Menopause refers to the point when it’s been a year since the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Menopause is not an illness. It is a natural transition between two physiological phases of a woman’s life. The average age of menopause in women in the U.S. is 51.
If menopause occurs in a woman below the age of 40, it is considered premature menopause. For women older than 55, the occurrence of menopause is considered late. For most women, it takes place between the age of 49 and 52.
The period of fluctuating hormones before periods end is referred to as perimenopause. Perimenopause typically occurs during a woman’s forties.
Menopause takes place due to the occurrence of a complex series of hormonal changes in a woman. A reduction in the number of functioning eggs in a woman’s ovaries is associated with the onset of menopause. As menopause approaches, the ovaries reduce their production of estrogen hormone drastically.
Estrogen impacts various parts of the body, including bone, heart, uterus, urinary system, brain, skin, and blood vessels. Many scientists believe that the loss of estrogen may be one of the critical factors responsible for menopause.