<p class="first" id="P2">Similar to their US counterparts, Costa Rican women enter
menopause at ~50 years of
age, have similar symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, as well as an
overall negative attitude toward the menopausal transition. One study of rural women
in Monteverde reported that women knew little about the menopausal transition, as
the subject was not discussed. Similar to other Latin American women, the use of hormone
therapy by Costa Rican women is low and instead they use alternative therapies, including
massage, dietary changes and herbal medicines. A wide variety of herbal therapies
are used, and some of these herbs have estrogenic activities in vitro. However, clinical
data on the safety and efficacy of any of these treatments is lacking. Recently, a
disturbing increase in the incidence of human papilloma virus infections in menopausal
women has been reported, due in part to more sexual freedom after menopause. Fortunately,
the strain of HPV infecting these women is not associated with cervical cancer. Overall,
there is a significant lack of scientific and medical research on menopausal women
in Costa Rica. Considering the aging population, the high use of herbal medicines
by menopausal women and the lack of clinical studies on these treatments, future research
should focus on gaining a better understanding of menopause in this population. Furthermore,
new educational programs for these women and the health professionals who serve them
are necessary, as well as investigations of the safety and efficacy of the herbal
supplements women use to manage their menopausal symptoms.
</p>