics which point out the fact that at old age women tend to have more health problems than men and may easily end up in hospitals. In this sense, in the U.S. half of the women and one third of the men spend a considerable amount of time in nursing hospitals and elderly homes before they die (Social Gerontology, n.d.). With this aspect into perspective, it is important to consider the possible areas of medicalization for women.

One of the most important aspects which are essential for a woman is the physical control and health of their body (Arroba, 2003). This aspect is very important because the woman is in the end the actual source of life and must take care of the body from outside and inside. Some of the problems a woman might face even in a very developed society include "The control of our movements and attitudes, of our sexualities and fertility, of our life cycles, of our pregnancies and births, of menopause and aging, the control of our overall health is in the hands of "experts." This control is essential for maintaining patriarchal sovereignty and the economy. There are many who control our bodies and who reap a considerable profit from our bodies, our sex, our reproduction, our beauty, our labor, everything. They become very wealthy at our expense" (Arroba, 2003).

The problem of the menopause is one of the most difficult issues a woman must face as she grows old. The actual issue is related to the limited amount of hormones the body generates and a reduction in the overall mechanism of life. The process of medicalization implies "treating a natural process as if it were a medical condition requiring intervention"(Our Bodies: ourselves., 2007). Therefore, a treatment for such illnesses as that for menopause is crucial for the well being of the woman and for the future.

The medicalization of the menopause includes "hormone replacement therapy" which consists of a particular program of hormone replacement. In this way, women can have the same quantity of hormones until they enter the menopause. Therefore, none of the basic functions hormones and the regular supply of hormones offered naturally by the body will be affected by the menopause.

The Menopause is an inevitable illness which takes place as women grow old; therefore, there is little that can actually be done in order to prevent and medicate oneself. It represents a sign of the maturity of the body. However, there are several aspects that can be taken into account not necessarily to prevent the menopause which is impossible, but rather to have less influence on the mind and body of the woman. In this sense, it is very well-known the fact that smoking is a vice. However, it is also contributing factor in the negative state of the menopause. Therefore, aside from the proper medication, calcium and vitamins, the woman must also take action on their own.