When does menopause typically begin. What are the common symptoms of menopause. How long does the menopausal transition usually last. What triggers menopause. How can women manage menopausal symptoms. What health risks increase after menopause. How does menopause affect a woman’s body.

The Menopausal Transition: A Natural Part of Aging

Menopause is a significant milestone in a woman’s life, marking the end of her reproductive years. It’s not a disease or disorder, but rather a natural biological process. The menopausal transition, also known as perimenopause, is the period leading up to menopause when a woman’s body begins to undergo various changes.

During this time, women may experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms as their bodies adjust to fluctuating hormone levels. For some, this transition is relatively smooth, while others may face more challenging symptoms that affect their quality of life.

When does the menopausal transition typically begin?

The menopausal transition usually starts between the ages of 45 and 55. However, it’s important to note that every woman’s experience is unique, and the onset can vary. Factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and overall health can influence when a woman enters this phase of life.

How long does the menopausal transition last?

On average, the menopausal transition lasts about seven years. However, it can range from four to fourteen years. The duration can be influenced by various factors, including:

• Smoking habits
• Age at onset
• Race and ethnicity
• Overall health

Hormonal Changes and Their Impact

The hallmark of the menopausal transition is the fluctuation in hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone. These hormones, produced by the ovaries, play crucial roles in regulating the menstrual cycle and maintaining various bodily functions.

How do hormonal changes affect the body during menopause?

As hormone levels fluctuate and eventually decline, women may experience a range of effects on their bodies:

1. Changes in menstrual cycle regularity
2. Alterations in energy metabolism
3. Shifts in fat distribution
4. Increased susceptibility to weight gain
5. Changes in bone density
6. Effects on cardiovascular health
7. Alterations in body shape and composition
8. Changes in physical function

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause

The symptoms of menopause can vary greatly from woman to woman. Some may experience minimal discomfort, while others may find their daily lives significantly impacted. Understanding these symptoms can help women better navigate this transition and seek appropriate support when needed.

What are the most common symptoms of menopause?

While the experience of menopause is unique to each woman, some of the most frequently reported symptoms include:

• Irregular periods
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Sleep disturbances
• Mood changes and irritability
• Vaginal dryness and discomfort during intercourse
• Changes in libido
• Urinary incontinence
• Dry skin and hair
• Joint pain

How can women differentiate between menopausal symptoms and other health issues?

Given the wide range of symptoms associated with menopause, it can sometimes be challenging to distinguish them from other health conditions. If you’re experiencing symptoms that concern you, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider. They may recommend tests, such as checking follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) levels, to confirm whether you’re in the menopausal transition and rule out other potential causes for your symptoms.

Managing Menopausal Symptoms: Lifestyle Changes and Treatment Options

While menopause is a natural process, its symptoms can be disruptive to daily life. Fortunately, there are various strategies and treatments available to help manage these symptoms and improve quality of life during this transition.

What lifestyle changes can help alleviate menopausal symptoms?

Many women find relief from menopausal symptoms through simple lifestyle modifications:

• Maintaining a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Regular exercise to support bone health and mood
• Stress reduction techniques such as meditation or yoga
• Avoiding triggers for hot flashes, such as spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine
• Dressing in layers to manage body temperature fluctuations
• Ensuring adequate sleep hygiene
• Quitting smoking

What medical treatments are available for managing menopausal symptoms?

For women experiencing more severe symptoms, medical interventions may be beneficial. These can include:

1. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
2. Low-dose antidepressants for mood symptoms and hot flashes
3. Vaginal estrogen for local symptoms
4. Gabapentin or other medications for specific symptom relief
5. Osteoporosis medications to support bone health

It’s crucial to discuss the benefits and risks of these treatments with a healthcare provider to determine the most appropriate approach for individual needs.

The Importance of Continued Health Care After Menopause

Reaching menopause doesn’t mean the end of women’s health concerns. In fact, postmenopausal women face unique health challenges that require ongoing attention and care.

What health risks increase after menopause?

As estrogen levels decline, postmenopausal women become more vulnerable to certain health conditions:

• Osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures
• Cardiovascular disease
• Urinary tract infections
• Weight gain and changes in body composition
• Skin changes and increased dryness

How can women maintain their health after menopause?

Prioritizing health in the postmenopausal years is crucial. Women can take several steps to maintain their well-being:

1. Regular health check-ups and screenings
2. Maintaining a calcium-rich diet for bone health
3. Engaging in weight-bearing exercises
4. Managing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes
5. Staying socially active and mentally engaged
6. Continuing to practice good sleep hygiene
7. Limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding smoking

Navigating Relationships and Sexuality During Menopause

The hormonal changes of menopause can have significant impacts on relationships and sexuality. Understanding these changes and maintaining open communication with partners is essential for maintaining intimacy and relationship satisfaction during this transition.

