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Menopause
What is it?
Menopause simply means the end of menstruation. Usually defined as not having had a menstrual period for 12 months in a row, menopause may be natural or it may occur after a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). In the United States, the average age of natural menopause is 51 years, but it may occur naturally at any time between the ages of about 45 and 55 years.
Menopause results from decreased production of the female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. After menopause, few eggs remain in the ovaries. As a result, both estrogen and progesterone levels fall. The extreme decline in hormone production is a major cause of symptoms, such as hot flashes and mood disorders, which frequently accompany the start of menopause. Lowered estrogen and progesterone levels also contribute to increased risk among postmenopausal women for certain health problems, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and urinary incontinence (the inability to control urine flow). When levels of both hormones decline, menstruation stops and fertility essentially ends, as well.
Perimenopause is the time just before and after the onset of menopause. It averages 4 years in length, but it may be much shorter or longer for individual women. Because women may still may release eggs during perimenopause, they can still get pregnant. Common symptoms that may begin in perimenopause include:
- Changes in menstrual periods
- Hot flashes
- Insomnia
- Mood changes
- Night sweats
Postmenopause refers to the time after menopause. This is the time when some of the distress from the changes from menopause will start to fade. The symptoms described above may become milder, while energy levels and emotions stabilize.
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What is it?
