‘Menopause is a term related to life stage of a woman when she permanently stops having menstrual periods. It is often called the “change of life,” this phase indicates the end of a woman’s ability to have children. To refer to the period of time when a woman’s hormone levels begin to change many physicians actually use the term menopause. When menstrual periods have ceased for one continuous year menopause is said to be complete.
Before menopause the transition phase is medically referred to as climacteric, but more recently has also been called perimenopause. The supply of mature eggs in a woman’s ovaries diminishes and ovulation becomes irregular during this transition time before menopause. At the same time, the production of estrogen and progesterone decreases. Most of the symptoms commonly associated with menopause are the enormous drop in estrogen levels.
When does menopause occur?
Menopause can actually occur any time between the ages of 40 and 55 while the average age of menopause is 51.Women who smoke and are underweight tend to experience an earlier menopause, while women who are overweight often experience a later menopause. Generally, a woman tends to experience menopause at about the same age as her mother did.
