When does menopause start?
In the US, the average age is 52, but it can happen naturally at any time between the ages of 40 – 65 years old. Women can also experience early signs of menopause due to medical conditions, illnesses, or surgery, early menopause can occur at any time.
The day a woman has her final day of menstruation is the official start of menopause. Because bleeding is irregular leading up to menopause, it is recommended that a woman should still be thought to be potentially fertile until one complete year without bleeding passes.
What is menopause?
Menopause is a natural phase of life that all women experience, it marks the end of fertility brought on by hormonal changes taking place in the body. It is completely normal and not a medical condition.
What are the most common menopause symptoms?
Women report a wide range of symptoms associated with menopause but the most common of all symptoms is by far hot flashes. Other common symptoms include: night sweats, mood swings, memory loss, thinning hair, trouble concentrating, depression, anxiety, loss of sex drive, vaginal dryness, irregular bleeding, loss of fertility, osteoporosis, accidental urine leakage, facial hair, ear ringing, formication (skin crawling sensation) and insomnia.
If I have menopause symptoms can I still get pregnant?
Yes, prior to menopause is the perimenopause phase which is when menopause symptoms may first begin to make their appearance and during perimenopause it is completely possible to get pregnant. Fertility levels begin to slow down, this makes it harder to conceive but certainly not impossible.
When does this perimenopause phase start?
Perimenopause usually lasts on average 6 years prior to menopause, but this is just the average, it can be longer or shorter. For women experiencing menopause on the younger side, perimenopause can happen when they are in their 30s, but most women don’t start experiencing perimenopause symptoms until their 40s.
When do symptoms go away?
Once menopause is reached, symptoms will slowly begin to decline over a period of 3 – 5 years, eventually disappearing altogether.