How does menopause affect sexual health and relationships?

Menopause can influence sexual health and relationships in various ways:

• Changes in libido
• Vaginal dryness leading to discomfort during intercourse
• Emotional fluctuations affecting mood and intimacy
• Body image concerns due to physical changes
• Shifts in relationship dynamics as roles and needs evolve

What strategies can help maintain a healthy sex life during and after menopause?

Maintaining a satisfying sex life during and after menopause is possible with the right approach:

1. Open communication with partners about changing needs and desires
2. Using lubricants or moisturizers to address vaginal dryness
3. Exploring new forms of intimacy and sexual expression
4. Seeking counseling or sex therapy if needed
5. Discussing treatment options with healthcare providers for persistent issues
6. Maintaining overall health through diet, exercise, and stress management

Menopause in the Workplace: Challenges and Solutions

As more women remain in the workforce during their menopausal years, addressing the impact of menopause symptoms in professional settings has become increasingly important. Creating supportive work environments can help women navigate this transition while maintaining their career trajectories.

What challenges do menopausal women face in the workplace?

Women experiencing menopause may encounter several challenges at work:

• Managing hot flashes in professional settings
• Dealing with fatigue and concentration issues
• Balancing work responsibilities with changing health needs
• Overcoming stigma or lack of understanding from colleagues
• Navigating career advancement during a time of physical change

How can workplaces better support menopausal employees?

Employers can implement various strategies to create a more supportive environment for menopausal women:

1. Developing menopause-friendly policies
2. Providing flexible working arrangements
3. Offering education and awareness programs for all employees
4. Ensuring access to comfortable rest areas and temperature control
5. Training managers to have supportive conversations about menopause
6. Promoting a culture of openness and understanding

By addressing these aspects, workplaces can help ensure that menopausal women can continue to thrive professionally while managing their symptoms effectively.

Embracing the Change: Positive Aspects of Menopause

While much focus is often placed on the challenges of menopause, it’s important to recognize that this transition can also bring positive changes and opportunities for personal growth. Many women find that the postmenopausal years offer a new sense of freedom and self-discovery.

What are some positive aspects of reaching menopause?

Menopause can bring several benefits and opportunities:

• Freedom from menstrual cycles and associated discomfort
• No more concerns about unplanned pregnancies
• Potential for increased self-confidence and self-awareness
• Opportunity to reassess life goals and priorities
• More time for personal interests and pursuits
• Deepening of existing relationships or formation of new ones

How can women make the most of this new life stage?

To fully embrace the postmenopausal years, women can:

1. Explore new hobbies or return to long-forgotten interests
2. Invest in personal growth through education or skill development
3. Prioritize self-care and wellness
4. Strengthen social connections and build support networks
5. Consider new career paths or volunteer opportunities
6. Practice mindfulness and gratitude
7. Celebrate the wisdom and experience gained over the years

By focusing on these positive aspects, women can approach menopause as a time of empowerment and new beginnings rather than merely an end to their reproductive years.

What Is Menopause? | National Institute on Aging

Español

On this page:

Larissa is experiencing the menopausal transition, a normal part of aging for women. Menopause is not a disease or disorder. This time in a woman’s life is often full of other transitions in addition to physical ones: Women may be caring for aging parents or relatives, supporting their children as they move into adulthood, or taking on new responsibilities at work.

Some women don’t have any trouble with menopausal symptoms and may even feel relieved when they no longer need to worry about painful periods or getting pregnant. For other women, the menopausal transition can bring hot flashes, trouble sleeping, pain during sex, moodiness and irritability, depression, or a combination of these symptoms. Some may decide to talk with their doctor about lifestyle changes or medications to treat their symptoms.

Understanding the menopausal transition

Menopause is a point in time 12 months after a woman’s last period. The years leading up to that point, when women may have changes in their monthly cycles, hot flashes, or other symptoms, are called the menopausal transition or perimenopause.

The menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55. It usually lasts about seven years but can be as long as 14 years. The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity. During perimenopause, the body’s production of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones made by the ovaries, varies greatly.

The menopausal transition affects each woman uniquely and in various ways. The body begins to use energy differently, fat cells change, and women may gain weight more easily. You may experience changes in your bone or heart health, your body shape and composition, or your physical function.

Is it menopause?

