What To Expect In Each Stage Of Menopause

Average Age Of Menopause:

average age of menopause

By Kathi ValeiiAs a freelance writer, Kathi has experience writing both reported features and essays for national publications on the topics of healthcare, advocacy, and education. The bulk of her work centers on parenting, education, health, and social sell justice. In addition, as a person ages, their remaining eggs are more likely to have abnormal chromosomes, which increases the risk of having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities. At birth, a person with ovaries has around one million egg cells.

Calm, tranquil types of exercise like yoga can also help with your mood and relieve any fears or anxiety you may be feeling. Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) occurs when the ovaries stop working normally before age 40. POI is not the same as premature menopause; people with POI may still get occasional periods and may even become pregnant. Perimenopause most often begins in a person’s forties and can last anywhere from a couple of years to 10 years. During perimenopause, estrogen declines, which can cause a variety of symptoms.

All of these factors can disrupt your life and even cause tension in your relationship(s). In addition to these changes, the lower levels of estrogen in your body can cause a decrease in the blood supply to your vagina. When you don’t have the right amount of lubrication in your vagina, it can lead to painful intercourse. Contact a healthcare provider if you’re unsure if your symptoms are related to menopause or another health condition. The average age of menopause in the United States is approximately 51 years old.

The best approach you can take is to embrace your body’s changes and welcome this new chapter of life. You can expect to experience great post to read this change around the same time your mother did. Continue seeing your doctor regularly during perimenopause and menopause.

average age of menopause

As a result, a failure of endometrial development occurs, which may cause irregular menstrual cycles until menses eventually stop completely. Menopause occurs when women have not had a menstrual cycle (period) for 12 months in a row. While menopause usually comes naturally, surgical removal of the ovaries, some medical treatments, and certain diseases can cause premature menopause. The late menopause transition is when you’re getting a little closer to menopause. This time is usually marked by irregular periods and menstrual cycles. The transition phase before menopause is often referred to as perimenopause.

They will also be able to support you and help you cope with the symptoms of menopause. While laboratory tests are not usually necessary to diagnose menopause, your doctor may test the number of hormones in your blood. This is especially true if your periods stopped at an early age (before 40) or there is a medical reason to do so. The risk of menopause depends on the type of chemotherapy a person receives and the dose that is given.

An individual is considered to be in menopause after 12 months without a menstrual period. Menopause comes with several changes in an individual’s health. ‘During this period of time, the ovaries begin producing fewer hormones, which may result in irregular menstrual cycles and symptoms of lower estrogen,’ explains Anderson. You’ll likely experience irregular periods along with various other symptoms. Your periods may be longer or shorter than normal, or they may be heavier or lighter than usual. Andropause, or male menopause, is a term that describes decreasing testosterone levels in men or people assigned male at birth (AMAB).

This condition is experienced by all women as they get older as reproductive hormone levels decrease. Menopause is when a woman stops having her period permanently, for 12 months in a row. While most women reach menopause by 51 or 52, this is an average and varies.

Menopause is often not discussed within families, communities, workplaces, or health-care settings. During perimenopause and following menopause, it is still possible to acquire sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, through unprotected sexual contact, including oral, anal, and vaginal sex. The thinning of the vaginal wall after menopause increases the chances of lesions and tears, thereby increasing the risk of HIV transmission during vaginal sex. It is not possible to predict when an individual woman will experience menopause, although there are associations between the age at menopause and certain demographic, health, and genetic factors.

People who receive smaller doses of radiation may find that their ovaries begin to function again with time. Menopause that occurs from the absence of ovaries is known as surgical menopause. As of now, research hasn’t uncovered a way to determine when a woman will go into menopause, but that information could be useful in making decisions such as whether to have a hysterectomy or sell other invasive procedures, says Faubion. ‘If menopause is going to be a few months or a year from now, you may choose to wait it out; if it’s going to be five years from now, you might want to go ahead and have an invasive procedure,’ she says. A study published in January 2020 in JAMA Network Open found that pregnancy and breastfeeding may reduce the risk of early menopause.

Experiencing early menopause has been linked to a shorter life expectancy. A newly approved test called the PicoAMH Elisa test measures the amount of Anti-M’llerian Hormone (AMH) in the blood. This test helps determine whether you will soon be entering menopause or if you already have. Make your tax-deductible gift and be a part of the cutting-edge research and care that’s changing medicine. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health.

If you are still experiencing a menstrual cycle in your late 50s or early 60s, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. During your appointment, you may be asked about your menstrual cycle and symptoms. This will help your provider identify if you are in menopause. Most women nearing menopause will begin experiencing vasomotor symptoms (VMS). During a hot flash there is a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the upper body, often with blushing, a racing heart, and sweating. These flashes can range from mild in most women to severe in others.

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