About the Menopause

What is the Menopause?

Menopause, a natural part of the female life cycle, signifies a woman’s final menstrual period. ‘Meno’ refers to the menstrual cycle. Throughout life, the gradual loss of eggs from the ovaries accelerates for most women around age 40, resulting in decreased levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Typically, menopause symptoms begin in the mid-forties, but they can manifest earlier. The period leading up to a year after the last menstrual bleed is termed the PERI-menopause. Menopause is officially confirmed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. If a period occurs 11 months after the last bleed, the count restarts, requiring another 12-month cessation period.

A woman’s experience of menopause is highly individual. Some may view it as a positive and liberating phase, free from periods and contraception concerns. However, others may face debilitating symptoms. While symptoms might be short-lived for some women, others may endure them for many months or even years beyond their final period

What is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, is characterized by declining hormone levels while menstrual bleeding persists. Typically starting in a woman’s early to mid-forties, some experience menopause before 40 (1 in 100), with a rare occurrence under 30 (1 in 1000). Hormonal fluctuations during this phase can trigger various physical and emotional changes such as menstrual irregularities, hot flushes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, mood swings, reduced libido, and vaginal dryness.

Lasting for several years, perimenopause culminates in menopause, defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, marking a single point in time. Although a natural part of a woman’s life cycle, managing its symptoms through lifestyle adjustments and hormone therapy can significantly impact a woman’s quality of life