If you are having symptoms that are common during menopause, your doctor may ask questions about your age, symptoms, and family history to determine if it really is the menopausal transition causing your problems. In some cases, your doctor may suggest a blood test to check your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) levels to rule out any other causes for the changes you’re experiencing.

Read and share this infographic about staying healthy during and after menopause.

While the menopausal transition may commonly be referred to as “menopause,” true menopause doesn’t happen until one year after a woman’s final menstrual period. For that reason, a woman who does not want to get pregnant should continue to use birth control for at least a full 12 months after her last period.

Menopause can also be triggered by a hysterectomy or surgical removal of the ovaries, which produce hormones. If you have surgery to remove your uterus or ovaries and are not taking hormones, you will experience symptoms of menopause immediately.

After menopause, women enter postmenopause. Postmenopausal women are more vulnerable to heart disease and osteoporosis. During this time, it is important to continue to eat a healthy diet, be active, and make sure you get enough calcium for optimal bone health.

What are the signs and symptoms of menopause?

Estrogen is used by many parts of a woman’s body. As levels of estrogen decrease, you could have various symptoms. Many women experience mild symptoms that can be treated by lifestyle changes such as avoiding caffeine or carrying a portable fan. Some women don’t require any treatment at all, but for others, symptoms can be more severe. The severity of symptoms varies greatly around the world and by race and ethnicity.

Here are the most common changes you might notice at midlife. Some may be part of aging rather than directly related to menopause.

Change in your period. This might be what you notice first. Your periods may no longer be regular. They may be shorter or last longer. You might bleed more or less than usual. These are all normal changes, but to make sure there isn’t a problem, see your doctor if:

• Your periods happen very close together.
• You have heavy bleeding.
• You have spotting.
• Your periods last more than a week.
• Your periods resume after no bleeding for more than a year.

Hot flashes. Many women have hot flashes, which can last for many years after menopause. They may be related to changing estrogen levels. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck may become flushed. Red blotches may appear on your chest, back, and arms. Heavy sweating and cold shivering can follow. Hot flashes can be very mild or strong enough to wake you up (called night sweats). Most hot flashes last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes. They can happen several times an hour, a few times a day, or just once or twice a week. Find information on managing hot flashes in Hot Flashes: What Can I Do?

Bladder control. A loss of bladder control is called incontinence. You may have a sudden urge to urinate, or urine may leak during exercise, sneezing, or laughing. The first step in treating incontinence is to see a doctor. Bladder infections also can occur in midlife.

Sleep. Around midlife, some women start having trouble getting a good night’s sleep. Maybe you can’t fall asleep easily, or you wake too early. Night sweats might wake you up. And if you wake up during the night, you might have trouble falling back to sleep. Learn how to improve your sleep during the menopausal transition and beyond in Sleep Problems and Menopause: What Can I Do?

Vaginal health and sexuality. After menopause, the vagina may become drier, which can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable. Read about options for addressing vaginal pain during sex in Sex and Menopause: Treatment for Symptoms. You may also find that your feelings about sex are changing. You could be less interested, or you could feel freer and sexier because after one full year without a period, you can no longer become pregnant. However, you could still be at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea or HIV/AIDS. Your risk for an STD increases if you have sex with more than one person or with someone who has sex with others. If so, make sure your partner uses a condom each time you have sex.

Mood changes. You might feel moodier or more irritable around the time of menopause. Scientists don’t know why this happens. It’s possible that stress, family changes such as growing children or aging parents, a history of depression, or feeling tired could be causing these mood changes. Talk with your primary care provider or a mental health professional about what you’re experiencing. There are treatments available to help.

Your body seems different. Your waist could get larger. You could lose muscle and gain fat. Your skin could become thinner. You might have memory problems, and your joints and muscles could feel stiff and achy. Researchers are exploring such changes and how they relate to hormones and growing older.

In addition, for some women, symptoms may include aches and pains, headaches, and heart palpitations. Follow up with a doctor. Because menopausal symptoms may be caused by changing hormone levels, it is unpredictable how often women will experience symptoms and how severe they will be.

• My Menoplan Tool

  My Menoplan is an evidence-based online resource developed by NIA-funded researchers to help people learn about the symptoms and treatments of menopause and create a personalized plan. Learn more on the My Menoplan website.

Treating menopause symptoms: What’s right for me?

Deciding whether and how to treat the symptoms of menopausal transition can be complicated and personal. Discuss your symptoms, family and medical history, and preferences with your doctor. No matter what you decide, see your doctor every year to talk about your treatment plan and discuss any changes you want to make.

