Menopause 101

Menopause is frequently referred to as the “change of life”. It is a natural part of the aging process for all women, generally becoming obvious by irregular menstrual cycles and concluding in cessation of menstruation altogether. This conversion into a new phase of life can be perplexing for many women. What is menopause? When does menopause start? What symptoms will I experience? When will it end?

For most women, menopause starts between the ages of 45 and 55, though some women may arrive at menopause as early as age 35 or not until 55. There is no way to foretell when an individual woman will arrive at menopause, though there does seem to be a relationship between the menopausal ages of the mother and daughter.

The beginning of menopause is discernible by irregular menstrual cycle span, which can mean longer, or shorter menstrual cycles. There is also a noticeable change in the flow of periods- from lighter or heavier. Due to the natural hormone variations in a woman’s body at this time, other signs or symptoms may portray themselves in unpredictable intensities.

As menopause moves forward, a woman’s body steadily decreases production of the female sex hormone, estrogen. Estrogen is known to regulate menstruation and pregnancy, as well as help in development of female physical and sexual characteristics such as body shape, fat, breasts and hair. Estrogen also acts to strengthen bone; therefore women going through or who have gone through menopause are at increased risk for osteoporosis.

The severity of menopausal symptoms experienced fluctuate significantly from woman to woman. Some women may experience considerable menopausal symptoms, both physical and emotional, while others may experience few or none.