Menopause is a natural event which simply marks the end of fertility, a woman is said to have reached the menopausal stage when she has missed 12 months of menstrual periods in a year.
It happens mostly due to aging, but can be brought on due to surgery or other medical problems.
It can start as early as 40 years old or as late as 58 years old, with the average age of menopause being 51 years.
Perimenopause is the transitional stage from the menstruating phase to the menopausal stage; it can start 6 years ahead and end a year after the last menstrual period.
Perimenopause usually occurs between 35 to 50 years of age.
The changes occur due to changing levels of ovarian hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
The hormone level decreases slowly in a somewhat seemly erratic fashion.
During this phase, a woman may still be able to conceive, so for those who do not wish to do so, contraception is required.
Menopause Symptoms: Many women might experience some physical changes due to menopause, but it varies for each woman.
For some the only symptom may be a loss of periods while others might notice the following changes - hot flashes or flushes, night sweats that may be followed by a chill, dryness of the vagina, mood swings, forgetfulness, sleep disturbances, increased stress levels, increased growth of hair on face and decreased growth of hair on head.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether these symptoms are due to menopause, aging or both.
Early menopause: Usually a woman will experience menopause around the same time her mother or sister reached it.
However, some may go through menopause early in age due to certain factors, in some cases it can start as early as your 30s.
It has been noted that smokers on average go through menopause two years earlier than non-smokers might.
Women who have had pelvic radiation for cancer or have received chemotherapy may also get early menopause.
Other women who might go through early menopause are those who have never delivered a baby, have a history of heart disease, poor nutrition, undergone pelvic surgery, been exposed to toxic chemicals and been treated for epilepsy.
There is also induced menopause, which can occur at any age due to the removal of the both ovaries (Bilateral Oophorectomy).
Post menopause: This stage starts with the last period and continues thereafter.
In other words, it starts right after the ovaries become inactive.
During the menopausal stage, periods might become very erratic.
So, post menopause is officially declared only after 12 months with no periods.
Women in this phase are susceptible to certain medical conditions such as heart diseases and loss of bone density (osteoporosis) which may occur at a rate of 4% per year.
Menopause is a condition that really needs to be more fully understood by both women and the medical community.
It used to be treated more like a medical condition rather than a part of the natural aging process.
Certainly severe symptoms like mood swings, depression and anxiety may require medical treatment, but for the most part, although menopause can be difficult and challenging, it is, for better or worse, something that all women will need to deal with.
A good place to start is by reading about menopause and the problems that other women have faced.
This will enable you to take better control of the situation if you know what to expect.