Learn about options to help you manage hot flashes, sleep problems, and sex problems during the menopausal transition.

For more information on menopause

Office on Women’s Health                                             
Department of Health and Human Services
800-994-9662
www. womenshealth.gov

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
800-673-8444 
[email protected]
www.acog.org

North American Menopause Society
440-442-7550
[email protected]
www.menopause.org

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed:
September 30, 2021

Predicting the Age at Which You’ll Reach Menopause, Length of Transition

“Is this normal?” has to be one of the most common questions posed to doctors about a host of health-related signs and symptoms, from the crackling sound your knees make when you take the stairs to the number of times your sleep is interrupted each night.

And it’s often the question women pose to their ob-gyn when they begin to notice changes in their monthly period or have their first hot flash. When it comes to the menopause transition, what’s the normal age, and more importantly, why does it matter?

The average age of menopause is 51, and it does matter, in part because the timing of menopause can be predictive of other health issues, according to Stephanie S. Faubion, MD, the director of the Office of Women’s Health at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and the medical director of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

Are You Headed Toward Early Menopause?

“There are many negative health consequences linked to early menopause, including a higher risk of osteoporosis and fracture, heart disease, cognitive impairment and dementia, and early death,” says Dr. Faubion.

If you have questions about when you’ll experience menopause and if you can do anything to change it, keep reading for answers.

1. At What Age Do Most Women Reach Menopause?

The medical definition of menopause is no menstrual bleeding for a year, according to Lauren Streicher, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology and the medical director of the Northwestern Center for Menopause and the Northwestern Center for Sexual Medicine in Chicago.

Most women experience menopause between age 40 and 58, and the average age at menopause is 51, according to the North American Menopause Society.

Many women are surprised when they go through menopause in their forties because they think they’re too young, but it’s not unusual, says Dr. Streicher.

2. What Age Is Considered Early for Menopause?

If you reach menopause before age 40, that is considered premature menopause, says Faubion. “This occurs in about 1 to 2 percent of women,” she says.

“Experiencing menopause at 40 to 45 years of age is called early menopause, and that occurs in about 5 to 7 percent of the population, so it’s safe to say that at least 7 percent of women are going to go through menopause early or prematurely,” says Faubion. Menopause at age 46 or older is considered normal, she says.

3. How Long Will Menopausal Transition Symptoms Last?

Menopause is technically one full year without bleeding, and perimenopause is the stage before the final menstrual period, also known as the menopausal transition. Puberty and perimenopause are similar in that they both involve hormonal changes, and the transitions can take place over several years. Some medical organizations, such as the American Osteopathic Association, refer to perimenopause as “reverse puberty” in women.

According to NAMS, this phase can last four to eight years, and it comes with symptoms caused by hormone fluctuations, such as mood swings, poor sleep, and hot flashes.

The age at which a woman begins perimenopause can help predict how long the transition to menopause will last, according to research published in the journal Menopause in February 2017. The authors found that perimenopause lasted longer in women who started the transition at a younger age, and the women had more symptoms, such as hot flashes.

4. Does the Age My Mother Reached Menopause Mean Anything?

Most likely your mom’s age at menopause will provide a clue. “When we look at the things that are the greatest determinants for when someone is going to go through menopause, genetics seems to be one of the most important things,” says Streicher.

A woman’s race or ethnicity can influence when she goes through menopause, too, she says. Findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) indicate that women of color tend to begin perimenopause and menopause at earlier ages than white women.

“The question I always ask women when they ask when they’re going to go through menopause is, ‘When did your mom go through menopause?’ because that is very often predictive,” says Streicher.

“There’s a lot of truth in that. You may follow what happened with your mother; if she went through menopause early or late, you may, too,” she says.

Certain medical conditions, such as autoimmune problems, thyroid issues, and lupus, can make a woman go through menopause earlier, Streicher adds.

5. Could Alcohol Consumption or Cigarette Smoking Influence When Menopause Occurs?

Although it can be difficult for scientists to tease out specific factors that impact when a woman goes through natural menopause, there is a growing body of research in this area.

One such study, published online in April 2021 in Menopause, the journal of NAMS, looked at several aspects of women’s health and lifestyle, while also controlling for different variables in an attempt to zero in on what could be influencing the timing of the transition.

“They found that there are factors that do seem predictive of when a woman will approach menopause, such as higher estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, which we’ve known for a while,” says Streicher. “Irregular menstrual bleeding and hot flashes were also indicators of earlier menopause,” she adds.

One new finding concerned alcohol consumption. Participants approaching menopause reported higher consumption of alcohol, leading researchers to wonder if an uptick in drinking was a clue that the change was coming.

