menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause refers to the time in a woman's life when she stops having menstrual periods.

It is often referred to as the "change of life" and marks the end of the fertile years, when the ovaries stop releasing eggs

Menopause occurs at an average age of about 50, usually from 47-52, although it can happen outside this age range.

A Premature Menopause is the result of the surgical removal of the ovaries

Recognizing the symptoms

The symptoms of Menopause are caused by decreasing levels of estrogen, the female hormone produced by the ovaries, that controls sexual development.

Most of the physical symptoms are due to these reduced estrogen levels, but some women suffer psychologically from the awareness that they have reached the end of their reproductive life and associate this with the aging process.

Others regard Menopause as a time of liberation, where they are free of menstrual periods and the risk of unplanned pregnancy.

Some women have little or no symptoms at all, while others may experience changes to menstruation including a lighter (or heavier) menstrual flow during this "perimenopausal" stage.

Hot flashes ("night sweats") can also be particularly distressing, and some people describe them as a "wave" of heat that flows through their body.

Following Surgical Menopause, nearly all women suffer from some symptoms after their operation.

A healthcare provider should be consulted if there is a sudden change to the normal menstrual cycle.