Although the diagnosis of menopause can be made by a patient’s medical history and symptoms of menopause, laboratory testing is performed to confirm the same. A good diagnosis always considers many factors. Therefore the diagnosis of menopause should be a combination of all three factors, i.e. medical history, symptoms, and lab tests.
| Medical History + Symptoms + Lab Tests = Diagnosis |
Diagnosis in menopausal women should start with an assessment of the following steps:
- Record all medical history, and maternal menopausal history including risk factors for breast cancer, thromboembolic disease, and osteoporosis.
- A detailed record of a woman’s menstrual cycle history (ideally with a menstrual calendar) is taken.
- A detailed history of menopausal symptoms such as (hot flashes, sleep disturbances, depression, and vaginal dryness) is taken.
- Lab tests should be performed.
- All women with symptoms of vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, or sexual dysfunction should have a pelvic exam to evaluate vaginal atrophy.