That makes sense, says Streicher. “This can be a time of added stress for women, and we know that any stressful situation can cause someone to drink more,” she says.

Although this study didn’t find a strong association with smoking, other research has indicated that smoking is related to early onset of menopause, says Streicher.

6. Does Menstrual Cycle Length or Menopause Symptoms Influence the Timing of Menopause?

Women with shorter menstrual cycles, defined as less than 25 days, are more likely to reach menopause early than women with normal-length cycles (26 to 34 days), according to a study of 634 women published in Menopause on August 23, 2022.

Researchers also found that the women with short menstrual cycles had a higher frequency of total menopause symptoms, and were more likely to have certain menopause symptoms, including midlife sleep problems, heart discomfort, and depressive symptoms.

More research is needed to confirm these findings, especially studies that separately evaluate women with a usual cycle length of fewer than 21 days, according to the authors.

7. Does Having More Children Delay Menopause?

Because pregnancy puts menstruation and ovulation on “pause,” it’s been theorized that a high number of pregnancies may delay menopause, but the findings of a Norwegian study published in Human Reproduction in February 2020 belie that assumption.

After analyzing data on close to 300,000 women, investigators found that women with three childbirths had the highest average age at menopause, at 51.36 years old, and that women who had never given birth had the lowest, at an average of 50.55 years of age.

But women who had had more than three childbirths didn’t go through the menopause transition later, which is what would be expected if pregnancies truly delay menopause, according to the researchers. The authors concluded that the results “question the assumption that interrupted ovulation during pregnancy delays menopause.”

8. Is There a Link Between Trauma and the Timing of the Menopause Transition?

In a study published in March 2022 in Menopause, researchers found that a mother’s own childhood physical abuse and her child’s own sexual abuse both were associated with an earlier age of menopause: mothers who were physically abused in childhood and had a child who experienced regular sexual abuse reached menopause 8. 78 years earlier than mothers without a history of personal abuse or abuse of their child.

The authors attribute this association to “allostatic load,” which refers to how stress experienced over one’s life course can accumulate and eventually exceed a person’s coping resources, says the lead author, Holly Foster, PhD, a professor of sociology at Texas A&M University in Brazos County, Texas.

It’s thought that this chronic stress buildup can impact the release of certain hormones and potentially suppress the immune system. “Over time this can lead to accrued wear and tear on one’s body, known metaphorically as the ‘weathering hypothesis.’ This finding is illustrative of how violence, both to oneself, but also to one’s children, contributes to maternal allostatic load, accelerating their reproductive aging,” says Dr. Foster.

This study is important because it investigates the cumulative impact of intergenerational violence on reproductive aging, says Faubion. “That intergenerational violence accelerates reproductive aging should come as no surprise. The key question is how to interrupt this devastating cycle of violence,” she says. Addressing the issue will require multiple sectors, including social change, policy and education, adds Faubion.

9. What Else Affects When a Woman Will Finally Stop Having Menstrual Periods?

Researchers continue to explore a number of factors that may influence the timing of menopause.

The level of education a woman has completed is one thing that seems to correlate with menopause timing, says Faubion. “Women who have more education tend to go through menopause later,” she says.

A study published in January 2020 in JAMA Network Open found that pregnancy and breastfeeding may reduce the risk of early menopause.

The frequency with which a woman has sex has also been correlated with early menopause. A study published January 15, 2020, in Royal Society Open Science found that frequent sexual activity was associated with a higher age of natural menopause.

10. I Got My First Period Early. Does That Mean I’ll Go Through Menopause Early?

“I have many patients tell me, ‘I know I’m going to go through menopause earlier because I started my period really early,’” says Streicher. “The reason women think that is because they think menopause occurs when you run out of eggs. This isn’t going to happen; we’re born with millions of eggs and many of those are never used. When you go through menopause is really about the aging of eggs and what causes them to age more quickly,” she says.

The average age of menarche (the onset of menstruation) in the United States has gotten younger for a variety of reasons, but that hasn’t made women go through menopause earlier, she says.

11. Are Women Who Aren’t Experiencing Menopausal Symptoms Still Fertile?

“No matter when you experience natural menopause, your chances of getting pregnant after the age of 40 are low,” says Faubion. But you can still become pregnant as you’re transitioning to menopause, and you still need to use birth control if you don’t want to conceive, she says.

