FAQs: Menopause Basics

FAQs: Menopause Basics

• What is menopause?

  Menopause is a normal, natural event—defined as the final menstrual period and usually confirmed when a woman has missed her periods for 12 consecutive months (in the absence of other obvious causes). Menopause is associated with reduced functioning of the ovaries due to aging, resulting in lower levels of estrogen and other hormones. It marks the permanent end of fertility. Menopause occurs, on average, at age 51. The years between puberty (when periods start) and menopause are called premenopause.

   

• What is perimenopause?

  Physical signs of menopause begin many years before the final menstrual period. This menopause transition phase is called perimenopause (literally meaning “around menopause”). It can last 6 years or more, and ends 1 year after the final menstrual period.

   

• What is induced menopause?

  Induced menopause, which can occur at any age between the first and last periods, is when menstrual periods stop due to a medical intervention, surgical removal of both ovaries, or sometimes cancer treatments.

   

• I had a hysterectomy with removal of my ovaries, so I've had a surgical menopause. How can I control the intense menopause symptoms I’m experiencing?

  Menopause symptoms related to medically induced menopause can be similar to those from natural menopause, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and vaginal dryness. But premenopausal women who experience induced menopause are faced with menopause and its effects without the gradual adjustment time of perimenopause. The abrupt loss of estrogen may result in more sudden and intense symptoms. Women who experience induced menopause usually have a greater need for treatment to control their menopause-associated symptoms than women who undergo natural menopause. And because these women are often younger, they need ongoing monitoring and sometimes treatment to lower the risk of menopause associated diseases such as osteoporosis later in life.

   

• What is early or premature menopause?

  Menopause, whether natural or induced, is called premature when women reach it at age 40 or younger. Premature menopause can be genetic, the result of one or more poorly understood autoimmune processes, or it can be induced with a medical intervention.

   

• I’m only 36 years old and I’ve prematurely reached menopause. What specific menopause information do I need?

  Women experiencing premature menopause (age 40 or younger) that is not medically induced go through perimenopause and may have the same symptoms as women with natural menopause, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and vaginal dryness. However, compared to women who reach menopause at the typical age, women who experience premature menopause—whether natural or induced— spend more years without the benefits of estrogen and are at greater risk for some health problems later in life, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

• What is postmenopause?

  Postmenopause is all the years beyond menopause.

• How can I find a menopause specialist?

  The North American Menopause Society maintains a search feature on this Web site for those women in the United States or Canada who are searching for physicians and other healthcare providers interested in helping them manage their health through menopause and beyond. Those who have passed a competency examination leading to the prestigious credential of NAMS Menopause Practitioner are noted in the displayed results.

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