Abstract
The female climacteric is known from the literature for centuries. Certain signs are obvious, but some symptoms are deliberately concealed by many women as they are regarded askance by herself and by society at large. Only very recently did knowledge of the psychological and physiological processes involved in the female climacteric reach the point of medical science. This has been accompanied by a more open attitude on the part of society towards climacteric problems of various kinds. The number of newspaper articles dealing with the climacteric, books with advice for climacteric women and courses on the management of climacteric symptoms is steadily growing. The fear for and the fear of climacteric symptoms have therefore declined among the population and a substantial number of women now consult their doctors to obtain relief. For Sweden, only the last decade has involved programmes for climacteric women. Such programmes comprise not only hormonal replacement therapy but also in addition attempts to increase knowledge among women and in society as well as efforts to obtain a social, psychological and physical wellbeing.
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