Streicher confirms this, saying, “Fertility and menopause are not the same thing; there are plenty of women who are pumping out estrogen and menstruating and are not fertile.” If you’re sexually active, it’s important to consult with your doctor before making any decisions about birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

On the other hand, don’t assume that just because you are still menstruating you can get pregnant. Women who are concerned that they may have trouble conceiving or think they may experience menopause early and still want children should discuss options such as egg freezing with their doctor, says Streicher.

12. Will Being Super Healthy Delay Menopause?

Although maintaining good overall health is important for a variety of reasons, it won’t necessarily translate to later menopause, says Streicher. “I have women who tell me, ‘I have a healthy diet, I’m thin, I work out all the time, and I look young. I’m sure I’m not going to go through menopause early, and when I do, I won’t have hot flashes and other symptoms. ’ I wish I could say that was true, but it’s not,” she says.

Body weight might matter, though. “We do know that the extremes of weight, in someone who is very obese or someone with very low body weight, may impact the onset of menopause, but for the majority of women in the middle it doesn’t seem to have a big impact,” says Streicher.

13. Predicting Natural Menopause: Why Does Age Matter?

If there’s not a lot that women can do to change when they’ll experience menopause, why does predicting it even matter?

It would be helpful for every woman to know exactly when menopause will arrive. Beyond recognizing and addressing issues such as increased cardiovascular disease risk and risks related to bone health, if a woman knows her age of menopause and how long the perimenopause transition will last, it could help her make important health decisions, says Faubion.

“If you’re bleeding like crazy it would be helpful to know,” she says.

As of now, research hasn’t uncovered a way to determine when a woman will go into menopause, but that information could be useful in making decisions such as whether to have a hysterectomy or other invasive procedures, says Faubion. “If menopause is going to be a few months or a year from now, you may choose to wait it out; if it’s going to be five years from now, you might want to go ahead and have an invasive procedure,” she says.

The ability to predict when menopause will occur could also help with managing menopause symptoms or deciding which type of birth control to use, adds Faubion.

The Best Foods for Women Around Menopause

You can improve some symptoms of menopause with a smart menopause diet. Learn which foods are good for menopause and which to avoid.

By Beth LevineJuly 11, 2023

5 Promising Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms

Hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause may improve with nonhormonal treatments. Learn about supplements that may help with insomnia, vaginal dryness…

By Stacey ColinoJune 20, 2023

5 Ways to Ease Painful Sex During and After Menopause

Painful sex and vaginal dryness are common among post-menopausal women. Here’s what may be causing the discomfort and how to make sex more pleasurable…

By Jessica MigalaJune 17, 2023

7 Healthy Foods Women Should Eat During Menopause

During menopause, your nutritional needs may change. Even though you may need more nutrients, you’ll probably need to take in fewer calories. Here are…

By Becky UphamJune 14, 2023

Perimenopause and Menopause: What’s the Difference?

Menopause is a stage that tends to occur around age 50. Perimenopause is the time before menopause when the body transitions. Many women experience hot…

By Meryl Davids LandauMay 31, 2023

8 Ways to Even Out Menopause Mood Swings

Many women going through menopause find that their moods can change quickly. Here are nine ways to deal with the mood swings that often accompany menopause…

By Jordan M. DavidsonMay 23, 2023

5 Foods to Avoid During Menopause

What does your diet have to do with menopause? Turns out, eating certain foods may worsen bothersome menopause symptoms and lead to weight gain. Learn…

By Jennifer Acosta ScottMay 22, 2023

What Is Perimenopause? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

By Lisa RapaportMay 17, 2023

Fomin Clinic — a network of multidisciplinary clinics

During menopause, serious changes occur in the body, about which women usually know very little. In this article, we will debunk the most popular myths, and at the same time explain what menopause is, what to expect from it, and whether it is necessary to endure the unpleasant symptoms associated with it.

Age of onset of sexual activity does not affect the rate of menopause. The timing of menopause is determined by genetics. You will most likely go through menopause around the same age as your mother.

To date, scientists know of only one external, heredity-independent factor that can bring menopause closer in otherwise healthy people – this is smoking. On average, smokers stop menstruating 2 years earlier than non-smokers.

This is not true. The menopause is a smooth physiological restructuring associated with a decrease in the level of sex hormones until the complete disappearance of menstruation. Changes in the hormonal background begin at about 40-50 years old, can last up to 8-10 years and take place in three stages.

Perimenopause . Normally, it begins at the age of 40-45 years and can last from 4 years to several months. At this time, a woman produces less and less female sex hormones – estrogens. At this time, menstruation becomes irregular, sometimes their character changes – the discharge becomes either unusually plentiful, or, conversely, scarce.

