Menopause is a normal stage in a woman's life when her monthly period stops. A woman who has no periods for an entire year after the age of 45 is considered to be in menopause. After menopause, a woman is no longer fertile (able to become pregnant naturally). Going through menopause may take one to two years. Perimenopause is the period of time leading up to menopause. Perimenopause can last from two to eight years. You can have many menopause-like symptoms during perimenopause. These symptoms, such as hot flashes, can be very bothersome for some women.
What causes menopause?
Menopause starts when your ovaries slowly stop making the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Hormones are special chemicals that your body makes. Hormones act as messengers to help control how your body works. The hormones estrogen and progesterone help control your monthly periods. Menopause usually starts between the ages of 40 to 55. The average age that menopause starts is 51 years old. The age that menopause starts can be affected by:
Cigarette smoking. Women who smoke may begin menopause about one year earlier than other women.
Family history. Women often go through menopause at about the same age as their mothers did.
Medical treatments. Some medical treatments, such as certain treatments for cancer, can cause menopause to start early.
Surgery. Menopause may happen suddenly in women of any age if their ovaries are removed during surgery. This is called surgical menopause. A hysterectomy (his-te-REK-toh-mee) is a surgery where the uterus (womb) is removed. Sometimes one or both ovaries are also removed during a hysterectomy. If both ovaries are removed, menopause will start right away. Having a hysterectomy when just the uterus is removed will not usually cause menopause. This is because the ovaries are still inside the body and able to make hormones. However, monthly periods do stop after the uterus is removed during a hysterectomy. You can no longer get pregnant after having a hysterectomy.
Red Hot Mamas
Mercy Health Partners has partnered with the Prime Plus/Red Hot Mamas to bring women the latest information on the physical and emotional changes that occur during menopause. Prime Plus/Red Hot Mamas is a national health organization dedicated to providing menopause management education and psychological support so women can be active participants in the management of menopause.
