Article Medically Reviewed By:
Rebecca Kightlinger, DO
Midlife Health University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
Overview
What Is It?
Menopause is a natural part of the female reproductive cycle when monthly menstrual periods end permanently, signifying the end of childbearing years. Menopause is said to have occurred when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 months. The change of life. The end of fertility. The beginning of freedom. Whatever people call it, menopause is a unique and personal experience for every woman. It's a natural event that marks the end of fertility and childbearing years. Technically, menopause results when the ovaries no longer release eggs and decrease production of the sex hormones, estrogen, progesterone and, to a lesser extent, androgen. Menopause is said to have occurred when a woman has not had a period for 12 months.
Menopause & the Reproductive Cycle
Reproduction
During the reproductive years, a gland in the brain generates hormones that cause an egg from the ovaries to be released from its follicle each month. As the follicle develops, it produces the sex hormones estrogen and, after ovulation, progesterone, which results in a thickened uterine lining. This enriched lining is prepared to receive and nourish a fertilized egg, which could develop into a fetus. If fertilization does not occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, the lining of the uterus breaks down and menstruation occurs.
Perimenopause
For reasons unknown, your ovaries gradually begin to function less efficiently during your mid-to-late 30s. In your late 40s, the process accelerates along with greater hormone fluctuations. This affects ovulation and levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. During this transition period, called perimenopause, you may experience irregular menstrual cycles and unpredictable episodes of menstrual bleeding. By your early to mid-50s, your periods will likely end. Most women can tell if they are approaching menopause because their menstrual periods start changing. The "menopause transition" is a term used to describe this time, as is perimenopause.
Menopause
But menopause itself—as defined by health care professionals—is a woman's final menstrual period, which can be confirmed after she goes 12 consecutive months with no period, and no other biological or physiological cause can be identified; it also may occur when both ovaries are surgically removed or damaged. Until that time, a woman in her late 40s or 50s may still be able to get pregnant, despite irregular periods.
When Does Menopause Occur?
Although the majority of women experience "natural" or spontaneous menopause, some women may experience menopause due to other factors below.
Medical Intervention
Surgically removing both ovaries, a procedure known as bilateral oophorectomy, triggers menopause at any age. Induced menopause can also occur if the ovaries are damaged by radiation, chemotherapy or certai...
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