Pre-menopause

This study is being done to compare two vaginal treatments, vaginal estrogen and vaginal DHEA, that are used to treat vaginal and urinary symptoms related to menopause. These symptoms may include vaginal dryness, discomfort, painful intercourse, or urinary problems and can affect quality of life and sexual health. Women who choose to participate will be randomly assigned to use one of the two treatments for a set period of time. Participants will complete questionnaires about their symptoms and sexual health and have simple vaginal testing at the beginning and end of the study. The goal of this research is to better understand how these treatments affect vaginal health and sexual function so healthcare providers can make informed treatment decisions and improve care for postmenopausal women.

Female life stages including premenopausal, perimenopausal, postmenopausal, are characterized by changing concentrations and patterns of hormones. The premenopause stage represents the reproductive years with normal menstrual cycles lasting between 21-35 days. The perimenopause stage is the beginning of the menopause transition and can last up to 10 years. During this transition, menstrual cycles become longer and irregular in length (7 days or longer). After 12 consecutive months with no period, the transition is complete into the postmenopause stage. Hormones that change across the lifespan are known to influence systems that regulate thirst, fluid balance, and sodium balance. Yet, fluid balance across life stages remains poorly understood, with no direct comparisons across all three life stages. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of female life stage on rehydration with water and electrolyte solution after overnight fast and fluid restriction