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Menopause is something that happens to all women as they get older. It is a natural and normal occurrence. Menopause is when a woman has not had a menstrual period for a full year. It marks both the end of menstruation and the end of a woman's ability to naturally conceive a child.
What is natural menopause?
Natural menopause has occurred when a woman has not had a menstrual period for a full year. When menstruation has permanently ended without any kind of medical intervention, natural menopause has been reached. Menopause is a change that is a natural and normal occurrence.
When does it start?
In the United States, the average age of menopause is 51, with most women usually reaching natural menopause somewhere between 40 and 58 years of age. For some women, natural menopause has occurred as early as in their 30s and some have been in their 60s, though this is quite rare.
Typically, a good indicator of when a woman will reach menopause is to look at when a woman's mother and sisters experienced menopause. If a woman smokes or is a former smoker, menopause may occur up to two years earlier than might have been expected.
What is induced menopause?
When menopause occurs due to a surgical procedure, such as the removal of a woman's ovaries or a medical intervention such as chemotherapy or pelvic radiation treatments, it is called induced menopause. When both of a woman's ovaries are surgically removed, she has had an induced menopause that is called a surgical menopause.
Induced menopause causes an abrupt end to estrogen production as opposed to the gradual diminishing of the ovarian hormone that occurs in natural menopause. Because of this, menopausal symptoms may be much more severe for women who have undergone an induced menopause. Thus, they may require more treatment than women who go through a natural menopause.
What is premature menopause?
When natural or induced menopause occurs before a woman reaches the age of 40, she is considered to have undergone a premature menopause. Certain factors such as autoimmune processes, genetics or medical interventions may be the cause of the premature menopause. When premature menopause occurs, a woman is more likely to be at a risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. These are concerns that a woman should be aware of for the rest of her life.
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External Sources
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The North American Menopause Society Menopause Guidebook
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The Hormone Foundation
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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