
Menopause is not an illness, but the natural end of female fertility. As women age, production of the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in the ovaries slows down, and the ovaries stop producing eggs. Menopause begins when a woman stops having her menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.
Menopause naturally happens between the ages of 45 – 55 years, although it can occur as early as in the 30s, and as late as in the 60s. Women will undergo 3 stages of the menopause process: Perimenopause or menopause transition, menopause, and postmenopause.
Perimenopause
Eight to 10 years prior menopause, women in their 40s begin to experience perimenopause when their ovaries begin to produce less oestrogen. The decrease in oestrogen speeds up during the last 2 years of perimenopause. At this point, many women start to experience menopause symptoms. However, they continue to have menstrual cycles and can still get pregnant.
Menopause
When a woman no longer has menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months, she enters the menopause stage. At this stage, women experience menopause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal changes, sleeping difficulties, and dry skin.
Postmenopause
During this stage, menopausal symptoms begin to ease for most women. However, some may continue to experience symptoms of menopause for more than a decade. Due to a lower level of oestrogen, women at this stage are prone to health conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis.