Paleopathology (palaeopathology, traditional British spelling) is the study of ancient health and disease. The field is interdisciplinary, stretching from art history to paleontology and from parasitology to genomics.
In addition, low estrogen levels can adversely affect the vagina, causing thinning of the walls and dryness, which can lead to painful sex. The lining of the urethra also thins, leaving the body susceptible to infections like UTIs. Symptoms of low estrogen may include: 1  Fatigue. 2  Hot flashes. 3  Night sweats. 4  Memory lapses. 5  Difficult concentrating. 6  Joint pain. 7  Vaginal dryness. 8  Dry skin (which can lead to premature aging, wrinkles, and brown age spots).
During and after menopause, women experience a drop in estrogen levels, as well as a shift in the balance of estrogens that the body produces. Before menopause, the ovaries produce the main source of estrogen, and the main type of estrogen produced is known as estradiol. After menopause, the main source of estrogen is androstenedione, which is produced by the adrenal gland and is converted into an estrogen known as estrone. Menopausal symptoms and changes result from the decrease in estrogen and the shift from estradiol to estrone.