The Study of Voice in Postmenopausal Syndrome

Kim, Sang Hyun; No, Ho Sang; Hwang, Dong Jo; Oh, Young Suk; Moon, Sung Wook; Kim, Hyeongseok; Jung, Eui Sik; Koh, Min Seok

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
We intended to evaluate the relationship between voice and the menopause, so we observed vocal symptoms and voice parameters in patients of postmenopausal syndrome compared with those in premenopausal women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty postmenopausal and twenty premenopausal women were included in this study. Each woman was asked to describe their subjective vocal symptoms and phonate a vowel /a/ sound for 3 seconds. The voices were recorded and analyzed by the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program and a Laryngograph. A statistical analysis of voice parameters was done by a paired-t-test.
RESULTS
Vocal symptoms detected in the menopausal women were lowered pitch, voice fatigue, recurrent hoarseness, and loss of high tone. Jitter in postmenopausal group was significantly increased compared with the premenopausal group, but the fundamental frequency, shimmer, the Harmonics-to-noise ratio and the closing quotient showed no significant differences. There were no significant changes of voice parameters between menopausal patients with and without vocal symptoms.
CONCLUSION
The change of voice may be objectively identified in postmenopausal women. In treating the postmenopausal symptoms, it may be required to take voice changes into consideration.