In the last year or two of perimenopause, the fall in estrogen levels accelerates. Approximately 40% of women experience menopausal symptoms for the first time at this time – due to biochemical and hormonal changes, they may become more irritable, experience hot flashes (an unexpected feeling of hotness and sweating), sleep disturbances, or even fall into depression.

Menopause . At this time, menstruation stops. However, it is possible to assert that this is menopause, and not a cycle failure, only after a woman has lived without menstruation for a whole year. At this time, menopause symptoms appear in 60-80% of women.

Postmenopausal . Comes after a year of menopause. At this time, for many women, menopausal symptoms subside. Unfortunately, at this stage, health problems associated with a lack of estrogens, such as osteoporosis, can appear.

With age, the level of sex hormones decreases in both women and men, so the term “male menopause” has the right to exist. At the same time, age-related hormonal changes in women occur differently than in men.

In women during the last period of perimenopause, the level of estrogen drops quite sharply in just 1-2 years, so that this leads to a complete cessation of menstruation, that is, menopause. Although this is a natural physiological process, due to the gradual “turning off” of the usual hormonal background, women often experience unpleasant symptoms.

In men, testosterone levels begin to decline gradually from the age of 30. After this age, testosterone levels drop by about 1-2% each year. A sharp decrease in the level of sex hormones in men does not occur, so the “male menopause” most often goes without noticeable physical symptoms.

However, there are exceptions to every rule. In about 2.1% of men, the age-related decrease in the level of sex hormones leads to changes resembling the female menopause. True, “male menopause” is not usually considered a natural part of aging. According to British doctors, the age-related decline in testosterone levels is a disease that must be treated with hormone therapy.

Not really. Although the ability to have children decreases in perimenopause, the chance still remains. In order to definitely not get pregnant, you need to use contraceptives until a “guaranteed” menopause occurs, that is, at least a year must have passed since the last menstruation.

However, condoms should not be completely abandoned even after menopause. Although it is no longer possible to become pregnant, there is still a risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease through unprotected sex with a new/non-regular partner.

Indeed, there is evidence that estrogen improves learning and memory in healthy women. But it is not a fact that the lack of estrogen is to blame for the forgetfulness of older women. Memory problems may be associated with age-related changes in the cardiovascular system. Because of this, the blood supply to the brain worsens in older people of both sexes.

As for hysteria, some menopausal women sometimes experience mood swings, may become more irritable and experience unreasonable anxiety. But sudden mood swings depend not only on hormones, so you can’t write them off solely on menopause.

The only menopausal symptom unequivocally associated with a decrease in the synthesis of sex hormones is hot flashes, which are experienced by 80% of women of different cultures. Fortunately, hot flashes that are too strong and too frequent can be managed with menopausal hormone therapy or non-hormonal treatment, which can be prescribed by your gynecologist.

Tooth decay is not associated with menopause but with the normal aging process. Unfortunately, the lack of estrogen leads to other problems, such as hair loss and dry skin, and in some people, menopause provokes muscle and joint pain. If you are faced with such manifestations, it is not necessary to endure them – you need to contact a gynecologist who will select the appropriate treatment for you.

43% of menopausal women lose interest in sex. But despite their age, more than half of women continue to do it! Another thing is that due to the lack of estrogen, sex may not be as pleasant as before.

According to a large American study, 39% of menopausal women complained of a lack of lubrication, 34% noted an inability to climax, 23% experienced no pleasure from sex, and 17% experienced pain during sex.

Fortunately, these problems can be overcome. To regain interest in sex, you can try to have it more often and do Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor – this will help increase blood flow to the vagina and strengthen the muscles involved in orgasm.

Lack of lubrication can be compensated with lubricants, and interest in sex is often restored in women who start taking menopausal hormone therapy.

True, it must be taken into account that menopausal hormone therapy is not indicated for everyone. For example, there is evidence that hormone therapy harms rather than helps women over 60 years of age. Before starting treatment, you must always consult with your doctor.

The benefits of proper menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) far outweigh the risks. MHT relieves the discomfort of hot flashes, helps avoid osteoporosis-related fractures, and generally improves quality of life.

When hormone therapy was first introduced to relieve menopausal symptoms, there was evidence that it increased the risk of breast cancer and coronary heart disease.

However, subsequent studies have shown that if MHT is started immediately after the onset of menopause, it, on the contrary, reduces the risk of death from coronary heart disease and other causes, and also relieves menopausal symptoms and reduces the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis.

However, MHT is not suitable for everyone: for example, it is not suitable for women with severe liver disease, venous thrombosis, and breast cancer. However, this does not mean that women who have contraindications to MHT are doomed to endure the symptoms of menopause. In addition to hormone therapy, the doctor can also choose non-hormonal treatments that can significantly improve the quality of life.

