Menopause Menopause

Menopause occurs because the ovaries produce progressively smaller amounts of estrogen and progesterone as a woman ages, leading to the end of ovulation (the cyclical release of eggs by the ovaries). At menopause, menstrual periods end, and a woman can no longer become pregnant. The average age that women in the United States reach menopause is 51. However, there is a wide normal range in the population of reaching menopause - it may occur in some women at age 40.

Female climacteric is the technical term for what is commonly referred to as the 'change of life', where a woman experiences the transition from the reproductive stage of her life to the nonreproductive stage. The climacteric years include the premenopausal (approaching menopause), menopausal, and postmenopausal (after menopause) stages in a woman's change of life.

Symptoms that occur just before menopause (the premenopausal stage) include irregular menstrual periods (that is, more or less frequent), changes in menstrual flow, and intermittent regularity of the menstrual cycle. There are other common symptoms in this stage not specifically related to menstrual cycles. Hot flashes affect about 75% of women approaching menopause. During a hot flash, the skin becomes red and warm, especially around the head and neck. Profuse perspiration sometimes followed by chills can accompany hot flashes, which can last up to 5 minutes. Most climacteric women experience hot flashes for more than 1 year, and many experience hot flashes for more than 5 years.

Other symptoms that may occur around the climacteric are mood changes, depression, irritability, anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, decreased concentration, headache, and fatigue. Night sweats associated with hot flashes may affect sleep. Symptoms often lessen after menopause (when a woman is postmenopausal). Decreased estrogen after menopause can lead to vaginal atrophy, decreased libido, skin changes, increased cholesterol levels, and decreased bone density.

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