The benefits of plant estrogens have not been proven: it is still unknown whether phytoestrogens can “cancel” hot flashes and improve well-being. But they are quite capable of harm: some doctors believe that due to their similarity with estrogens, plant hormones can be dangerous for women suffering from breast cancer.

• Menopause is not a disease, but a natural stage in a woman’s life. It is impossible to write off all health and mood problems only on menopause.
• Not all menopausal women experience unpleasant symptoms. But if there are symptoms, it is not necessary to endure them: hot flashes, mood swings and other “companions” of menopause can and should be treated.
• Do not self-medicate with menopause. In order for the treatment to help, it must be selected individually, and this should be done by a doctor.

Follow us

Climax. What is important to know? | Blog

Climacteric syndrome (aka menopause) is a period in a woman’s life during which the work of the ovaries decreases and the amount of hormones they produce decreases. The main result of these physiological processes is the cessation of female reproductive function.

The period of menopause in most women occurs after 48-52 years. Its symptoms include hot flashes or sweating, as well as risks of developing serious illnesses. That is why menopause must be kept under control, visit a doctor regularly, and perform prescribed diagnostic procedures.

Stages and types of menopause

Menopause in women does not occur immediately. The climacteric period includes three main stages:

premenopause or premenopause. Menstruation does not stop, but ovarian function decreases. The stage lasts up to 2 years;

menopause. Caused by the cessation of menstruation. The beginning of the period is the absence of menstruation for 12 months. Usually occurs at 50-52 years;

postmenopausal. This stage is characterized by a further decrease in female sex hormones until the complete cessation of the functioning of the ovaries.

The duration and timing of these stages are individual and depend on various factors, including the woman’s lifestyle and health status.

Menopause is also distinguished by the severity of manifestations:

first or mild degree. It is characterized by infrequent (up to 10 times a day) hot flashes, which are the main manifestation of menopausal syndrome;

second degree or medium. Symptoms are more pronounced, and hot flashes are not the only manifestation of this condition;

severe or third degree. Signs of menopause are strongly pronounced, not limited to hot flashes, the number and frequency of which is quite large (more than 20 times a day). Working capacity decreases, the general state of health worsens significantly.

Symptoms of menopause

The preliminary stage (before menopause) often occurs without obvious signs. But it also happens vice versa, when a woman is worried about not one, but several symptoms at once. In addition, manifestations can differ significantly in different periods of time.

Early signs of climacteric syndrome include:

hot flashes, goosebumps, sweating;

rapid pulse;

headaches;

pressure surges;

sudden changes in mood;

sleep problems;

memory impairment;

decreased sexual desire.

When menopause occurs, menstruation stops in women. Other signs during this period of development of the syndrome include the following:

dry skin, as well as mucous membranes of the genital and urinary tract;

pain during sex;

urinary incontinence;

muscle and joint pain;

hair loss.

In the future, after menopause, various complications of menopause are possible:

hypertension;

atherosclerosis;

osteoporosis.

Also increases the risk of developing diabetes, hearing, vision and mental abilities are reduced.

In order to prevent these diseases and problems, during menopause, women are advised to regularly visit their doctor in Kyiv, monitor their health and adhere to the prescribed treatment.

Diagnostics of menopause

Diagnostic examinations of menopausal syndrome are carried out by gynecologists of our clinic. They examine and interview the patient, establish the relationship between menopause and various manifestations of menopause. An important diagnostic task is also the identification of concomitant diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc.

During menopause, women may be prescribed various tests, including:

laboratory tests for hormones, lipid spectrum, coagulation;

cytological and microscopic: their aim is to exclude the presence of atypical cells in the cervix.

To exclude the development of complications of menopause, such types of studies as ultrasound of the pelvic organs, mammography, radiography of bone tissues, ECG are used.

Menopause treatment

Menopause is a physiological process that occurs with age in any woman. Therefore, the therapeutic effect, as a rule, is aimed at minimizing negative manifestations, that is, facilitating the course of menopause. So with a mild degree of the syndrome, special treatment may not be required at all. In the presence of minor complaints about the general state of health appoint:

hormone replacement therapy;

vitamins, especially A, C and group B;

physiotherapy, including massage, exercise therapy, etc.

A balanced diet is also recommended during menopause.

With a large number of unpleasant manifestations (moderate severity of menopause), antidepressants and medications that allow normalization of blood pressure may be indicated.

If you are concerned about menopausal syndrome, please contact our clinic in Kyiv.